Alternate Best Actor 1950: Results

5. Marlon Brando in The Men- Brando gives a solid turn but he always seems a bit restricted due to the role.

Best Scene: Ken's emotional outburst at the other Men

4. Toshiro Mifune in Scandal- Far from Mifune's best work but it is a nice charming performance as a fulfills the role a traditional leading man.

Best Scene: Ichiro makes his plea to the court.

3. Edmond O'Brien in D.O.A.- O'Brien is easily the best part of his film as he gives a convincing performance as a man forced to solve his own murder while he is dying.

Best Scene: Bigelow finishes telling his story.

2. Sterling Hayden in The Asphalt Jungle- Hayden doesn't give a hoot style doesn't always work but it certainly does here as the hoodlum Dix particularly due to the modicum of humanity he does bring to the part.

Best Scene:  Dix dreams of the farm as he tries to make it back to it one more time.

1. Toshiro Mifune in Rashomon- Good Prediction Psifonian. Feel free to name a year and a performance of your choice. My favorite this year is without a doubt Mifune's amazing performance here that may be his finest. He goes all out and is absolutely magnetic every second he is onscreen and gives a compelling portrayal of a man through four very different perceptions.

Best Scene:  (Hard to say as I love every minute of it but I'll have to say) The bandit's version of the story.

Overall Rank:

1. Toshiro Mifune in Rashomon
2. Richard Widmark in Night and the City
   
3. James Stewart in Harvey
4. William Holden in Sunset Blvd.
5. Jose Ferrer in Cyrano De Bergerac
6. John Garfield in The Breaking Point
7. Jean Marais in Orpheus
8. Alec Guinness in Last Holiday
   
9. Sterling Hayden in The Asphalt Jungle
10. Edmond O'Brien in D.O.A.
11. Sidney Poitier in No Way Out 
12. Kirk Douglas in Young Man With A Horn
    
13. Toshiro Mifune in Scandal
14. James Stewart in Winchester '73 
15. John Mills in Morning Departure 
16. Stig Olin in To Joy
    
17. Marlon Brando in The Men
18. John Wayne in Rio Grande
19. Richard Widmark in No Way Out 
20. John Dall in Gun Crazy
    
21. James Stewart in Broken Arrow
22. Richard Widmark in Panic in the Streets 
23. Takashi Shimura in Scandal
24. Gregory Peck in The Gunfighter  
25. Joel McCrea in Stars in My Crown
    
26. Spencer Tracy in Father of the Bride
27. Robert Newton in Treasure Island
    
28. Dilip Kumar in Babul 
29. Walter Huston in The Furies
    
30. Vincent Price in The Baron of Arizona 
31. Edouard Dermit in Les Enfants Terribles
    
32. Ben Johnson in Wagon Master
33. Dana Andrews in Where the Sidewalk Ends
    
34. Clifton Webb in Cheaper by the Dozen  
35. Alfonso Mejia in Los Olvidados
36. Dan Dailey in When Willie Comes Marching Home
    
37. Richard Todd in Stage Fright 
    
38. Louis Calhern in The Magnificent Yankee
39. Broderick Crawford in Born Yesterday
40. William Holden in Born Yesterday 
    
41. Fred Astaire in Three Little Words 
42. Stewart Granger in King Solomon's Mines
    
43. Burt Lancaster in Mister 880 
44. Harry Carey Jr. in Wagon Master
    
45. Humphrey Bogart in In a Lonely Place 
46. Bobby Driscoll in Treasure Island
    
47. Jimmy Hanley in The Blue Lamp  
48. Red Skeleton in Three Little Words
    
49. Alan Ladd in Captain Carey, U.S.A. 
50. Dirk Bogarde in The Blue Lamp
51. Ronald Reagan in Louisa
    
52. Jackie Robinson in The Jackie Robinson Story 
53. John Archer in Destination Moon
    

Next Year: 1950 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1950: Edmond O'Brien in D.O.A.

Edmond O'Brien did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Frank Bigelow in D.O.A.

D.O.A. is a solid enough thriller about a man who tries to solve his own murder after he has ingested a fatal but slow acting poison.

O'Brien the king of thankless roles really gets another here even though he is the one and only lead this time. O'Brien though does still have a thankless role as Frank Bigelow who is the man trying to find out who poisoned him and for what reason. Before he is poisoned he is just a very average man and notary. O'Brien is just fine at being normal guy being normal. He is likable enough even though he is hampered a bit by his love interest who stands as a sore spot throughout the film as she just is not an interesting character, and she is rather poorly played by Pamela Britton. The normal man though is quickly thrown into a film noir plot by finding out he only has a few days to live.

The soon to die aspect again is rather thankless as it is not something that he gets to dwell on for long he has to go head first into the investigation while feeling to anguish of the fact that he is going to die very soon. O'Brien though is very good in what he is able to get out the role despite the rather extreme limitations of the set up. O'Brien is quite intense as he portrays Bigelow basically freak out as he tries to figure out how he so suddenly has gotten himself in a situation. The intensity is absolutely earned considering the situation and it really would have been very wrong for an average guy like O'Brien to treat this development in a quiet or even moderate fashion, the extreme method O'Brien takes fits the extreme situation his character is in.

O'Brien is effective as after the initial anger and confusion he expresses he shifts to a man who always has a directive within him. O'Brien has a determination in his portrayal that reflects the way Bigelow's death sentence has actually made this conviction in him. The transformation from just a normal guy to the hero of this thriller is made entirely believable by O'Brien because he always reminds us in his eyes the fact that Bigelow knows he is going to do die in his eyes which makes it that he is able to have a passion and daring that he would never have had if he had been if this fate had not befallen him. O'Brien is a compelling presence through the story by always keeping the central concept of the story alive in his performance as Bigelow.

O'Brien also deserves credit in the two bookend scenes where Bigelow can finally stop and tell his story to the police. O'Brien properly adjusts his performance here to show that because Bigelow has finally found justice by figuring out his killer that what has happened to him can truly sink in. O'Brien is very affecting as he expresses sadness in Bigelow over his fate particularly due to the rather random nature of why he was killed. There is something very powerful about O'Brien's portrayal of this because he shows that without Bigelow's mission of figuring out who killed him he is only left with his far more somber thoughts that he is doomed man, and his time is just about up.

The only problem I would say with this performance is the limitations put upon him by the film. The film itself really is not nearly as interesting as just the basis for its plot which easily could have made a better film from particularly due to that love story. O'Brien still is solid in these scenes but he just can't find any chemistry with Britton, but to O'Brien's credit he really does try even though there just isn't anything he can do to make these scenes seem more then a waste of time. Even with the limitations though O'Brien's performance is easily the best part of the film. The film could have done more with the brilliant man solving his own murder concept nevertheless O'Brien is very successful in properly humanizes the that concept through his devoted performance.

Alternate Best Actor 1950

And the Nominees Were Not:

Toshiro Mifune in Rashomon

Toshiro Mifune in Scandal

Edmond O'Brien in D.O.A

Marlon Brando in The Men

Sterling Hayden in The Asphalt Jungle

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1949: Results

5. Kirk Douglas in A Letter To Three Wives- Douglas is effective as usual with his natural charm and intensity. His role though is rather limited, and he lacks that needed chemistry with his on screen wife.

Best Scene: George dissects radio advertisements. 

4. Edmond O'Brien in White Heat- O'Brien's role is overshadowed by Cagney's but he serves his part well as the man of two faces one a loyal gangster and the other a humane face within all the insanity.

Best Scene: Fallon is found out. 

3. Claude Rains in The Passionate Friends- Rains is terrific here taking a thankless role and with it stealing the entire film through his genuine portrayal.

Best Scene: Howard stops Mary's suicide attempt. 

2. Orson Welles in The Third Man- Welles appearance in this film is brief yet he makes a tremendous impact through very memorable portrayal of the slick yet slimy Harry Lime.

Best Scene: Lime's intro.

1. Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets- Good Prediction RatedRStar, George Woolf, and Michael Patison. This was a very close choice between Welles and Guinness as there roles are very different. Where Welles plays one short role brilliantly, Guinness portrays eight different roles. Guinness succeeds incredibly in his roles as he manages to be both visible and invisible at the same time. He does something individual and special for each character leaving a very memorable impression.

Best Scene: The Parson indulges in a drink. 

Overall Rank:

1. Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets
2. Orson Welles in The Third Man
3. Ralph Richardson in The Heiress
4. Claude Rains in The Passionate Friends
5. James Mason in The Reckless Moment
6. Trevor Howard in The Third Man
7. George Sanders in Samson and Delilah
8. Juano Hernandez in Intruder in the Dust
9. Edmond O'Brien in White Heat
10. Robert Ryan in Act of Violence
11. James Whitmore in Battleground
12. Arthur Kennedy in Champion 
13. Dan Duryea in Criss Cross
14. Kirk Douglas in A Letter To Three Wives
15. Bing Crosby in The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad 
16. David Wayne in Adam's Rib
17. Robert Keith in My Foolish Heart
18. Michael Gough in The Small Back Room 
19. Tom Ewell in Adam's Rib
20. William Bendix in The Big Steal
21. Takashi Shimura in The Quiet Duel
22. Ricardo Montalban in Battleground 
23. Jack Hawkins in The Small Back Room
24. Bernard Lee in The Third Man
25. Victor McLaglen in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
26. Paul Horbiger in The Third Man
27. Isao Kimura in Stray Dog 
28. Ernest Deutsch in The Third Man
29. Gen Shimizu in Stray Dog  
30. Ronald Howard in The Queen of Spades
31. Shepperd Strudwick in All the King's Men 
32. Shemp Howard in Africa Screams 
33. Geoffrey Keen in The Small Back Room
34. Arthur Shields in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
35. Erich Ponto in The Third Man
36. Paul Douglas in A Letter to Three Wives 
37. Hugh Marlowe in Come to the Stable 
38. John Qualen in The Big Steal
39. Porter Hall in Intruder in the Dust 
40. Stephen McNally in Criss Cross
41. Kenjiro Uemura in The Quiet Duel
42. Ben Johnson in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
43. Siegfried Breuer in The Third Man
44. Steven Cochran in White Heat
45. Fred Clark in White Heat 
46. Berry Kroeger in Act of Violence
47. Henry O'Neill in Holiday Affair
    
48. George Macready in Alias Nick Beal 
49. Harry Morgan in Holiday Affair
    
50. Anthony Dawson in The Queen of Spades 
51. Michael Medwin in The Queen of Spades
52. Luther Adler in House of Strangers
53. Paul Stewart in Champion 
54. Paul Valentine in House of Strangers
55. Efrem Zimbalist Jr. in House of Strangers
56. Roy Roberts in The Reckless Moment
57. Dean Jagger in Twelve O'Clock High
58. John Agar in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
59. Harry Carey Jr. in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon 
60. Kent Smith in My Foolish Heart
61. John Agar in Sands of Iwo Jima 
    
62. John Derek in All the King's Men
63. Raymond Greenleaf in All the King's Men
64. Gordon Gebert in Holiday Affair
65. Henry Wilcoxon in Samson and Delilah
66. Jules Munshin in On the Town
67. Jeffrey Lynn in A Letter to Three Wives
68. Russ Tamblyn in Samson and Delilah 

Next Year: Either 1935 or a special set of nominees. I haven't decided yet. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1949: Edmond O'Brien in White Heat

Edmond O'Brien did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Hank Fallon/Vic Pardo in White Heat.

Edmond O'Brien is one of the kings of the thankless role. In this film, A Double Life, and The Killers he plays almost a secondary lead to a more flamboyant character found in the center film. In A Double Life it was Ronald Colman's deranged actor who stole the spotlight, in The Killers it was Burt Lancaster's deceased boxer/ small time criminal, and here it is the deranged big time hood Cody Jarrett played by James Cagney. Each time it is interesting to note that O'Brien has a great deal of importance in each films having scenes to himself to the point that he comes very close to being co-lead, in The Killers he actually has too much screen time not to be considered lead.

In this film O'Brien comes close to being lead again as the undercover agent who is put in prison to infiltrate Cody's gang to put a stop to both Jarrett, and his method of smuggling out his crime earnings. The agent Hank Fallon pretends to Vic Pardo who goes about trying to be Cody's best friend in every way so he can join the gang himself. Honestly O'Brien would be the lead in most films, but Cody is the one who always takes precedence within the scheme of things in the film leaving Hank as an observer who only acts when necessary to ensure that Cody is taken down. This leaves Edmond O'Brien to play this role rather close to his chest, and act really in the background while Cagney takes the spotlight.

O'Brien portrays the only character we can possibly sympathize with in the film as everyone else are low criminals who are either insane like Cody, or backstabbers like Cody's men and his wife. Of course O'Brien does not play Hank like the character we need to sympathize with though would works well for the rough nature of the film. Importantly above all he portrays Hank as man who is firm in doing his job and living to the end of it. O'Brien shows Hank playing the field well in the scenes where he is among only criminals and must try to embed himself within Cody's good graces.

O'Brien handles the back forth nature of the effectively going from the supportive Vic Pardo who seems to always be looking out for Cody, and supporting as the best sort of right hand man. O'Brien puts it on thickly but not too thickly as the false Vic who inserts himself with Cody by just seeming to be his biggest fan. O'Brien combines this well though through his moments which are silent reactions that show the more honest thoughts of Hank. These reactions are all very well placed by O'Brien whether it reflects his concern that he will be found out, or his sympathy for a man Cody brutally murder. O'Brien brings the appropriate realism to the proceedings with just these small moments that add to the film nicely.

This obviously is not the standout performance of the film. That undeniably is James Cagney, but Edmond O'Brien knows what is required of him in this part and goes with that. He handles his role just as it should be as basically the sanity within the insanity and to a certain degree he acts as a bit of a balancing act to Cagney's portrayal of Jarrett. He tries to be the more humane face in all the carnage and succeeds in doing so, well being the proper adversary in his depiction of Hank's ruse. Cagney is the one you remember at the end of the film but O'Brien in his solid portrayal supports the film in a very much needed fashion.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1949

And the Nominees Were Not:

Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets

Claude Rains in The Passionate Friends

Orson Welles in The Third Man

Edmond O'Brien in White Heat

Kirk Douglas in A Letter to Three Wives

Best Supporting Actor 1964: Results

5. Edmond O'Brien in Seven Days in May- O'Brien has limited opportunities due to the nature of the film, but he still manages to realize his alcoholic senator quite well.

4. Lee Tracy in The Best Man- Tracy is good in showing the differences between his warm great facade, and his cynical side he shows behind close doors.

3. Stanley Holloway in My Fair Lady- Stanley Holloway gives a very enjoyable performance that is very entertaining, he also handles his songs incredibly well making them some of the best moments of the film.

2. John Gielgud in Becket- Gielgud although is in the film for less than ten minutes makes a substantial impression instantly bringing Louis to life as a charismatic, humorous, and strong willed King.

1. Peter Ustinov in Topkapi- Good Prediction Dinasztie. This is a very good year actually with all of the nominees giving good performances. The best though is easily Peter Ustinov even though to be fair he had an advantage since he is the lead of his film. Ustinov nonetheless gives an absolutely hilarious performance, that makes Arthur Simpson a wonderful endearing character that is joy to follow through the film's story.

Best Supporting Actor 1964: Edmond O'Brien in Seven Days in May

Edmond O'Brien received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying Senator Raymond Clark in Seven Days in May.

Seven Days in May is a political thriller about an attempt to overthrow the U.S. government.

Edmond O'Brien portrays one of the loyal men to the president Jordan Lyman (Fredric March who gives the best performance in the film, but probably suffered from category confusion). O'Brien role is rather simple in that he acts as an operative for the president in trying to find out the truth behind a secret army base. Edmond O'Brien although has a descent amount of screen time he spends most of the time listening to others as he attempts to either help the president or decipher the mystery of the possible coup. O'Brien is required to develop his whole character as he moves through the plot.

O'Brien actually handles this quite well and does develop Raymond Clark into an actual person despite limitations caused by the type of film it is. In all of his scenes he makes an enjoyable characterization of a real old timey southern Senator, who drinks to much, but does believe in the president and plans do to his best to help him. O'Brien has some very good mannerisms here, that although he ensures they are very distinct he also never overplays them to the point that they become caricature.

He realizes Clark with these mannerisms very well showing exactly where he comes from and as well as his clear history in politics. O'Brien creates the history of the man simply in his face. O'Brien is good as he proceeds to show Clark as a flawed man being an aged alcoholic, but still a man with pride, as O'Brien shows in his scenes of supporting the president. O'Brien has the passion of Clark just right as it certainly is reduced by age and drink, but it still is clearly apparent. This is not an amazing performance by O'Brien, but most certainly an interesting one and from what he did do with Clark, I actually wish he had been given more to do in the script than he was allowed.

Best Supporting Actor 1964

And The Nominees Were:

John Gielgud in Becket

Lee Tracy in The Best Man

Peter Ustinov in Topkapi

Stanley Holloway in My Fair Lady

Edmond O'Brien in Seven Days in May

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Results

5. Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny- Tully does basically nothing with his role which is basically nothing in itself.

4. Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa- O'Brien is okay and certainly seems slimey enough, but he never really becomes more than adequate with this performance.

3. Karl Malden in On the Waterfront- Malden is one of three perfect supporting performances from On the Waterfront. He has all the right passion and strength in to make his important scene appropriately powerful.

2. Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront- Cobb is perfect as the villain of On the Waterfront, making him a realistic and very effective villain. His role perhaps could have been stock but Cobb never makes it so.

1. Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront- All of three of them are great and perfect in their roles, but Steiger merely gave the emotional punch for me. He is always spot on as Charley, and His performance in the famous cab scene just strikes a perfect emotional note for me and that is what makes Steiger my third actor to win twice.

Deserving Performances:Raymond Burr in Rear Window
Van Johnson in The Caine Mutiny

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa

Edmond O'Brien won an Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Oscar Muldoon in The Barefoot Contessa.

The Barefoot Contessa is a bare and unpleasant film that tells the story of a Spanish dancer, that does not result in very much interest for me. 

Edmond O'Brien plays Oscar Muldoon who is a sweaty, yes man and promoter. O'Brien's character is not exactly one of extreme depth or really all that interesting. He just has to do these little things where he shows he is spineless to his rich boss, and to show a sort of charisma when he is trying to convince someone of something or do his promoting. O'Brien is fine at this but he never really seems that convincing, but that is not exactly all his fault.

He probably should have been a little more charismatic with the sweaty slimey nature of the character hidden. Instead he tries to do both at once resulting in a performance that does not quite work. But it is not his fault since the film describes him as slimey therefore the film really was not purposeful not being subtle in showing his character. His performance though is technically fine again it is a supporting nominee who accomplishes everything really required for him to do, but in the end it does not seem to be all that much. The film never helps him since his character really is not very well done or interesting, and O'Brien merely tries his best with what he has. He never is great, and perhaps someone could have done something more with the character, but O'Brien does what he can with his character.

Best Supporting Actor 1954

And the Nominees were:

Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront

Karl Malden in On the Waterfront

Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa

Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny

Who do you Pick? Who do you Predict?