Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Results

5. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With The Wind - Mitchell gives a very strong performance by so effectively realizing the wear of loss through his enthusiastic portrayal before the war and his haunting one after it. 

Best Scene: The return to Tara.

4. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy - Cobb completely overcomes his potential miscasting by exuding both the age and background of his character so effortlessly through his performance. Cobb goes even past that to give such striking yet almost silent depiction of the moral center of the film.

Best Scene: Mr. Bonaparte before the fight.

3. Ralph Richardson in the Four Feathers - Richardson gives a powerful performance that effectively steals the spotlight of the film through his depiction of the breakdown of a proper soldier.

Best Scene: Durrance realizes who saved him.

2. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz - Lahr is consistently endearing and hilarious in a performance that stands out among a memorable ensemble through his portrayal of a true scaredy cat.

Best Scene: The Lion's introduction.

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Good Predictions Luke, and Anonymous. Among a great field Hardwicke stands at the very top for me in his outstanding portrayal of a zealot's struggle to destroy sin which he sees everywhere including in his own desires.

Best Scene: Frollo reveals his feelings for Esmeralda. 

Overall Rank:

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
2. Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach
3. Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
4. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz
5. Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz 
6. Ralph Richardson in The Four Feathers
7. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy
8. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind
9. Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz
10. Thomas Mitchell in Only Angels Have Wings 
11. John Barrymore in Midnight
12. Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz
13. Humphrey Bogart in The Roaring Twenties
14. Harry Davenport in Gone With the Wind
15. Edward Arnold in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
16. Leslie Howard in Gone With The Wind
17. Thomas Mitchell in Mr. Smith Goes To Wasington
18. George Bancroft in Stagecoach
19. Don Ameche in Midnight
20. John Carradine in Stagecoach
21. Robert Preston in Beau Geste
22. John Carradine in Jesse James
23. Thomas Mitchell in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
24. Sam Jaffe in Gunga Din 
25. Claude Rains in Juarez
26. Harry Davenport in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
27. John Carradine in Drums Along the Mohawk
28. Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste
29. Eduardo Ciannelli in Gunga Din 
30. Ward Bond in Gone With the Wind
31. C. Aubrey Smith in The Four Feathers
32. Otto Kruger in Another Thin Man
33. J. Carrol Naish in Beau Geste
34. Frank McHugh in Another Thin Man
35. Nigel Bruce in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
36. Sheldon Leonard in Another Thin Man
37. Arthur Shields in Drums Along the Mohawk
38. Donald O'Connor in Beau Geste 
39. Shemp Howard in Another Thin Man
40. Sig Rugman in Only Angels Have Wings
41. Henry Fonda in Jesse James
42. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Gunga Din 
43. Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy 
44. Sig Rugman in Ninotchka
45. Felix Bressart in Ninotchka
46. Alexander Granach in Ninotchka
47. Donald Meek in Young Mr. Lincoln
48. George Zucco in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
49. Broderick Crawford in Beau Geste
50. Fredrick Culley in The Four Feathers
51. Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory
52. Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 
53. Charley Grapewin in The Wizard of Oz
54. Richard Bathelmess in Only Angels Have Wings
55. Donald Meek in Stagecoach
56. Joseph Calleia in Golden Boy
57. Ward Bond in Drums Along the Mohawk 
58. Jack Allen in The Four Feathers
59. Donald Gray in The Four Feathers
60. Lee Bowman in Love Affair
61. Ward Bond in Young Mr. Lincoln 
62. Paul Henreid in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
63. Guy Kibbee in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
64. David Niven in Wuthering Heights
65. Morton Lowry in The Hound of the Baskervilles
66. Guy Kibbee in Babes in Arms
67. Henry Hull in Jesse James  
68. Sebastian Shaw in Another Thin Man 
69. Terry Kilburn in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
70. Reginald Gardiner in The Flying Deuces
71. Richard Greene in The Hound of the Baskervilles
72. Jeffrey Lynn in The Roaring Twenties
73. Sidney Blackmer in Convict's Code
74. George Reeves in Gone With the Wind
75. Fred Crane in Gone With the Wind
76. John Garfield in Juarez

Next Up:

An announcement first which is to thank everyone who has been following and continues to comment. I really like how civil the discussions over any films or performances are even when we might disagree vehemently over them. Now I must announce a change in pace due to other obligations. For the time being there probably will only be one review a week and sometimes it might be longer. I'll still leave my thoughts on new movies I see, and update film thoughts now and again. Hopefully in the future I will be able to pick up the pace again, but this is how it has to be for the present.

Now to take a break from trying to find the Best OF before the Bonus Rounds start I'd like to go to the opposite end of things with a WISEAU ROUND (as suggested by Robert MacFarlane). Which means give me your best(worst) performances that are of a different breed entirely.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Cedric Hardwicke did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Judge Jean Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

Sir Cedric Hardwicke is an actor whose very name seems to suggest a regal individual and fittingly Hardwicke was often cast as authority figures if not actual kings. More often than not though it seems he was often cast simply for that sort of stature as many of his roles were not particularly substantial. It is interesting then to take a look at his performance here as Judge Frollo, which seems like a juicy role. Well either way Hardwicke is once again as a man of power, though technically in a subservient position as he can only advise his King on matters. Hardwicke's earliest scene is with the King were Frollo attempts to convince the King that the printing press is a dangerous instrument and must be destroyed. Now this seems simple enough as the evil guy who wants to stop book from being created, however Hardwicke is particularly effective in his portrayal of Frollo's sentiments. He reveals this considerable passion in his words, no matter how terrible, as Hardwicke does not portray this as evil blathering. He rather succeeds in revealing the sentiment, at least in Frollo's eyes, about the dangers of the press. He brings the needed conviction in the words as he quickly realizes Frollo's particular sort of philosophy in his very first scene.

Hardwicke's performance is terrific in the way he so well captures the authoritarian attitudes of Frollo. Hardwicke's presence is indeed perfect for the role to begin with as the authority of his position just seems to exude from his very being. The command of his character is notable in Hardwicke's cold delivery of Frollo's beliefs. What I really like about Hardwicke's performance though is he does not use this set up for the character to turn him into as obvious of a villain as he could have been. The way Hardwicke carries himself never has a hint of sadism in Frollo, which would be wrong for the character. Hardwicke instead keeps this underlying intensity of a man who seems almost burdened by his position and his view of the world. He is a most unpleasant man indeed yet Hardwicke does not simplify this notion importantly. He instead is able to realize how it seems to come from his convictions to what he sees as his personal duties, and how he attempts to live out his life. The burden of this is made a part of Frollo brilliantly through Hardwicke's performance as he makes Frollo a man who seems ill at ease with life itself because of all that he sees is wrong with it.

Frollo is not a purely evil man evidenced by his choice to save the Quasimodo, which he did purely out of the good of his heart in this version. Hardwicke finds this in his first reaction to Quasimodo as Frollo is about to take action against the crowd's decision to parade him out as the King of fools in the festival of fools. Hardwicke does not portray the react as a mean man who wants to stop Quasimodo's joy, but rather reveals a genuine dismay in Frollo for Quasimodo being used a mere spectacle by the crowd. Hardwicke is exceptional in the way he is able to find the conflicting nature of Frollo. There is one particularly fantastic moment with the Gypsy Esmeralda (Maureen O'Hara) where he initially goes on long about his hatred for Gypsies first. Hardwicke brings the needed harsh authority in these words as man trying fervently to insist upon the sins of others, which he believes he will purge. When she mentions her love of animals though Frollo is forced to agree. What's marvelous is Hardwicke makes this revelation completely genuine yet he shows this to be almost painful for Frollo to admit. There is a terrible unease that Hardwicke conveys as he presents the way Frollo constricts. As he reveals his true ability for some tenderness in his eyes, yet Hardwicke tightens his manner all the more, as though he's trying to purge this possible joy out of his system as though anything pleasant may be sinful.

Now one of the greatest challenges to Hardwicke comes in Frollo's relationship with Esmeralda. This element actually is far less verbalized than even in the Disney version, he had a whole song just on that point after all. Much of this is left to Hardwicke's performance which is more than enough. Hardwicke's outstanding in every aspect of this. This starting with his original reaction to her where the glint of lust seems to become awakened in him. As he interacts with her at any point Hardwicke creates the sense of how in the grip of his desires that he is in. There is a great moment when Frollo comes to directly confront Esmeralda with his desires. Hardwicke makes Frollo such an emotional mess in the moment as he attempts this odd warmth in his declaration of "love", and he's so good as he suggests the way this tears him asunder. His final quest that turns him into true villain could lead him also to a simplicity but again Hardwicke shirks this. He instead is able to portray within his determination to rid himself of his desire, an active effort in Frollo to remain the destroyer of sin. This is made without heart by Hardwicke, instead it's most unsettling as he shows a man fighting against himself in order to be something worse than he could have been. Cedric Hardwicke gives an outstanding performance as he manages find nuance in the role, even when hidden by the standards of the time, in his powerful portrait of a man ruled by his perverse attempt to rid the world and himself of sin.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939

And the Nominees Were Not:

Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy

Ralph Richardson in Four Feathers

Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Leslie Howard in Gone With the Wind

Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz

Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz

Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz

Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz 

For Prediction Purposes:

Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Lahr in the Wizard of Oz