Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1942: Cecil Kellaway in I Married a Witch, Jules Berry in The Devil's Envoys & Results

Cecil Kellaway did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Daniel in I Married a Witch. 

 

Jules Berry did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the Devil in The Devil's Envoys. 

I Married a Witch a fairly enjoyable screwball comedy about the descendant of an old witch persecutor (Fredric March) cursed by a witch to fail in love, however things get in a bit of knot when the witch (Veronica Lake) escapes from her imprisonment and falls in love with the man. 

 

The Devil's Envoys is a splendid fantasy about two servants of the devil, tasked with seduction and then destruction, infiltrating the court of a castle.

Cecil Kellaway is a character best known really for his warm and affable characters, as found in his two Oscar nominations for example. This though is a far cry from that, and more evocative of his career best turn found in his guest spot on The Twilight Zone as a most unusual curator of sorts. Kellaway's performance here is as Lake's warlock father who we initially meet, along with Lake, as a disembodied voice. Kellaway's vocal performance alone is memorable in the sheer degree of the deviousness of it as he encourages Lake's Jennifer to essentially be her worst self. Kellaway playing this with a wonderful, and fitting devilishness within the character, and finds the right combination between the comical and the sinister. Kellaway really is the essential ingredient within the film as his consistent appearances take what is an enjoyable romantic comedy and really turning up the latter nicely. I mention these two performances in tandem though as much as the films are different, they are in some way companion pieces about supernatural "creatures" engaging in romance even though the intention is the opposite. As Kellaway is the wrench in the romantic clockwork, as is Jules Berry, who is the titular devil. Where first we establish each romantic pairing or triangle, that involves misleading and maybe some genuine love, this is turned on its head when the actual devil appears to mess things up for all. Berry's performance is one of literal devilishness. He comes in with the right fanfare of someone just loving his state as the prince of darkness and of all lies. Berry shows just the greatest of joys in this state of the man just eager to make all the lovers suffer in any way in which he devise. His expression only brimming with this sinister glee, similar to Kellaway in bringing this sense of fun within the nefarious nature of the character. 

As the romance goes along for both film these two act as the antagonists at any path that leads towards some sort of true love, though in very different ways. Berry's performance is one actually that is of a shift towards the more dramatic as the devil foresees a certain plan and has a distaste when it starts to go away from his chosen path. Berry bringing this quiet egotistical pompousness to the devil's assurance that all will be left unhappy and in his own words "belong to him". There is a certainty of the fiend, however he effectively brings a certain annoyed demeanor as the plan isn't quite going to plan. He still brings this confidence as though it is something that he's seen before and will again, and in that sense is sure, while still creating this slowly growing undercurrent of cause of concern that everything isn't in his power. Kellaway on the other hand is just whole lot of fun in portraying Daniel ever trying to be fiendish and keep anyone from falling in love as well, though his methods decidedly less suave or confident than the devil's. Kellaway is a hoot in portraying the sort of mania in Daniel as he goes about his schemes with this sort of craziness that is befitting a creature of a truly chaotic disposition. Kellaway is just fun to watch whether he's incompetently framing March's character for his own murder, or trying to drive the lovers to their doom. There is just this hilarious sort of insanity he brings to every line though with the right demonic glee of his own. Kellaway's performance brings the right extra ingredient overall to the film that really takes it up a notch overall by providing not just a proper antagonist, but also such a source of fun. Of course this is true for both performances which provide this nice swerve in both film's romantic narratives. Each giving their own memorable turns as sinners with a smile.

Updated Overall Lead

Updated Overall Supporting

Next: Backlog Vol. 3 & Recommendations 

Best Supporting Actor 1967: Results

5. Cecil Kellaway in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner-  Kellaway is charming in the role, but it never requires more of him than just a little charm.

4. John Cassavetes in The Dirty Dozen- Cassavetes is appropriately rebellious in his early scenes, but later in the film it becomes quite hard to ever distinguish him from the rest of the dozen.

3. Michael J. Pollard in Bonnie and Clyde- Pollard gives the least memorable performance of the main cast, but this is a strong cast. He plays his past as a rather modest and impressionable boy just as he should, as well as does shine in a  few key moments.

2. George Kennedy in Cool Hand Luke- Although Kennedy does some unneeded overacting from time to time in his performance he still gives a good performance. He is entertaining and especially effective in showing Dragline's complete admiration for the titular Luke, which is an essential part of his film.

1. Gene Hackman in Bonnie and Clyde- Good prediction Dinasztie . Gene Hackman easily gets my vote as he gives such a great performance despite some clear challenges in the part. Although not a single scene focuses solely on his character Hackman fully realizes not only his character but also how he factors in with the rest of the gang. There is not a wasted moment in Hackman's entire performance and when any opportunity presents itself in the film Hackman makes the most of it creating some very effective moments throughout his performance. 

Best Supporting Actor 1967: Cecil Kellaway in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Cecil Kellaway received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Monsignor Ryan in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.

Monsignor Ryan is a kindly priest who is a family friend of the Draytons who are dealing with their daughter marrying a black man. Monsignor Ryan really is not in the film very much. He shows his nice face and acts very well to the interracial couple, than questions Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) about his hesitations around the relationship of his daughter. There really is not much to the character of Monsignor Ryan and in turn there really is not much to Cecil Kellaway's performance.

Cecil Kellaway is charming and nice enough in his performance. He is exactly the kindly priest that he should be. When he later questions Tracy's character he again is believable in his somewhat sarcastic way he confronts him is done in an appropriately playful fashion by Kellaway. After this though there really is nothing special about his work, but at the same time there is nothing wrong with his work either. In fact it is just as it should be possibly just a little more, but certainly no less.

Kellaway does not really standout in any substantial fashion in the film, but nor is he excessively forgettable either. He is just a nice little presence in the film because of Kellaway's natural charm, I suppose Monsignor could have been less by not having the charm Kellaway has but still the performance never becomes anything that needed to be rewarded or even noted.

Best Supporting Actor 1967

And the Nominees Were:

Gene Hackman in Bonnie and Clyde

Michael J. Pollard in Bonnie and Clyde

George Kennedy in Cool Hand Luke

Cecil Kellaway in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

John Cassavetes in The Dirty Dozen

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Results

5. Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc- Ferrer does basically nothing with his performance as the Dauphin, being an incredibly dull presence, while still being overly theatrical in his way of speaking.

 
4. Oskar Homolka in I Remember Mama- Homolka overacts very heavily in his scenes being far too obvious in his performance. I did like his last scene where he toned it down but that was not enough.

3. Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda- Bickford is good showing the transition of a father from believing his daughter to being dumb to truly loving her despite the fact the film and script are really built away from him.

2. Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish- Kellaway fulfills his role perfectly, he just seems right as a Leprechaun. Even though the part is not the most complicated Kellaway still gives a very nice performance.

1. Walter Huston in The Treasure of Sierra Madre- Huston tops the list once again, making him the biggest winner for me with three wins so far. Huston is just terrific from beginning to end, adding so much to the film with his energetic presence. He is brilliant at creating Howard the old prospector with his voice and manner, and creating the depth of character showing so much more to the character than what is spoken aloud. (Good Prediction Dinasztie) 

Best Supporting Actor 1948: Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish

Cecile Kellaway received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Horace, a Leprechaun, in The Luck of the Irish.

Luck of the Irish is an okay film about a man torn basically between the country values and the city ones.

Kellaway is a key to the Irish roots of the main character by being a Leprechaun named Horace he meets while there. Kellaway's character here is not the most complicated ever, he is a typical Leprechaun, and serves the purpose of pushing the old timey sentimentality sort of thing. Kellaway really is perfect in the role even if the role is not all too complicated. He just seems perfect as a Leprechaun, Kellaway who actually is not Irish just seems to fit the part so well anyways.

His whole demeanor and voice just work perfectly for the part. He just plainly seems and is the Leprechaun because of his manner. Kellaway never needs to be believed he just is, He is just nice presence throughout the film. His performance never becomes a great one but just a nice one which is what he needs to be. He needs to be a pleasant remainder of the pleasantries of the old country life in Ireland. Kellaways does this completely without fault, and makes a Leprechaun as natural as possible.

Best Supporting Actor 1948

And the Nominees Were:

Cecil Kellaway in The Luck of the Irish

Jose Ferrer in Joan of Arc

Walter Huston in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Charles Bickford in Johnny Belinda

Oskar Homolka in I Remember Mama

Who do you pick? What do you predict my ranking will be?