Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996: Results

5. Eric Tsang in Comrades: Almost a Love Story - Tsang delivers a moving portrayal of a gangster with more heart than you'd expected.

Best Scene: Many wives.

4. Ed Harris in The Rock - Harris, despite being in a dumb film, gives a complex portrayal of a soldier whose convictions slowly bring about his tragic downfall.

Best Scene: Breakdown of command.

3. Harry Belafonte in Kansas City - Belafonte gives a film stealing performance by subverting his typically affable presence, in his portrayal of almost demonic philosopher/gangster.

Best Scene: Racist joke.

2. Charlton Heston in Hamlet - Heston proves his measure with Shakespeare in making the words sing, but also offering such potent emotion within it.

Best Scene: Monologue

1. Peter Stormare in Fargo - Good predictions Razor and Bryan. Stormare offers the perfect other half along with Steve Buscemi, as two less than professional criminals, in his performance that works both as a hilarious deadpan comedic partner, and a chilling portrayal of a truly amoral killer.

Best Scene: Highway Massacre

Updated Overall

Next: Back to 1943 (will be brief)

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996: Ed Harris in The Rock

Ed Harris did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Brigadier General Francis X. "Frank" Hummel in The Rock.

The Rock follows an improbably named chemist, Stanley Goodspeed (Nicolas Cage), and an imprisoned SAS soldier, Mason (Sean Connery), who must infiltrate Alcatraz to stop a group of rogue marines. Marines who have taken control of the island with hostages along with missiles carrying a deadly poison.

Michael Bay movies are stupid. This is known. This is the good Michael Bay movie, on the virtues that it is a successful action picture, though his unfunny juvenile humor often rears its head indicating his later features though thankfully more minimally here. It might also help is one thing that Michael Bay seems to take pretty damn seriously is the US military. This creating then at least the allowance for anything of even a remote substance, though I will still say in a limited fashion, in the character of General Hummel played by Ed Harris. Harris's performance here, honestly is in a different movie than Cage and Connery, but that's alright, since he barely shares any scenes with them, and we can essentially take in what he is doing separately from their antics which are of a more ridiculous, though definitely entertaining, action spectacle. Harris basically is there to take upon all serious intentions and gravity of the film on his shoulders. This is something he seems more than ready to perform from the opening scene of the film. This is right from the outset of the film as we see Hummel making his technically villainous decision, at the grave of his wife. Harris does not play the scene like a dumb action movie, what the Rock is, but rather reflect the grief within a conviction in his voice. This as Hummel offers almost an apology to his wife in explaining his soon to be actions. Harris offering the devotion of a drama in the moment by reflecting the sadness in the General as some sense of motivation for what it is that he is about to do.

What he is about to do is a lead a group of his solders, and a few extra wild cards (for the sake of a last act villain switch), to steal chemical weapons then take Alcatraz. Harris, as shown elsewhere, excels as the company man military role to begin with. His innately intense delivery, and rigid demeanor help to reflect a man who has lived life by a code of discipline. This even being shown as we see the man in his villainous enterprise,  as Harris doesn't portray Hummel as a lunatic, but rather a General prepping for a mission he deeply cares about. This as we see him running it as he would any mission, with Harris delivering each line with a careful measure, and even subtly in his eyes, showing a real sense of loss, when one of his men dies, though hiding it within the veneer of maintaining order as a leader. This is even in a brief, but important moment, when taking Alcatraz, where Hummel asks children to leave the island before he takes it. Harris doesn't make the moment a sociopath putting on an act, but an honestly caring guy asking the children to be out of harms way. This supports as we finally hear the General's demands, which is money, however money specifically for the sake of the families of soldiers killed in Black ops mission, disavowed by the government. Harris delivers on the idea in the initial threat in offering a controlled passion, showing the man absolute belief in his objective, while again still presenting himself as the controlled General feeling he is performing just yet another mission.

Harris makes for a good villain in that he manages to deliver on the idea of the menace within the controlled certainty of the character. Where his performance though goes beyond that is creating a definite tragedy within the role, that he manages to weave from that opening scene and throughout the film. This is that he doesn't just make him some military mad man, but a genuinely caring person. This is within the film as written, however Harris is essentially in not only giving it sense, but even a power to it. Take the scene where his men kill all the government's infiltration team, sans Mason and Goodspeed. The argument that prefaces the massacre, Harris makes more out of the scene, this as he begins with the strict intensity of the General asking for surrender, however as it continues his delivery offers a greater frustration. This not being a frustration at disobedience, but rather seeing the situation is about to go out of his control with innocent lives being taken. His yells of "cease fire" is with harried expression from Harris as man whose resolve has been shaken, and his moment of looking upon the dead soldiers, Harris grants an honest poignancy to as he subtly reflects the real regret in the General within the moment. The one scene where the two sides do collide is where Mason, briefly, turns himself into the marines, and he and Hummel have a brief battle of words. Even in this scene, that is primed as the testing the villain moment, Harris manages carry on the specific arc of the General. This as even reaction to Mason's words, it is with a greater internalized frustration that externalizes as violence.Those that Harris does not act as a beat down for sadism, but rather a gut reaction of a man who can't fully rationalize his choices in the moment. Harris is consistently compelling in granting a severity to the worsening situation, as the General is pushed by his men to launch his poisoned missiles. This as he continues to capture it as the idea of the man slowly getting in over his head on his idea, than a lunatic. This as when they launch one missile, where Harris portrays with a resignation. This not being a resignation to kill, but rather a resignation that his plan is a failure. This naturally comes to a head when his additional wild cards, question his actions and attempt to relieve him of his command. Harris is fantastic in this scene. This as he begins it first with the same conviction explaining his plan was a bluff, therefore it is over. This with the same determination in his voice in his threat as he does explain that he never had intention to kill innocents. I love the moment in which Harris attempts though to tell one of rogue men to stand down, first with his General's confidence, however as the man doesn't listen the second time Harris's voice cracks. This emphasizing the man not only losing his confidence, but also realizing he's lost his control of the situation. Harris finally fully realizing the real desperation of the General as loses that strict assurance of himself essentially. This in his very final moment, that Harris does not waste, in speaking with a genuine regret as he asks "What have I done". This is terrific work from Harris, as he finds a real tragedy within his villain. This even in an absurd action picture, Harris maintains a gravitas within his role, and even offers a semblance humanity into the plot, that is pretty ridiculous when you break it down.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1996

And the Nominees Were Not:

Charlton Heston in Hamlet

Ed Harris in The Rock

Peter Stormare in Fargo

Harry Belafonte in Kansas City

Eric Tsang in Comrades: Almost A Love Story

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007: Results

10. Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone - Freeman has good moments, but gives a little too many indications about his character's duplicitous nature early on.

Best Scene: His confrontation with Patrick,.

9. John Travolta in Hairspray - Travolta nicely gives a surprisingly earnest and sometimes moving portrayal of his character.

Best Scene: Edna revealing her insecurities.

8. Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone - Harris nicely brings his usual acerbic style that works quite well for his character.

Best Scene: Remy's confession.

7. Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men - Jones gives a moving, yet also somehow funny portrayal of a man's confusion and exasperation in face of a violent world.

Best Scene: Bell visits Ellis.

6. Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford - Rockwell gives a terrific example of a pure supporting performance, that adds so much to the film, despite only ever briefly being the focus of it.

Best Scene: The Assassination.

5. Albert Finney in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead - Finney gives a powerful portrayal of the rage and heartbreak that comes from a horrible loss.

Best Scene: The Last Scene.

4. Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn - Zahn gives a haunting portrayal of a prisoner of war being worn away by his captors and nature.

Best Scene: After the failed signal.

3. Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz - Dalton gives a hilarious performance by creating the most obviously evil character who ever existed.

Best Scene: Skinner listens to Angel's theory.

2. John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac -  Lynch gives an outstanding performance, brilliantly realizing his unnerving enigma of a man all in one scene, well and a reaction shot. I have to admit that it was absurdly difficult just to rank my top and I'll admit I'm still not sure of my winner. I feel that I could switch out to any one of performances in the top five. This is an unbelievably great year for the category, it has to be to leave the likes of Bardem and Rockwell out of the top five.

Best Scene: His first scene. Although that reaction shot is also amazing.

1. Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma - Foster gives a wildly entertaining as well a rather chilling portrayal of a man who takes loyalty very seriously.

Best Scene: Finding the decoy wagon. 

Overall Rank:

1. Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma
2. John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac
3. Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz
4. Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn
5. Albert Finney in Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
6. Javier Bardem in No Country For Old Men
7. Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
8. Garret Dillahunt in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
9. Charles Fleischer in Zodiac
10. Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men
11. Armin Mueller-Stahl in Eastern Promises
12. Josh Brolin in No Country For Old Men
13. Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac
14. Josh Brolin in American Gangster
15. Jim Broadbent in Hot Fuzz
16. Jeremy Davies in Rescue Dawn 
17. Kurt Russell in Grindhouse 
18. Jimmi Simpson in Zodiac
19. Gene Jones in No Country For Old Men
20. Paddy Considine in Hot Fuzz
21. Dillon Freasier in There Will Be Blood
22. Woody Harrelson in No Country For Old Men 
23. Karl Marcus Franklin in I'm Not There
24. Robert Duvall in We Own the Night
25. Paul Dano in There Will Be Blood
26. Ben Whishaw in I'm Not There
27. J.K. Simmons in Juno
28. Nick Frost in Hot Fuzz
29. Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone
30. Anthony Edwards in Zodiac
31. Titus Welliver in Gone Baby Gone
32. Peter O'Toole in Ratatouille
33. Edward Woodward in Hot Fuzz
34. Sam Shepard in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
35. Richard Gere in I'm Not There
36. Brian Cox in Zodiac
37. Paul Schneider in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
38. Elias Koteas in Zodiac
39. Paul Freeman in Hot Fuzz
40. Barry Corbin in No Country For Old Men
41. Chris Evans in Sunshine
42. Thomas Haden Church in Spider-Man 3
43. Garret Dillahunt in No Country For Old Men 
44. Raymond J. Barry in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
45. Toby Jones in The Mist 
46. Jeff Daniels in The Lookout
47. J.K. Simmons in Spider-Man 3
48. Peter Fonda in 3:10 to Yuma
49. Jeremy Renner in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford
50. Mark Strong in Stardust
51. Jerzy Skolimowski in Eastern Promises
52. John Travolta in Hairspray
53. David Wenham in 300
54. Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton
55. Brian F. O'Brien in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
56. Mark Strong in Sunshine
57. Hal Holbrook in Into the Wild
58. Timothy Spall in Enchanted
59. Benedict Wong in Sunshine
60. Philip Seymour Hoffman in Charlie Wilson's War
61. Alan Tudyk in 3:10 to Yuma
62. Stephen Root in No Country For Old Men
63. James Marsden in Enchanted
64. Josh Brolin in Grindhouse
65. Rafe Spall in Hot Fuzz
66. Ricky Gervais in Stardust
67. Tim Meadows in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
68. Michael Parks in Grindhouse
69. Bill Nighy in Hot Fuzz
70. Peter Vaughn  in Death at a Funeral
71. Gary Oldman in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
72. Peter O'Toole in Stardust 
73. Matthew Goode in The Lookout
74. Forest Whitaker in The Great Debaters
75. Michael Biehn in Grindhouse
76. Cliff Curtis in Sunshine  
77. Ian Holm in Ratatouille
78. Bill Nighy in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
79. Willem Dafoe in Mr. Bean's Holiday 
80. Ciaran Hinds in There Will Be Blood
81. Christopher Walken in Hairspray
82. Michael Wincott in Seraphim Falls
83. Philip Baker Hall in Zodiac 
84. Michael Fassbender in 300
85. Michael Shannon in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead 
86. Albert Brooks in The Simpson Movie
87. Kevin J. O'Connor in There Will Be Blood
88. Paul Giamatti in Shoot 'Em Up
89. Christian Bale in I'm Not There
90. Hiroyuki Sanada in Sunshine 
91. Alan Rickman in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
92. William Sadler in The Mist
93. Vincent Cassel in Eastern Promises
94. Philip Bosco in The Savages
95. Donal Logue in Zodiac
96. Peter Cullen in Transformers
97. Karl Johnson in Hot Fuzz
98. Peter Dinklage in Death at a Funeral 
99. William Hurt in Into the Wild
100. Matt Besser in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
101. Michael Gambon in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
102. Chris Parnell in Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story 
103. James Franco in Spider-Man 3
104. Timothy Spall in Sweeney Todd
105. Waris Ahluwalia in The Darjeeling Limited
106. Dallas Roberts in 3:10 to Yuma
107. Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone
108. Kevin J. O'Connor in Seraphim Falls
109. Peter Fonda in Ghost Rider
110. Danny Hoch in We Own the Night
111. Kevin Eldon in Hot Fuzz
112. Robbie Coltrane in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
113. Ned Beatty in Charlie Wilson's War
114. Jon Voight in Transformers
115. James Cromwell in Spider-Man 3
116. Jason Bateman in Juno
117. Lam Suet in Mad Detective
118. Sam Elliot in Ghost Rider
119. Bruce Davison in Breach
120. Mark Wahlberg in We Own the Night
121. Timothy Olyphant in Live Free or Die Hard
122. John Ashton in Gone Baby Gone  
123. Terrence Howard in August Rush
124. Tom Hollander in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
125. Benedict Cumberbatch in Atonement 
126. Alan Tudyk in Death at a Funeral
127. Alan Rickman in Sweeney Todd
128. Heath Ledger in I'm Not There
129. Gordon Lam in Mad Detective 
130. Justin Long in Live Free or Die Hard
131. Dennis Haysbert in Breach
132. Sacha Baron Cohen in Sweeney Todd
133. Alex Veadov in We Own the Night
134. Geoffrey Rush in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
135. Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix 
136. Nate Parker in The Great Debaters
137. Michael Cera in Juno
138. Toby Huss in Rescue Dawn
139. Kevin Smith in Live Free or Die Hard
140. Rupert Graves in Death at a Funeral
141. Chow Yun-Fat in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End 
142. Logan Lerman in 3:10 to Yuma 
143. Vince Vaughn in Into the Wild
144. Robert De Niro in Stardust
145. Robin Williams in August Rush
146. Jamie Campbell Bower in Sweeney Todd
147. Chris Evans in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
148. Michael Chiklis in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
149. Josh Duhamel in Transformers
150. Julian McMahon in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
151. Anthony Anderson in Transformers 
152. John Turturro in Transformers 
153. Topher Grace in Spider-Man 3 
154. Rodrigo Santoro in 300
155. Wes Bentley in Ghost Rider

Next Year: 1989 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007: Ed Harris and Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone

Ed Harris did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Detective Sergeant Remy Bressant in Gone Baby Gone.

Ed Harris comes into Gone Baby Gone as the lead detective investigating the disappearance
of a little girl who is none too happy to have to aid private investigator Patrick Kenzie (Casey Affleck) who has been hired also to follow the case. This sort of role fits right into Ed Harris's wheelhouse as Ed Harris is always good at being a colossal ball buster. He does well in establishing Sergeant Bressant's attitude toward Patrick in a believable fashion. Although there are revelations about his character later on that paint a fuller picture about Bressant's motivations there's no need to question him at first because of Harris's performance. Harris presents acerbic attitude quite effectively as it does not seem too much by any means. Harris gives the right sense that Bressant simply not being impressed by the young man, and frankly just does not have any time for him. Harris creates the sense of the sort of cop Bressant is in these early scenes. There's an obvious wear that Harris effortlessly conveys in Bressant due to his time of dealing with the worst scum, that while it does not necessarily fully excuse the way he treats Patrick, it certainly allows one to understand why he treats him that way.

Harris's performance works well as a contrast to Affleck's performance, as it seems Bressant is possibly the man that Patrick could become as he is also changed by the murky world the investigation brings him through. Harris gives a needed bluntness to his scenes as he basically has Bressant state the apparent truths without sentiment, while Affleck carefully carries a more overt sentiment around the problems in the case. Harris is careful though not to portray as though Bressant has lost his humanity or anything near that. Harris also has a strong emotional quality to his work but he carefully shows how it differs from the certain hopefulness Affleck brings to Patrick. Harris is indeed most often a bit callous in the way he presents Bressant attitude, but when a moment forces something out of him there definitely something there. Instead any any idea of hope though Harris instead brings a particularly vicious hatred in disgust into Bressant for the developments of the case, as though he has no reason to have any hopes since he is well aware of the world that he lives in.

Harris's best scene is probably after Patrick's sort of proved himself to Bressant, by doing something that seems to support Bressant's own world view. Harris is very good in the scene as he let's go of his more acerbic tendencies and Harris reveals in all earnestness what motivates Bressant. There is a concern that Harris reveals and shows that he's not way just some simple mean cop. The film has its twist take in place though and Bressant takes many extreme measures to try cover what it is that he did. Harris is good in these scenes because he does not make Bressant seem to suddenly become some psychotic villain, even though he does have to wear a clown mask at one point. Harris is good in these scenes because he also loses any of that dark levity that is found in his early scenes. Harris presents Bressant as being especially concerned in these scenes, and reveals that in the Bressant was too entranced into the case for his own well being as a cop and a man. This is a good performance that manages to realizes his character in a way that gives some understanding to the twist, but never gives it away either.

Morgan Freeman did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain Jack Doyle in Gone Baby Gone.

Morgan Freeman plays a well respected police Captain who has a personal investment in the case because his own child had been abducted. Freeman seems like good casting in the role since he's someone who carries a certain respectability through his natural screen presence. This would seem a perfect fit for the character of Captain Doyle, and I must say it seems that way in the brief glimpses we are given of the character in his very official setting. The first time Patrick meets him though Freeman takes the approach of giving a very intense confrontation from the outset as he speaks the words about his own loss, and the severity of the situation as though Patrick should feel guilty around. Freeman creates a volatility with the character just as Harris did in his scenes, but the problem with Freeman is is really did not need to the way he does. It feels as though he overplays his hand, and wipes away the bit of respect his initial appearance creates. From the outset there seems to be something off about his character, and there is no reason to accept him as a character more fitting to the Morgan Freeman type.

As the investigation progresses and a break through seems to appear the Captain get directly involved with it, as he attempts to make Patrick and the other detectives do things his way. Freeman again seems to intentionally has a certain falseness about the Captain, as though he is overly trying to show his concerns to those around him. Freeman has shown before he certainly knows how to do passion when he needs to but Freeman gives a falseness to it here. Now it is true that a twist works best for the film as a whole if it is set up, so even though you get tricked by it the first time, when you watch the film again the film still works since you know can see what brought the twist together. Gone Baby Gone's twist is problematic to begin with since it seems a bit odd that three seasoned police officers are going to put so much on the line just to help one guy who wants a better life for his niece, and if Doyle wanted another kid so badly he could just adopt. Even with its ridiculousness Freeman telegraphs it too much with his performance by not creating an sense of false security with his character. Freeman always plays every moment as too much of a confrontation, and with far too many oddly fake moments in there.

Harris throws in a few slight instances where he alludes to the fact that Bressant knows a bit more than he is telling Patrick, but these one's are only really noticeable after already knowing the twist. Freeman puts too many in for his own good as he sets up the twist, but goes too far giving it away at the same time. It would have likely been far more effective if Freeman did play into making the Captain as respected, as the film claims he is, but Freeman never creates the illusion making his fall from grace carry far less of an impact than it should have. Freeman's best scene is when the act is wholly dropped and he tries to argue with Patrick the morality of his needlessly complex method of avoiding filing adoption papers. Although probably have some forging done for his plan anyways, but I'm getting off topic. Interestingly enough Freeman is far less confrontational in this scene than in his earlier ones, but this actually works much better as he finally seems to make his character genuine in the least. It's a good scene for Freeman as he finally delivers the passion that motivates the character in an honest fashion. It's fine end but as a whole Freeman's approach is a miscalculation that severely undermines what I assume was the point of the character.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2007

And the Nominees Were Not:

Albert Finney in Before the Devil Knows You're Dead

Timothy Dalton in Hot Fuzz

Tommy Lee Jones in No Country For Old Men

Ben Foster in 3:10 to Yuma

Steve Zahn in Rescue Dawn

Predict those five or these five:

Sam Rockwell in The Assassination of Jesse James By the Coward Robert Ford

John Carroll Lynch in Zodiac

Morgan Freeman in Gone Baby Gone

Ed Harris in Gone Baby Gone

John Travolta in Hairspray

Or both

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1983: Results

5. Burt Lancaster in Local Hero- Lancaster gives a fairly delightful portrayal of his eccentric millionaire.

Best Scene: Happer arrives on the scene.

4. Don Ameche in Trading Places- Ameche is far less delightful than Lancaster, but instead gives a very funny portrayal of a particularly devious millionaire.

Best Scene: "TURN THOSE MACHINES BACK ON!"

3. Ed Harris in The Right Stuff - Harris rather brilliantly is able to create both the facade and the reality of an All-American Hero.

Best Scene: Glenn talks about his image with his wife.

2. Mickey Rourke in Rumble Fish- Rourke gives a striking stylistic performance that matches the style of his film and the nature of his character incredibly well.

Best Scene: The Motorcycle Boy appears.

1. Darren McGavin in A Christmas Story- Good Predictions GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar, Michael Patison, and Michael McCarthy. McGavin easily stands as my win for his absolutely hilarious yet still rather heartwarming performance.

Best Scene: The Old Man receives his major award.

Overall Rank:

1. Darren McGavin in A Christmas Story
2. Takeshi Kitano in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
3. Sam Shepard in The Right Stuff
4. Jason Robards in Something Wicked This Way Comes
5. Mickey Rourke in Rumble Fish
6. Ed Harris in The Right Stuff
7. Don Ameche in Trading Places
8. Jonathan Pryce in Something Wicked This Way Comes
9. David Bowie in The Hunger
10. William Hurt in The Big Chill
11. Edward Fox in The Dresser 
12. Ralph Bellamy in Trading Places
13. Ed Harris in Under Fire
14. Jeff Goldblum in The Big Chill
15. Burt Lancaster in Local Hero
16. Ian McDiarmid in The Return of the Jedi 
17. Michael Palin in The Meaning of Life
18. Dennis Quaid in The Right Stuff 
19. Matt Dillon in The Outsiders
20. Rip Torn in Cross Creek
21. Erland Josephson in Nostalgia
22. Brian Dennehy in Gorky Park 
23. Christopher Lee in The Return of Captain Invincible
24. Klaus Maria Brandauer in Never Say Never Again
25. Denholm Elliot in Trading Places
26. Tom Berenger in The Big Chill
27. Gene Hackman in Under Fire
28. Jeff Daniels in Terms of Endearment 
29. Sebastian Shaw in The Return of the Jedi 
30. Patric Chereau in Danton 
31. Lee Marvin in Gorky Park
32. Ralph Macchio in The Outsiders  
33. David Alan Grier in Streamers
34. Herbert Lom in The Dead Zone 
35. Ian Holm in The Return of the Soldier 
36. John Hargreaves in Careful, He Might Hear You
37. Roberts Blossom in Christine 
38. George Dzundza in Streamers
39. Charles Durning in To Be Or Not To Be
40. Christopher Lloyd in To Be Or Not To Be 
41. Christopher Lee in House of Long Shadows
42. Harry Dean Stanton in Chrsitine 
43. Graham Chapman in The Meaning of Life
44. Sadashiv Amrapurkar in Ardh Satya
45. Peter Dvorsky in Videodrome
46. Fred Ward in The Right Stuff
47. Martin Sheen in The Dead Zone 
48. Frank Finlay in The Return of the Soldier 
49. Vincent Price in House of Long Shadows
50. Fulton Mackay in Local Hero
51. George Rose in The Pirates of Penzance
52. Jean Shepherd in A Christmas Story 
53. Reiner Schwarz in Videodrome
54. Jose Ferrer in To Be Or Not To Be
55. Scott Glenn in The Right Stuff
56. Jack Nicholson in Terms of Endearment
57. Cliff Robertson in Star 80  
58. Brian Dennehy in Never Cry Wolf
59. Dennis Hopper in Rumble Fish
60. Jean Louis Trintignant in Under Fire
61. Wilford Brimley in Tender Mercies
62. Steven Bauer in Scarface
63. John Lithgow in Terms of Endearment
64. R.D. Robb in A Christmas Story
65. Michael Caine in Honorary Consul 
66. Joe Pesci in Easy Money
67. Jeff Goldblum in The Right Stuff
68. Harry Shearer in The Right Stuff
69. Ed Asner in Daniel 
70. Peter Cushing in House of Long Shadows
71. Billy Dee Williams in The Return of the Jedi
72. Pat Hingle in Sudden Impact
73. Kurt Russell in Silkwood 
74. Joe Pesci in Eureka
75. Joe Pantoliano in Risky Business
76. Bob Hoskins in Honorary Consul 
77. Giovanni Mauriello in Another Time Another Place
78. Scott Schwartz in A Christmas Story
79. Emilio Estevez in The Outsiders
80. Curtis Armstrong in Risky Business
81. Max von Sydow in Never Say Never Again 
82. Eric Idle in The Meaning of Life
83. George Wyner in To Be Or Not To Be 
84. Paul Gleason in Trading Places  
85. David Warner in The Man With Two Brains 
86. John Carradine in House of Long Shadows
87. Fred Ward in Uncommon Valor 
88. John Cleese in The Meaning of Life
89. Ian McDiarmid in Gorky Park
90. Jack Thompson in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
91. Clancy Brown in Bad Boys 
92. Mickey Rourke in Eureka
93. Harrison Ford in The Return of the Jedi 
94. Amrish Puri in Ardh Satya 
95. Ian Bannen in Gorky Park
96. Robert Prosky in Christine
97. Desmond Llewelyn in Octopussy 
98. Kevin Kline in The Big Chill 
99. F. Murray Abraham in Scarface 
100. Beau Bridges in Heart Like a Wheel
101. Michael Gough in The Dresser 
102. Jeffrey Tambor in Mr. Mom
103. Craig T. Nelson in Silkwood
104. Reni Santoni in Bad Boys 
105. Roberts Blossom in Reuben, Reuben 
106. Tim Curry in The Ploughman's Lunch
107. Martin Mull in Mr. Mom
108. Tim Matheson in To Be Or Not To Be
109. Patrick Swayze in The Outsiders
110. Ron Silver in Silkwood
111. Peter Capaldi in Local Hero
112. Fred Ward in Silkwood 
113. Robert Loggia in Psycho II
114. Rowan Atkinson in Never Say Never Again
115. Patrick Swayze in Uncommon Valor
116. Simon MacCorkindale in Jaws 3-D
117. Laurence Fishburne in Rumble Fish
118. Louis Gossett Jr. in Jaws 3-D
119. Peter Coyote in Cross Creek 
120. William Devane in Testament
121. Randy Quaid in National Lampoon's Vacation
122. Danny DeVito in Terms of Endearment
123. Terry Jones in The Meaning of Life
124. Ryuichi Sakamoto in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence
125. Malcolm McDowell in Cross Creek
126. Roger Rees in Star 80
127. Anthony Michael Hall in National Lampoon's Vacation 
128. Terry Gilliam in The Meaning of Life
129. Nicolas Cage in Rumble Fish
130. Reb Brown in Uncommon Valor
131. Robert Loggia in Scarface
132. Edward Fox in Never Say Never Again
133. Paul Drake in Sudden Impact
134. Robert Vaughn in Superman III 
135. Mitchell Lichtenstein in Streamers
136. Louis Jourdan in Octopussy
137. Mandy Patinkin in Daniel
138. Matthew Modine in Streamers
139. Leo Rossi in Heart Like a Wheel

Next Year: 1953 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1983: Ed Harris in The Right Stuff

Ed Harris did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying John Glenn in The Right Stuff.

The Academy actually did right for The Right Stuff (no pun intended) when they nominated Sam Shepard for his excellent understated performance as Chuck Yeager, although that doesn't make up for the ridiculous snub of Philip Kaufman's direction. The Right Stuff though has a great ensemble though with almost everyone offering something with their performances. From Jeff Goldblum and Harry Schearer's enjoyable performances as comic recruiters, the finely attuned work from Veronica Cartwright, Kathy Baker, Mary Jo Deschanel and Pamela Reed as the astronauts' wives, and of course most of the astronauts themselves. Dennis Quaid brings the right type of smirk pompousness as a man whose too much of a hot shot, Fred Ward an endearing and later rather moving lunkhead, and Scott Glenn is quite entertaining as the somewhat offbeat Alan Shepard. My favorite performance out of the Mercury seven though belongs to Ed Harris given the complete opposite of his viciously cynical performance in Under Fire also from 1983.

It's interesting to look at Harris's work as a bit of an interesting counterpoint to Sam Shepard's performance as Yeager. Shepard exemplifies the true American hero who strives for the very best but with the utmost modesty and integrity. Well Harris's John Glenn is a little different, he's also an all American hero but of a different sort. The first time we see Glenn it is on a TV show and we meet the John Glenn as would be perceived in the media. Harris plays Glenn as the most obvious sort of all American hero in that it would be seemingly impossible not to recognized him as such. Harris brings the most upright of posture, the brightest of smiles and his whole demeanor is that of pure optimism. Harris manages quite a certain charm here of this very particular sort in his performance. He makes his Glenn just seem almost too good in his all American quality and Harris is great here by subverting it slightly. He makes Glenn the public hero he should so that all would seemingly love him but Harris makes it so extreme to show that to a certain degree that it is a facade for the press.

Glenn is not always in the public eye though and Harris presents a slightly different Glenn. Harris changes his performance just enough in that well he's not quite exactly the image he presents, although he's not entirely not that either. Harris rather presents a technically similair man but this time one that you can wholly believable. In the scenes with the other astronauts, particularly when they are in contention with one another, Harris shows that Glenn fervent belief in his own morality does not always make him the most likable. When Glenn yells at the other astronauts for a perceived unfaithfulness to their wives Harris does not portray Glenn's outrage as an endearing morality, but instead as a very passionate yet seemingly hate driven venom toward the other men. Harris does not try to make Glenn negative though but rather effectively wipes away the sheen he so brilliantly created in his earlier scenes. Harris is terrific though also in revealing a more positive side of Glenn in a more realistic sort of way.

Harris nicely, along with Ward, Quaid, and Scott Glenn, creates a real camaraderie between the astronauts as they begin their missions as well as start getting to know one another. There is not any obvious moments where each become friends really, but rather they are very good in naturally portraying the way they seem to accept each others as proper comrades. My favorite warmer scene with Harris is in his scenes with Mary Jo Deschanel as Glenn's wife Annie who suffers from a very sever stutter. Harris is particularly sweet in this scene as he portrays Glenn as almost kind of laughing at his own perfect image to his wife. Harris, in all his scenes with Deschanel, exudes such a comforting quality portraying Glenn's love for his wife but also the way he tries to protect from scrutiny due to her speaking disability. It's lovely work by Harris and shows the the true strength of his performance. It is rather fascinating in that he manages to create a portrait of John Glenn's image as false, well making it true at the same time.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1983

And the Nominees Were Not:

Darren McGavin in A Christmas Story

Burt Lancaster in Local Hero

Ed Harris in The Right Stuff

Mickey Rourke in Rumble Fish

Don Ameche in Trading Places

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2005: Results

5. Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale- Daniels is terrific at being one of the most self indulgent character's ever, he never strives from the indulgence instead reveling in it creating a rather entertaining performance.

4. Val Kilmer in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang- Kilmer is just excellent in giving a deliciously amusing and cynical performance that compliments Robert Downey Jr's leading work marvelously.

3. Mickey Rourke in Sin City- Rourke unlike so many of his co-stars finds just the right tone for the material giving an effective turn that is easily the best part of the film.

2. Barry Pepper in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada- Pepper is great here giving a moving performance as a foolish man who is forced to change when confronted with his crime.

1. Ed Harris in A History of Violence- This was an extremely difficult year to choose as I loved all of these performances, and the top two of Pepper and Harris were very hard to choose just one. For the moment though I will go with Harris who despite having the least screen time out of all gives performances he has just as great impact with his powerful villainous turn in this film.

1. Ed Harris in A History of Violence 
2. Edward Norton in Kingdom of Heaven
3. Val Kilmer in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
4. William Hurt in A History of Violence
5. Keanu Reeves in Thumbsucker
6. John Hurt in The Proposition   
7. Ghassan Massoud in Kingdom of Heaven
8. Cillian Murphy in Red Eye
9. Cillian Murphy in Batman Begins 
10. Danny Huston in The Proposition
11. Donald Sumpter in The Constant Gardener  
12. Heath Ledger in Lords of Dogtown
13. Min-sik Choi in Sympathy of Lady Vengeance
14. David Thewlis in Kingdom of Heaven 
15. Jeffrey Wright in Broken Flowers
16. Donald Sutherland in Pride and Prejudice
17. Peter Sarsgaard in Jarhead
    
18. Vincent D'Onofrio in Thumbsucker
19. Chiwetel Ejiofor in Serenity
20. Kevin Costner in The Upside of Anger 
    
21. Clifton Collins Jr. in Capote
22. Matt Dillon in Crash  
23. Brendan Gleeson in The Goblet of Fire 
24. Gary Oldman in Batman Begins
25. Stephen McHattie in A History of Violence
26. Ciaran Hinds in Munich 
27. Jeremy Irons in Kingdom of Heaven
28. Christopher Plummer in The New World  
29. Stephen Dillane in Nine Lives
30. Boris Leskin in Everything is Illuminated
31. Chris Bridges in Crash   
32. Tom Hollander in Pride and Prejudice 
33. Liam Neeson in Kingdom of Heaven
34. Paul Giamatti in Cinderella Man 
35. Danny Huston in The Constant Gardener
36. Rockmond Dunbar in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
37. Joe Mantegna in Nine Lives
38. Alexander Siddig in Kingdom of Heaven
39. Vince Vaughn in Thumbsucker 
40. Mathieu Kassovitz in Munich 
41. Kenneth Nkosi in Tsotsi
42. Jack Black in King Kong 
43. Michael Caine in Batman Begins  
44. Jamie Foxx in Jarhead 
45. Christian Bale in The New World 
46. Hugh Dillon in Down to the Bone
    
47. Jared Leto in Lord of War
48. Liam Neeson in Batman Begins 
49. Powers Boothe in Sin City 
50. Linus Roache in Batman Begins 
51. Richard Jenkins in North Country
52. Hanns Zilcher in Munich 
53. Ian McShane in Nine Lives
54. Ralph Fiennes in Wallace and Gromit Curse of the Were Rabbit
55. Paddy Considine in Cinderella Man
56. Michael Anganaro in Lords of Dogtown 
57. Mothusi Magano in Tsotsi
58. Michael Pena in Crash  
59. Wes Studi in The New World
60. Tom Wilkinson in Batman Begins   
61. Beau Bridges in The Ballad of Jack and Rose
62. Clive Owen in Sin City 
63. Daniel Craig in Munich
64. Julio Cedilla in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada   
65. David Wenham in The Proposition 
66. Zenzo Ngqobe in Tsotsi
67. Ethan Hawke in Lord of War
68. Don Cheadle in Crash 
69. Mathieu Amalric in Munich
70. Alan Rickman in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
71. Ryan McDonald in The Ballad of Jack and Rose
72. Benecio Del Toro in Sin City
73. Skandar Keynes in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
74. Woody Harrelson in North Country
75. Nick Stahl in Sin City 
76. Billy Nighy in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
77. Frank Langella in Good Night and Good Luck
78. Chris Cooper in Capote 
79. Graham Greene in Transamerica
80. Rutger Hauer in Sin City
81. Omar Metwally in Munich
82. Elijah Wood in Sin City
83. George Clooney in Good Night and Good Luck 
84. Dwight Yoakam in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada
85. Brian Geraghty in Jarhead
    
86. Terrence Howard in Crash  
87. Kurt Russell in Sky High
88. Sam Rockwell in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
89. Ralph Fiennes in The Goblet of Fire  
90. Tom Hollander in The Libertine
91. Chris Cooper in Jarhead
    
92. Jason Isaacs in Nine Lives
93. Dave Foley in Sky High
94. Ian Holm in Lord of War 
95. Bruce Campbell in Sky High
96. Christopher Lawford in The World's Fastest Indian
97. Corbin Bernsen in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang 
98. Kevin Mcdonald in Sky High
99. Craig Bierko in Cinderella Man
100. Robert Downey Jr. in Good Night and Good Luck 
101. Alan Tudyk in Serenity
102. John Malkovich in The Libertine
103. Morgan Freeman in Batman Begins  
104. Jon Finch in Kingdom of Heaven
105. Geoffrey Rush in Munich
106. Michael Sheen in Kingdom of Heaven
107. Christopher Lee in Corpse Bride
108. Mos Def in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
109. Brendan Gleeson in Kingdom of Heaven
110. Jason Lee in The Ballad of Jack and Rose 
111. Jeremy Renner in North Country
112. John Malkovich in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
113. Walton Goggins in The World's Fastest Indian
114. Christopher Walken in Wedding Crashers
115. Brian Cox in Red Eye
116. Albert Finney in Corpse Bride
117. Brian Cox in Matchpoint
118. Burt Young in Transamerica
119. James Cromwell in The Longest Yard
120. Sean Bean in North Country
121. Bruce Willis in Sin City 
122. Matthew Goode in Matchpoint
123. Michael Chiklis in Fantastic Four
124. Michael Clarke Duncan in Sin City  
125. Peter Stormare in The Brothers Grimm 
126. Chris Evans in Fantastic Four
127. William Baldwin in The Squid and the Whale
128. Tim Robbins in The War of the Worlds
129. Ryan Phillippe in Crash
130. Owen Kline in The Squid and the Whale 
131. George Clooney in Syriana  
132. Jonathan Pryce in The Brothers Grimm
133. Ashton Holmes in A History of Violence
134. Michael Gambon in The Goblet of Fire 
135. Marton Csokas in Kingdom of Heaven
136. Paul Dano in The Ballad of Jack and Rose
137. Robert Dawson in The Sun
138. Brendan Frasier in Crash 
139. Bradley Cooper in Wedding Crashers
140. Ian Mcdiarmid in Revenge of the Sith  
141. Julian McMahon in Fantastic Four
142. Kevin James in Hitch
143. Kevin Zegers in Transamerica
144. Kyle Schmid in A History of Violence
145. Chris Rock in The Longest Yard
146. Keir O'Donnell in Wedding Crashers 
147. David Tennant in The Goblet of Fire 
148. Michael Madsen in Sin City

 Next Year: 1988 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2005: Ed Harris in A History of Violence

Ed Harris did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Carl Fogarty in A History of Violence.

Ed Harris portrays the Philadelphia gangster who comes looking for diner owner Tom Stall who recently killed two men trying to rob his diner. Fogarty though believes Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) to actually be Joey Cusack who was involved with the criminal underworld in Philadelphia. He is one of the two major villains, the other being William Hurt who shows up only at the very end of the film. Where William Hurt portrays Richie Cusack Joey Cusack's brother. Forgarty knows Joey from the same period, but where Richie and Joey seem to have a love hate relationship, the only seems to be the latter when it comes to Forgarty relationship with Joey.

Harris is not always my favorite actor as he sometimes can either overact or just not make any sort of distinction with his performance. Harris tears right into the film though as Carl Fogarty as he walks into the diner. Harris as he walks in takes our attention as the man who most certainly seems out of place in this place as he sits to question Mortensen's character. Harris is particularly effective here because he does not show for a moment that Carl Fogarty might think that Tom is Joey, Harris makes it clear that Fogarty entirely knows that this is Joey. Harris portrays Fogarty's questions not as Forgarty trying to find out if he is Joey, but rather waiting to see if Tom will admit it.

Harris is a great villain here in the way he conveys the threatening quality of Forgarty as something always there, but very much below the surface. He is excellent the way he portrays the slight bemusement that Fogarty has over finding Tom's attempts to deny his accusations as pathetic. In a way Harris shows that Fogarty attitude toward Tom is one of a great deal of familiarity. Although it entirely comes from Harris, as Tom of course only keeps denying things, Harris creates Forgarty's troubled relationship with Joey through his performance. He both is able to create the sense of familiarity with Joey showing that they go way back, but that their history is quite a troubled one.

The threat comes in his performance in the subtle way Harris looks at Mortensen in their scenes together that always presents an underlying hatred in Fogarty for what Joey did to him, which was trying to rip out his eye with barb wire leaving his eye dead. Harris always keeps Fogarty very calm and collect in a dangerous fashion but he is especially fierce when his hatred comes out fully. Harris is particularly powerful when he confronts Tom's wife Edie (Maria Bello) as the full amount of hate for Tom he feels comes out as he describes what happened to his eye. Harris is excellent though as he shows Fogarty as well controlled man who returns to his conviction that Tom is Joey as he pressures Edie with questions in regard to Joey's violent abilities.

Harris actually is only in four scenes total in the film, but he makes the most out of each of them. Through his performance he creates the dark world that Joey came from in his ease in which he makes himself a threat to Tom, while never outwardly being so. Harris dominates all of scenes in his portrayal of his character's determination to get what he wants. Fogarty is a character that could have been just a one note forgettable villain considering his screen time, but Harris just does all he can with the role. Harris with ease infuses each scene with both a cryptic intensity as well as even a dark humor. Harris manages to make both the line "There's no need for that kind of Language" in a slightly comic fashion and in the same scene the line “Ask your husband, why he's so good at killing people” work perfectly without any hesitation in his performance. This just outstanding work from Harris that makes Carl Fogarty a truly memorable antagonist.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 2005

And the Nominees Were Not:

 Barry Pepper in The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale

Ed Harris in A History of Violence 

Mickey Rourke in Sin City

Val Kilmer in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

Best Supporting Actor 1998: Results

5. Geoffrey Rush in Shakespeare in Love- Rush is not bad, but besides a few somewhat comedic moment there just is not much to his performance.

4. Ed Harris in The Truman Show- Harris gives a consistently stoic performance that actually is an interesting but not amazing depiction of a pretentious artist who has delusions of grandeur.

3. Robert Duvall in A Civil Action- Robert Duvall is a strong performance as the legal adversary for this film. He creates an effective and unique opponent in just how calm he is throughout the film.

2. James Coburn in Affliction- James Coburn gives an effective performance that brings to life the cruelty, as well as the weakness of his character extremely well.

1. Billy Bob Thornton in A Simple Plan- Thornton easily wins this year for me in his heartbreaking portrait of a simple man who is always trying to do the right thing, but has a very hard time figuring out what the right thing ever is.

Best Supporting Actor 1998: Ed Harris in The Truman Show

Ed Harris received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Christof in The Truman Show.

The Truman Show tells of Truman (Jim Carrey) who is unaware that he is the star of a reality television show in a fabricated world.

Ed Harris portrays Christof who is the mastermind behind the Truman Show, holding over it with absolute sway. Harris besides a brief moment at the beginning of the film does not appear again into well into the film. Harris' performance here is all in his character creation of Christof. Christof certainly does not change throughout the film, and stays consistent in his role of controller. He is almost one note really until the very end of the film where he senses a loss of his power.

Harris's portrayal is interesting in the way he portrays Christof. He portrays him outwardly as some sort of sensitive artist very devoted to his passion project, the only problem is he seems to suffer from delusions of grandeur which is an interesting dynamic Harris creates within his performance. Harris always shows an incredible devotion in Christof to his show, and his position as the god of his world that he has created. Harris stays as a stoic figure, almost as if Christof is trying to be otherworldly even in the eyes of his colleagues.

Harris stays this way as Christof until the ending of the film when Truman attempts to escape the show. Harris is good actually as he shows Christof still attempting to be stoic, but with a great deal of urgency to get things back to order in his world. Harris carefully shows that Christof's derangement will actualyl bring him to kill his own creation, merely because it is not being controlled by him. Harris still keeps Christoff as a controlling individual, but there is a viciousness now behind his methods of control.

Harris's best scene though is his last one when Christof tries personally to convince Truman to stay in his world. Harris is very effective in this scene, still trying to play god, but this time with an attempt of almost fatherly warmth. It is a well handled scene, and in this moment Harris shows just how much this world, and Truman do mean to Christof, as it shows him shed the otherworldly quality he earlier always tried to convey. I must say I do like this performance, although I must say I do not find it amazing by any means, it is a fine performance from Harris.