Best Supporting Actor 1947: Results

5. Charles Bickford in The Farmer's Daughter- Bickford is certainly fine in his part, but nothing special. He perhaps could have stolen some scenes but he never is able to.

4. Thomas Gomez in Ride the Pink Horse- Although his part is fairly limited Gomez gives an enjoyable and charming performance that only adds to his film.

3. Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street- Gwenn is not really a definitive Santa Clause by any means, and this is not any sort of great performance, but it is a good one where Gwenn makes Santa Clause just as kind and warm as he should be.

2. Robert Ryan in Crossfire- Robert Ryan plays the sort of role he became best known for and the truth is there is a reason he became known for this sort of role, because he was very good at it. This is not his best variation on this sort of character though.

1. Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death- There is no question for me who wins this year though as Widmark easily gives the most memorable and most effective performance out of the nominees. Widmark becomes basically invisible in his chilling creation of Tommy Udo a psychopath who only ever finds joy from what he does.

Best Supporting Actor 1947: Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street

Edmund Gwenn won his Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street.

Miracle on 34th Street depicts the story of a Santa Clause who becomes the Santa Clause for the Macy's day parade and later for the store, the only problem is he claims he really is Santa Clause.

Edmund Gwenn I imagine won by a great deal for his performance here as Kris Kringle, since it is unlikely much consideration was given to Gomez and Bickford whose films received few nominations, and it certainly would not have gone to those rather nasty characters Ryan and Widmark play especially since neither have a single sympathetic quality. Also Miracle seems that it was likely second place for best picture considering it won story and screenplay, but it lost I feel only because the Academy wanted to seem important by going with the "important" picture.  

Also Gwenn is really not supporting in this film he is the subject of the film and the lead actor of the film, it is not an overly egregious nomination since there is at least the other lead of John Payne, but really Gwenn most certainly is lead. Also what is not to like about Santa Clause. This is not a only a unique nomination but also an exceedingly unique win as usually Santa Clause is not the sort of character one would expect to receive a nomination let alone an Oscar win.

This review is for the very day the film begins in, and it is hard to say anything bad about Santa Clause, but I won't let any of these factors change my view of Gwenn's performance. Gwenn really does not take any sort of unorthodox approach to playing Santa Clause he is nice and gentle as he should be. He is warm and kind just as he should be. There is also a bit of a no nonsense part of him though as he does not like people who do the wrong thing either. Gwenn even shows this aspect to be still Kris Kringle merely wishing that only everyone should be nice as well.

Gwenn really is just fine in the role of Santa Clause, but if you have seen Gwenn's other performances like in Mister 880 for example his performance is not that much of a stretch for him. This is basically how he played any nice old man role no differences to attempt to make him any more Santa Clause like in the least. His style of performance though most certainly works for the role though, and I have no issues with the way he plays it either. His Santa Clause certainly is not definitive in any fashion, but he is as he should be.

There certainly are wrong ways to play Santa Clause but most of the time he is on film it is not that hard to get him right, just have a kindly old man who has a beard or at least can grow one who just seems to be respectable not much more than that. Gwenn is not a definitive portrayal of Santa Clause by any means but he is one of the better ones. Gwenn is consistently good, but his performance is not even my favorite of the film that would go to the duo of Gene Lockhart as the rather pathetic judge, and William Frawley as his blunt campaign manager. 

Best Supporting Actor 1947

And the Nominees Were:

Robert Ryan in Crossfire

Richard Widmark in Kiss of Death

Edmund Gwenn in Miracle on 34th Street

Thomas Gomez in Ride the Pink Horse

Charles Bickford in The Farmer's Daughter

Best Supporting Actor 1950: Results

5. Jeff Chandler in Broken Arrow- Chandler is already miscast around actual Native Americans, and his dull performance never makes up for this problem.

4. Edmund Gwenn in Mister 880- Gwenn is properly sweet and charming in his part, but the part of the most benevolent of criminals is not much of one.

3. Erich von Stroheim in Sunset Blvd.- Stroheim is perfectly cast adding another layer to his character simply through his own background. He also is always proper in his role, but his performance never becomes that amazing for me. Max Meyerling is certianly an interesting character but a limited one.

2. Sam Jaffe in The Asphalt Jungle- In many years I sort of look forward to rarely talked about nominated performance which are ample in this category. I usually find out why they are rarely spoken of like Gwenn, and Chandler, but I was very pleasantly surprised to find Jaffe's incredibly strong work. Jaffe's performance is subtle even simple work at times, that is amazingly effective and very memorable.

1. George Sanders in All About Eve-Sanders simply could not be better in the role of Addison De Witt. He channels the snarky smug, yet incredibly intelligent and suave ways of the character. Sanders always makes his presence known with every single comment he makes, and to top it off he has one unforgettable scene that is just a magnificent piece of acting.

Best Supporting Actor 1950: Edmund Gwenn in Mister 880

Edmund Gwenn received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying 'Skipper' Miller in Mister 880. 

Mister 880 frankly is not that interesting of a tale about a secret service investigator tying to find a small time elusive counterfeiter, it is made even less interesting due to a tacked on love story.

Mister 880 is the counterfeiter who eludes the secret service at every turn, no one has been able to catch him so much they call in an specialist by the name of .... I don't remember even though I just watched it yesterday, frankly it doesn't matter since his character is so unremarkable, but anyways he is played by Burt Lancaster. So who is this criminal they need Lancaster for well a sweet old man played by that sweet old man Edmund Gwenn, who may be even sweeter as Skipper Miller than when he played Kris Kringle, after all in Miracle on 34th street he at least hit someone on the head.

Skipper Miller's crime is he peddles one dollar fake bills to get by in a very modest life style. He only ever spends uses one dollar per store, and even tries to buy something else with the change he is given. The Skipper also does this to avoid actually to save the government money, since he could go to a Veteran's home but that would cost more money than he requires. The Skipper is the friend to everyone, and everything.

Well since Skipper is such a perfectly nice criminal with really almost selfless tendencies, this really allows very little for anything for Gwenn to do but be a nice charming old man. He is just that in everything scene, a sweet old man. The role requires little else of him, except at the end when he is caught. He shows a slight bit of sadness giving up his printing press, and later a sort of exhausted relief when he finally gives himself up. This little bit of extra emotion amount to very little, but it technically is perfect for as Skipper is written. Gwenn is charming, and does as required, but Skipper is a little too simple of a character for his performance to amount to much of anything.

Best Supporting Actor 1950

And The Nominees Were:

Erich Von Stroheim in Sunset Blvd.

Edmund Gwenn in Mister 880

George Sanders in All About Eve

Jeff Chandler in Broken Arrow

Sam Jaffe in The Asphalt Jungle

Before I jump back to Best Actor and gain back my ability to relax as I review here is another Supporting year.