Alternate Best Actor 1936: Results

5. Spencer Tracy in Fury - Tracy is charming and moving in his depiction of a man wrongly facing death, but he plays the second half too much like a villain.

Best Scene: Embracing Rainbow.

4. Jean Gabin in The Lower Depths - Gabin gives an enjoyable portrayal of a charismatic thief which effectively matches the tone of this version of the story.

Best Scene: His first meeting with the Baron.

3. Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times - Chaplin gives a very entertaining and rather wonderful sendoff to his most famous creation.

Best Scene: The Ending.

2. Charles Laughton in Rembrandt - Even with the film's rather swift pace Laughton gives a remarkable portrayal of the famous painter throughout his life's journey. 

Best Scene: Rembrandt attempts to paint his wife one last time.

1. Edward Arnold in Come And Get It - Good Predictions RatedRStar, Michael McCarthy and Luke. The underrated Edward Arnold is given the chance to depict the origins of one of his rich and powerful men, and does not waste that chance. He gives a heartbreaking performance that realizes what such a man might sacrifice to earn that power.

Best Scene:  The Ending.

Overall Rank:

1. Edward Arnold in Come And Get It 
2. Charles Laughton in Rembrandt
3. Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times
4. Walter Huston in Dodsworth 
5. William Powell in After The Thin Man
6. Jean Gabin in The Lower Depths 
7. William Powell in My Man Godfrey
8. William Powell in The Great Ziegfeld
9. Leslie Howard in The Petrified Forest
10. Clark Gable in San Francisco
11. Warner Baxter in The Prisoner of Shark Island
12. Errol Flynn in The Charge of the Light Brigade
13. Gary Cooper in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
14. James Cagney in Great Guy
15. Boris Karloff in The Invisible Ray
16. C. Aubrey Smith in Little Lord Fauntleroy
17. Oskar Homolka in Sabotage
18. Fred Astaire in Swing Time
19. Freddie Bartholomew in Little Lord Fauntleroy
20. Fred Astaire in Follow the Fleet
21. Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur 
22. John Gielgud in Secret Agent
23. Roland Young in The Man Who Could Work Miracles
24. Gary Cooper in The General Died At Dawn
25. Fred MacMurray in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
26. Spencer Tracy in Fury
27. Jack Hayley in Pigskin Parade
28. Henry Fonda in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
29. Fredric March in Anthony Adverse
30. Robert Taylor in Camille 
31. John Loder in Sabotage
32. Leslie Howard in Romeo and Juliet
33. Kenneth Craig in Reefer Madness

Next Year: 1936 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1936: Edward Arnold in Come and Get It

Edward Arnold did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Barney Glasgow in Come and Get It.

Edward Arnold most often played the rich and the powerful and he once again plays such a man in Come and Get It. There is a difference in this case, well other than that Arnold is the lead in the film, in that here we actually are given a view of how he earns his position in society, unlike his appearances in Frank Capra picture where he apparently lost his heart long ago. In this film we are first introduced to Arnold's Barney where he is the head of a crew of lumberjacks. Arnold does something important in these scenes because the film really does not do much to age him in terms of makeup between the twenty year gap of the story, which is to convey the youth of the character. There is the enthusiastic spirit of a younger man projected through Arnold's performance as he expression very specifically the fun that Barney is having as he works with his crew in the woods. The love of life seems to be simply a part of him as Arnold so well brings across the idea of a man ready and willing to live life to its fullest at this moment. Of course within these scenes though we are also given sight for once how an Edward Arnold character gets to become the rich and powerful man he is.

Arnold is very effective in portraying the ambition of the man in his performance as well. Although he's clearly having a good time there is always a certain intent that Arnold gets across well. In the dealings that Barney is making, in order for his jobs to propel him forward in terms of riches, Arnold brings a needed command in his manner. Arnold realizes the power of personality in Barney in these scenes particularly well as a man who would be able to scale the world to become the powerful man he desires to be. What Arnold does so incredibly well in these scenes though is that he in no way plays it as some sort of evil brewing in Barney. Instead Arnold is very good in bringing even an idea of a nobility of sorts in the act. Arnold does not portray it as though Barney is a thief taking away from others, but rather a man completely fulfilling his own desires through his own abilities. This is particularly great work from Arnold here in that you can see technically speaking perhaps the beginnings of so man of the characters he played. We always see him after he's a man of riches and power, but he we actually are given the journey. Arnold makes the most of this and actually earns the riches so to speak by believably showing us the rise to power.

Just before his rise is basically complete Barney decides to party with his best friend Swan (Walter Brennan) at a questionable bar where he meets the saloon singer Lotta (Frances Farmer). Arnold brings such a surprising yet genuine sweetness in the scene. This is especially important though given that the romance between Barney and Lotta is really the crux of the film yet it is only set up in technically a few scenes. Arnold though manages to make it work through his portrayal of Barney's love for Lotta. There is the more obvious and understandable immediate infatuation, but Arnold gives it more depth than a mere lust in the man. Arnold is excellent in the way he brings a certain tenderness and most necessary and understanding in the moments between Lotta and Barney. Arnold manages to make it work to the point that it manages to overcome the brevity of the scenes as he realizes the romance as something special. This is very needed since Barney has already decided to marry a different woman who would further allow him to advance in terms of his position. The honesty that Arnold brings to Barney's relationship with Lotta effectively creates the tragedy behind Barney's decision to favor wealth over love. This leads Barney to take off without a word to Lotta, and leads to the film's twenty year flash forward.

This section begins with Glasgow's family at breakfast with Barney being referred to in an excessively formal way by his wife. We meet Barney as the man he technically wished to become and Arnold now fits into the role he most often played. Well there was a reason for that because Arnold was good at it as he so well personifies a man defined by his wealth. Arnold though with this does show what has happened to Barney. That old enthusiasm is gone, and there is still an ambition of sort though much colder without that energy of the old days. In his relationship with his wife, and to a certain degree his son (Joel McCrea) Arnold brings a considerable distance portraying a relationship more based around responsibility than any sort of affection. What I really liked about Arnold's performance though is he does not make Barney irredeemable at this point. In Barney's relationship with his daughter Arnold alludes just every so slightly to the old Barney. Although he still has a coldness as he goes along with his wife's ideas for who his daughter can marry, his interactions with his daughter carry a hint of that old warmth alluding to the fact that the old Barney is not completely dead. This becomes awakened all the more when Barney goes back to see his friend Swan, who married Lotta, and finds Swann's daughter Lotta, with the now deceased Lotta, looks just like her mother, after all she's also played by Frances Farmer.

Arnold is excellent in his portrayal of Barney's relationship with the young Lotta, since it's actually quite tricky. It's easy to see how a lesser actor would have made Barney just seem like a creepy old man, since Barney kinda is. Arnold does not allow it to be so simple with his performance. He portrays an infatuation with her to be sure, but also Arnold brings a certain confusion in the man as though he can't quite comprehend her since it's his past mistake staring at him right in the face. Most remarkably though is the way Arnold brings a greater pathos in the relationship. When he hears her sing in particular Arnold creates such a haunting quality in Barney as Arnold shows him clearly thinking to the past, and the mistake he made. Barney's wealth though essentially allows him to convince Swan and his family to do what he wants, and brings Lotta closer to him. Arnold again is terrific though as he manages to seem far less problematic than it technically is through his performance. Arnold presents Barney as almost being lost in the nostalgia as parts of that youthful spirit appears, and he is attempting to recreate his lost love without exactly realizing it himself. Barney's plan falls apart though when Lotta becomes naturally far more interested in Barney's son than Barney. Barney eventually comes to blows with his son, leaving Lotta to save Barney from being hurt by his son by reminding him that Barney is an old man. Arnold reaction is perfection as Barney dream shatters in a moment, and Arnold shows that Barney finally realizes that he will never be able to relive the past. Arnold's in his last scene portrays Barney being emotionally overwhelmed by finally understanding what he has lost, and is heartbreaking in his depiction of Barney knowing he has wasted his life.

Alternate Best Actor 1936

And the Nominees Were Not:

Edward Arnold in Come and Get It

Charles Laughton in Rembrandt

Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times

Spencer Tracy in Fury

Jean Gabin in The Lower Depths

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1941: Results

5. Joseph Cotten in Citizen Kane - Aside from his scenes as an old man Cotten gives a considerably more assured performance than most of co-stars, and effectively creates a sympathetic character arc to follow along Kane's own. 

Best Scene: After Kane loses the election.

4. Herbert Marshall in The Little Foxes - Marshall gives a very moving portrayal of the physical and mental decay of a decent man among fiends.

Best Scene: Horace rejects Regina's request.

3. Edward Arnold in The Devil and Daniel Webster - Arnold realizes the assumed greatness of his character through his strong presence and genuine passion.

Best Scene: Daniel Webster addresses the jury.

2. Laird Cregar in I Wake Up Screaming - Cregar gives a brilliantly grim portrayal of his shadowy detective, but also manages to be rather heartbreaking when explaining the underlying motivations of the character.

Best Scene: Ed Cornell reveals his connection to the deceased.

1. Peter Lorre in The Maltese Falcon - Peter Lorre is superb managing to be both quite humorous and very sinister in his enigmatic portrayal of Joel Cairo. This an amazing year for supporting actor, especially for the 40's, and I really hate to leave Arnold out of the top five.

Best Scene: Cairo's arrival.

Overall Rank:

1. Walter Huston in The Devil and Daniel Webster
2. Van Heflin in Johnny Eager
3. Peter Lorre in The Maltese Falcon
4. Laird Cregar in I Wake Up Screaming
5. Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon
6. Edward Arnold in The Devil and Daniel Webster
7. Herbert Marshall in The Little Foxes
8. Joseph Cotten in Citizen Kane
9. Claude Rains in The Wolf Man
10. Claude Rains in Here Comes Mr. Jordan
11. Donald Crisp in How Green Was My Valley
12. Barry Fitzgerald in The Sea Wolf
13. William Demarest in The Lady Eve
14. Elisha Cook, Jr. in The Maltese Falcon
15. Leslie Howard in 49th Parallel
16. John Qualen in The Devil and Daniel Webster
17. Anton Walbrook in 49th Parallel
18. Walter Brennan in Meet John Doe
19. Dana Andrews in Ball of Fire
20. Gene Lockhart in The Sea Wolf
21. Niall MacGinnis in 49th Parallel 
22. Richard Haydn in Ball of Fire
23. Henry Travers in Ball of Fire
24. S.Z. Sakall in Ball of Fire
25. Leonard Kinskey in Ball of Fire
26. Tully Marshall in Ball of Fire
27. Aubrey Mather in Ball of Fire
28. Oskar Homolka in Ball of Fire
29. Edmund Gwenn in The Devil and Miss Jones
30. H.B. Warner in The Devil and Daniel Webster
31. Raymond Massey in 49th Parallel
32. Charles Coburn in The Lady Eve
33. S.Z. Sakall in The Devil and Miss Jones
34. Alan Hale in The Strawberry Blonde
35. Elisha Cook, Jr. in I Wake Up Screaming
36. Finlay Currie in 49th Parallel
37. William Demarest in Sullivan's Travels
38. Edward Everett Horton in Here Comes Mr. Jordan
39. Robert Cummings in The Devil and Miss Jones
40. Edward Arnold in Meet John Doe
41. Jack Carson in Love Crazy
42. Donald MacBride in High Sierra
43. Eugene Pallette in The Lady Eve
44. Ward Bond in The Maltese Falcon
45. Jack Carson in The Strawberry Blonde
46. Porter Hall in Sullivan's Travels
47. Jerome Cowan in The Maltese Falcon
48. Edward Arnold in Johnny Eager
49. James Gleason in Meet John Doe
50. Henry Travers in High Sierra
51. Walter Brennan in Sergeant York
52. Laurence Olivier in 49th Parallel
53. Rhys Williams in How Green Was My Valley
54. Richard Carlson in The Little Foxes
55. Dan Duryea in Ball of Fire
56. Barry Fitzgerald in How Green Was My Valley
57. Henry Hull in High Sierra
58. Frances Sullivan in "Pimpernel Smith"
59. Nigel Bruce in Suspicion
60. Dan Duryea in The Little Foxes
61. Bela Lugosi in The Wolf Man
62. Ray Collins in Citizen Kane
63. Vladimir Sokoloff in Love Crazy
64. Barton MacLane in The Maltese Falcon
65. James Barton in The Shepherd of the Hills 
66. Gene Lockhart in The Devil and Daniel Webster
67. Ralph Bellamy in The Wolf Man 
68. Paul Stewart in Citizen Kane
69. Cornel Wilde in High Sierra
70. Charles Dingle in The Little Foxes
71. Arthur Kennedy in High Sierra 
72. Ward Bond in The Shepherd of the Hills
73. Leo G. Carroll in Suspicion 
74. Walter Pidgeon in How Green Was My Valley
75. William Alland in Citizen Kane
76. Ward Bond in Sergeant York
77. Carl Benton Reed in The Little Foxes
78. Alan Mowbray in That Hamilton Woman
79. Sam Levene in Shadow of the Thin Man
80. Walter Abel in Hold Back the Dawn
81. George Tobias in Sergeant York 
82. Allyn Joslyn in I Wake Up Screaming
83. Cy Kendall in Johnny Eager 
84. George Coulouris in Citizen Kane
85. Alan Mowbray in I Wake Up Screaming
86. Everett Sloane in Citizen Kane
87. James Gleason in Here Comes Mr. Jordan
88. Arthur Shields in How Green Was My Valley
89. Paul Stewart in Johnny Eager

Next Year: 1990 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1941: Edward Arnold in The Devil and Daniel Webster

Edward Arnold did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Daniel Webster in The Devil and Daniel Webster.

The Devil and Daniel Webster is a film that does not necessarily have the strongest lead in James Craig's Jabez Stone, yet this does not really weaken the film thanks to the supporting players who essentially control film making Stone essentially a pawn in his own story. The first being the embodiment of evil Mr. Scratch, played to perfection by Walter Huston, who temps Jabez Stone into giving away his soul for All That Money Can Buy for seven years. The second being the real life political figure Daniel Webster who is viewed in the story as the greatest politician to ever live, or at least in the view of the people of New England. Webster is played by Edward Arnold who is perhaps best known for playing cold authority figures often times in the films of Frank Capra. Sometimes he'd be given redemption, such as in You Can't Take It With You, but often times he personified the cruelty of authority without compromise. Arnold here plays an authority figure as well, but the complete opposite of those roles as before we see his character he is characterized by every one else as the man of the highest moral order. 

This is supported by his first scene where a shadowy figure, Mr. Scratch, speaks to him tempting him for a deal to ensure that he will one day become president. Arnold is great in these short little scene as treats them in such a matter of fact fashion. The first Arnold suggests to be almost the squashing of bad thoughts as the devil whispers temptation which he ignores as a bad headache until finally has to curse him out the room to put an end to it. That's not the only time though and they have a particularly humorous second encounter where Arnold once again treats him as a fact of life. This time he annoys him in public and I like the way Arnold just shrugs him off as though he's a common pest that just must be dealt with. Of course his ability to reject the offers of Mr. Scratch is not the only that makes Daniel Webster a special man. He's loved by the people as well and Arnold needs to be able to get that across as well. Arnold does this splendidly. Arnold in any role has an imposing screen presence, which he uses particularly artfully here. Arnold as Webster does not insist on his greatness, though he realizes it through still having that strong presence, but in the most gentle of ways. 

Arnold does well to establish Webster in his few scenes early on as he matches the descriptions he receives and is able to create a similar impact that Huston makes. Arnold is able to present Webster as a forceful man in his few moments as we see that which makes him the great man, yet along with it Arnold brings the softness. Not a weakness but rather a natural kindness that he always exudes showing the concern in Webster for others. He's only in a few scenes early on the film though Arnold makes a strong enough of a statement in those scenes that it is known exactly what Webster stands for and that he seems likely to be the only man who will be able to stand up against Mr. Scratch. Webster makes his reappearance back into the film just as Jabez Stone's contract is up and the only thing that Mr. Scratch will take for an extension is Stone's son. This leaves Stone to turn to Webster for help as the final showdown between Scratch and Webster in Stone's barn. The funny thing is in this final sequence that Stone might as well not be in the room since it unquestionably is a face-off between Arnold and Huston.

The final sequence contains what is so great about Arnold's performance as he takes on Mr. Scratch. Arnold importantly builds up the suspense of the scene rather well as he does give some momentary sense of fear as Webster prepares himself to defend Stone in a trial, with a jury picked by the devil. Arnold does not present Webster as an otherworldly figure himself, but rather a man who must overcome his own concerns to take on the devil. The challenge for Arnold comes in the speech he must give to jury, which is the only defense that Webster is allowed, to attempt to give Stone back his soul, the challenge is especially difficult considering that Webster was considered one of the all time great orators. Well Arnold matches the challenge head on, and is outstanding in the scene. He brings the incredible passion needed for the speech as he is brings out the convictions of the man so powerfully. What I love though is that Arnold brings the mediation in his speech. It is not just Webster telling them what is right but convincing them that it is. In this regard Arnold brings such a warmth in his words creating the sense of the palatable love Webster has for his country. He is able to bridge that in a persuasive fashion as Webster tells the damned jury what they missed by turning to the devil. Arnold makes the result of the trial of Stone believable since he makes Webster the great man he needs to be and a truly worthy opponent for Huston's Mr. Scratch.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1941

And the Nominees Were Not:

Joseph Cotten in Citizen Kane

Laird Cregar in I Wake Up Screaming

Edward Arnold in The Devil and Daniel Webster

Peter Lorre in The Maltese Falcon

Herbert Marshall in The Little Foxes

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1938: Basil Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood, Pat O'Brien in Angels With Dirty Faces, Edward Arnold in You Can't Take It With You, and Results

Basil Rathbone did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood.

One must really question what the academy is thinking sometimes like in 1938 when they nominated Basil Rathbone for his performance in If I Were King instead of his performance in The Adventures of Robin Hood which was nominated for best picture. Rathbone's performance in If I Were King is a rather strange one playing the scheming King of the film like a kooky old man for some reason. Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood, as the main physical threat to Robin Hood, gives the much stronger performance then in his Oscar nominated turn.

Sir Guy actually is not the most complex of parts, as he is the bad guy who definitely wants to kill Robin Hood, and at least at first wishes to marry the Maid Marian for himself. There technically is not too much more of him so the rest is really left to Rathbone. Firstly Rathbone is the right physical presence for the role. When he fights he has that right menace to seem the appropriate threat to Robin Hood. More than that though Rathbone plays off Errol Flynn well by counteracting the pleasure Flynn shows in his role, with pleasure in Guy when he tries to kill Robin Hood, a different kind of pleasure though a sadistic pleasure.

Past the action scenes though Rathbone handles Guy well particularly in his relationship to Maid Marian. Although at first Rathbone shows an interest in her as more of for a prize more than anything else, but this soon changes to brief frustration then quickly suspicion when Robin Hood seems to be having a little too much help. Rathbone is very good in his portraying the cunning in Guy as he figures out what Marian is doing, and he does well to make Guy more than just the man who Robin constantly gets the upper hand on.

Rathbone plays the straight villain quite well here while leaving Claude Rains to play the much more flamboyant role of King John. Rathbone does well not to try to attempt to one up Rains in any way instead while Rains takes the high road Rathbone takes the low road. He allows Rains to be the villain who just loves being a villain while he acts the far more serious threat who actually attempts to figure out way to kill Robin Hood. Rathbone stands well within the film allowing Flynn and Rains to be the more lively presences, but all the while making his own impact as the real threat in the film.

Pat O'Brien did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Fr. Jerry Connolly in Angels With Dirty Faces.

Pat O'Brien plays the adults of one of two boys who committed small time crimes when they were young. There difference came in that Jerry was able to outrun the police whereas Rocky (James Cagney) was not able to get away. This created their paths in life with Rocky only becoming more hardened in prison, and slowly becoming a man deeper into the life of crime, whereas Jerry took a very different path becoming a priest who only wishes to do good to help his community particularly the neighborhood boys who could either take the right path or fall into crime as Rocky did.

O'Brien actually has a rather similar role to Spencer Tracy's Oscar winning role in Boys Town. O'Brien's performance and the role though are far more complex than Tracy's work though. One of the best parts of Angels with Dirty Faces is the fact that the good priest and the bad criminal are friends in the film. This might not have worked so well but O'Brien and Cagney, who were best friends in real life, have terrific chemistry together. They just have such a natural warmth to one another and both Cagney and O'Brien suggest the past with one another incredibly well, and O'Brien does well to suggest that Jerry does have a certain nostalgia for his days as a juvenile delinquent along with Rocky.

Jerry and Rocky due come into conflict due to Rocky still engaging in criminal activities well Jerry is trying to stop the criminal activity in the neighborhood. O'Brien is excellent in portraying the humble conviction in Jerry as he tries to stop Rocky from corrupting the boys who idolizes him. The reason O'Brien is so effective though is that within his strong passion for his cause he does as well express his friendship with Rocky. O'Brien suggests that to a certain extent that pressing Rocky in this way does pain Jerry. O'Brien is very genuine as he shows that although he hates what Rocky stands for, he cannot ever forget his strong friendship with him.

O'Brien by always being genuine in portraying how he feels about Rocky gives a true power to his character, and never for a moment does he make Jerry seem the least bit sanctimonious. Near the end of the film Jerry asks Rocky to swallow his pride and do something good with his final moments by pretending to yellow before he is executed that way the boys will not look up to Rocky. This is a difficult scene for O'Brien as Jerry is asking Rocky for a lot in what is his final moments. O'Brien though absolutely earns the moment though because O'Brien is able to express the heartbreak in the scene as it is not just anyone he is asking to go out like coward, its his best friend.

O'Brien performance is essential to the film as one could easily be distracted by all the gangster half of the picture, and actually forget about O'Brien part. O'Brien does not allow that instead he and Cagney make the dynamic between the lives of Jerry and Rocky the best part of the picture. O'Brien's Jerry acts as the perfect anchor to Cagney's Rocky, as he takes the high flying action of the mob dealings and takes it down with the true weight of what those actions bring. The very best moment of O'Brien's performance comes at the end when he asks to boys to pray for the boy who could not run as fast he could. O'Brien gives the line the true poignancy it deserves and makes the conclusion of the film truly heartbreaking.

Edward Arnold did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Anthony P. Kirby in You Can't Take it With You.

You Can't Take it With You is a nicely handled film by Frank Capra about the clash between a family of free spirits the Vanderhoffs and a rich stuffy family.

Edward Arnold plays the head of the rich family who is on the verge of a take over. Arnold is a bit of an underrated character actor of the period who often plays rich and powerful types. Arnold when given the opportunity could do more with his roles than just be commanding in his presence, even though he could be commanding with ease to. At the beginning of this film he plays mostly the rich man who does not seem to care too much about anything other than making more money even if that means walking over his colleagues or demolishing peoples homes if they interfere with his plans.

Arnold is always good at being the rich Scrooge type with his strong forceful personality. Where many actors might have been just only been the rich man, Arnold does bring some nice bits of humanity in the part. Importantly they are short rather subtle moments so no one would think he isn't a ruthless business man, but Arnold does bring these short little moments to establish that there is another man in there trying to get out. These short reactions are very well handled by Arnold such as when shows that Kirby does enjoy some of the antics of Vanderhoff family while his wife is completely appalled by their behavior.

Where every other character in the film is pretty much set in their various roles, Arnold has the one role that changes throughout the course of the film. The change is played out in Arnold's performance in an almost exclusively silent fashion. Arnold therefore has to carry most it himself and he does not disappoint in this regard. He conveys the internal struggle in Kirby in brief little moments that are very well handled. He shows so much in just the way Kirby looks as the harmonic he got from the Vanderhoff's home, and he expresses just how much Kirby honestly wishes to break out of his life.

When Kirby does have its turn around it not only is moving, but it is as well entirely believable because Arnold plants the seeds of the change earlier in the film. Arnold carefully does not go to far with the moments beforehand and does make Kirby the hard shell he should be as well. He earns this change in Kirby, and enables to to have the impact on the film it should. He is the one that makes the very last scene as heartwarming as it is because he only ever portrayed an honest transition from a man who only cares about money to a man who wants to enjoy life for all that it's worth.

Other Performances:

Claude Rains in The Adventures of Robin Hood- As I said in Rathbone review Rains gives the flamboyant villain turn in the film, and actually gives the performance Rathbone should have given in If I Were King. Rains is no stranger in playing evil characters, and Rains usually finds a one to make one evil baddie at least a little different from another. As Prince John Rains plays him as a man who was always a spoiled brat. He does this rather well and is quite good in showing his tyrannical behavior mostly comes from childlike selfish sensibility. Rains is very good in taking the limited role and making entertaining by adding this little eccentricity. It also adds much more to his character by showing why exactly Prince John would act the way he does. Prince John could have been a one note jerk. Rains does more than that though by playing him as a fancy boy, and giving a fairly entertaining performance.

Lew Ayres in Holiday- Lew Ayres plays Katherine Hepburn's brother Ned who is both a musician and a drunkard. Ayers basically does two things in this role saying cynical lines that refute his father's view of the world or cynical lines that support Cary Grant's character's views. Ayres does this rather well actually as always the somber, but not sober source of wisdom. There is not a whole lot for him to do, and unfortunately he doesn't really get to get on the more comedic moments of the film. He does fulfill his part of the story rather well though.

Overall Rank:

1. Pat O'Brien in Angels With Dirty Faces
2. Edward Arnold in You Can't Take It With You
3. Michel Simon in Port of Shadows
4. Basil Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood
5. Claude Rains in The Adventures of Robin Hood
6. Walter Brennan in Kentucky
7. Erich von Stroheim in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
8. James Stewart in You Can't Take It With You 
9. Louis Jouvet in Hotel du Nord
10. Pierre Renoir in La Marseillaise
11. Michel Simon in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
12. Franchot Tone in Three Comrades
13. Pierre Brasseur in Port of Shadows 
14. Louis Jouvet in La Marseillaise
15. Robert Morley in Marie Antoinette
16. Lew Ayres in Holiday
17. Ralph Richardson in The Citadel 
18. Paul Lukas in The Lady Vanishes  
19. Armand Bernard in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
20. Humphrey Bogart in Angels With Dirty Faces 
21. Marcel Mouloudji in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
22. Ralph Richardson in The Divorce of Lady X 
23. Charles Coburn in Of Human Hearts
24. Basil Radford in The Lady Vanishes
25. John Carradine in Of Human Hearts
26. Robert Young in Three Comrades
27. David Niven in The Dawn Patrol
28. Edward Everett Horton in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
29. Gene Lockhart in A Christman Carol 
30. Benard Blier in Hotel du Nord
31. Naunton Wayne in The Lady Vanishes 
32. Wilfrid Lawson in Pygmalion 
33. Basil Rathbone in The Dawn Patrol
34. Billy Halop in Angels With Dirty Faces
35. Harry Davenport in You Can't Take It With You
36. Fernard Ledoux in The Human Beast 
37. Donald Crisp in The Dawn Patrol
38. Joseph Schildkraut in Marie Antoinette 
39. Ralph Bellamy in Carefree
40. Edward Everette Horton in Holiday 
41. Don Ameche in Alexander's Ragtime Band 
42. Allen Jenkins in A Slight Case of Murder
43. Walter Catlett in Bringing Up Baby
44. James Finlayson in Block-Heads
45. Cecil Parker in The Lady Vanishes 
46. Rex Harrison in The Citadel 
47. Aime Clariond in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
48. Claude Rains in Four Daughters
49. Cecil Parker in The Citadel
50. Billy Gilbert in Block-Heads
51. Leo Gorcey in Angels With Dirty Faces 
52. Eugene Palette in The Adventures of Robin Hood 
53. Alan Mowbray in Merrily We Live
54. Misha Auer in You Can't Take It With You 
55. Humphrey Bogart in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
56. Nikolay Okhlopkov in Alexander Nevsky
57. Charles Ruggles in Bringing Up Baby
58. George Bancroft in Angels With Dirty Faces 
59. Barry Fitzgerald in Bringing Up Baby 
60. Chico Marx in Room Service
61. David Niven in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife 
62. Spencer Tracy in Test Pilot
63. Harpo Marx in Room Service
64. Robert Newton in The Beachcomber
65. Andrei Abrikosov in Alexander Nevsky 
66. Joseph Calleia in Algiers 
67. Rex Harrison Sidewalks of London 
68. Jean-Pierre Aumont in Hotel du Nord
69. Ian Hunter in The Adventures of Robin Hood 
70. Walter Brennan in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
71. Frank McHugh in Four Daughters
72. Gene Lockhart in Algiers
73. Donald Meek in You Can't Take It With You
74. Herbert Mundin in The Adventures of Robin Hood
75. Victor Jory in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
76. Samuel S. Hinds in You Can't Take It With You
77. Leo G. Carroll in A Christmas Carol 
78. Charles Coburn in Vivacious Lady
79. Melville Cooper in The Adventures of Robin Hood
80. Tom Brown in  Merrily We Live
81. Henry Kolker in Holiday
82. John Garfield in Four Daughters 
83. Tyrone Power in Marie Antoinette
84. Barry MacKay in A Christmas Carol
85. John Barrymore in Marie Antoinette
86. Basil Rathbone in If I Were King
87. Terry Kilburn in A Christmas Carol

Next Year: 1994 lead

Best Supporting Actor 1935

Again 1935 is not a year where there are a clear five or even a clear four that stand clearly out as most films really focused heavily only on the leads such as in 39 Steps where the main villain gets only a very brief scene. Still I will cover a few performances quickly.

James Cagney in A Midsummer's Night Dream- James Cagney plays a self absorbed player Nick Bottom who eventually get a donkey head in place of his own. Where some of the actors fail to make the Shakespearean material come to life like Dick Powell or Mickey Rooney who is just terrible as Puck, Cagney though knows how to bring it to life quite brilliantly even though he is not the first actor that would come to mind as Shakespearean. Cagney though is a whole lot of fun in the role and the film really comes to life when he is on screen. He is very funny in his portrayal of Bottom as he fails to act out the part in his play doing it instead in a properly hammy fashion. Cagney surprisingly is not overshadowed by the scene with the Donkey head and actually manages to be very amusing through simply his voice and his physical reactions to dealing with the donkey head. It is Cagney who really makes the story come to life with a great deal of humor. This is a different type of role by Cagney and very well handled one actually. 4/5.

W.C. Fields in David Copperfield- W.C. Fields was usually known for his role as W.C. Fields the likable drunkard a comic star in the vein of Laurel and Hardy. Here in David Copperfield he plays a more traditional type of character as Mr. Micawber a kingly if somewhat incompetent business man who takes David under his wings. Fields nicely moves into the character actually and gives a nice performance as Mr. Micawber. He stresses above everything else the warmth of his character which Fields makes genuine, and he stands well as a wonderful character while outside of his presence David consistently suffers. This is not incredible work by any means but Fields stays in the character and brings out the tenderness that Mr. Micawber should have. 3.5/5

Charles Laughton in Les Miserables- Charles Laughton portrays Javert the inspector who stop at nothing to catch Jean Valjean. Laughton is pretty good in portraying the strictness of Javert's belief in the law system and is actually quite moving when he subtly suggests that without the law there is nothing to Javert. He is quite strong in both of his most pivotal scenes when Valjean lets him go and his last scene. He expresses the conflicting emotions of hate, disbelief and distress over Valjean's actions quite powerfully. He is not the very best Javert I have seen, that would be Philip Quast in the musical concert. I did feel that he could have been a little more imposing on the whole, and he is somewhat limited by the fact that the conflic between he and Valjean could have been done better in term of the film's direction. Nevertheless he is a strong Javert that meets the complexities of the character that some unfortunately ignore. 4/5.

Edward Arnold in Crime and Punishment- This version of Crime and Punishment is told very dispassionately in terms of direction but the performances by Peter Lorre as the man who believes in the right of murder to the superior sort, and Edward Arnold as the police inspector who becomes suspicious of him offers the film some life. This is not a great role, but Arnold shows his skills as an actor well here offering the right sort of presence in the role and being properly incisive that would make it believable that Peter Lorre's character would become as nervous as he does by the inspector's increasingly suspicious nature.  3/5

Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein-Thesiger plays the evil mad scientist Doctor Pretorius who convinces doctor Frankenstein (Colin Clive) to make a bride for the monster. Thesiger takes the opposite of Clive's manic approach to the mad scientist instead he emphasizes the madness in his mind through his face. Thesiger plays his role with a certain flamboyancy all his own that has just a creepiness that oozes from him without effort. He makes the derangement of Pretorious quite unique, and is pretty effective in the part. He does not leave the biggest impression on the film, that would be Karloff, but he is quite good in the role. 3.5/5.

Overall Rank:

1. James Cagney in A Midsummer's Night Dream
2. Charles Laughton in Les Miserables
3. Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein
4. Lionel Barrymore in Public Hero No. 1
5. W.C. Fields in David Copperfield
6. Herbert Marshall in The Dark Angel
7. Edward Arnold in Crime and Punishment
8. Frank McHugh in A Midsummer's Night Dream 
9. Charles Ruggles in Ruggles of Red Gap
10. Wallace Ford  in The Informer
11. Joe E. Brown in A Midsummer's Night Dream
12. Edward Everett Horton in Top Hat 
13. Basil Rathbone in Anna Karenina
14. Roland Young in Ruggles of Red Gap
15. O.P. Heggie in Bride of Frankenstein 
16. Donald Meek in The Whole Town's Talking 
17. Joseph Schildkraut in The Crusades
18. Eugene Pallette in The Ghost Goes West 
19. Ted Healy in Mad Love 
20. Joseph Calleia in Public Hero No. 1
21. Godfrey Tearle in 39 Steps
22. Reginald Owen in A Tale of Two Cities 
23. Edward Brophy in Mad Love 
24. Cedric Hardwicke in Becky Sharp
25. William Harrigan in G Men
26. Freddie Bartholomew in Anna Karenina
27. Franchot Tone in Mutiny on the Bounty  
28. Cedric Hardwicke in Les Miserables
29. Lionel Barrymore in David Copperfield
30. Guinn Williams in Private Worlds
31. Edward Brophy in The Whole Town's Talking 
32. Barton MacLane in G Men
33. Colin Clive in Bride of Frankenstein
34. David Manners in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
35. Basil Rathbone in David Copperfield
36. Donald Woods in A Tale of Two Cities  
37. Nigel Bruce in Becky Sharp 
38. Chico Marx in A Night at the Opera  
39. Joel McCrea in Private Worlds
40. C. Aubrey Smith in The Lives of the Bengal Lancers
41. Gavin Gordon in Bride of Frankenstein
42. Henry B. Walthall in A Tale of Two Cities
43. Hay Petrie in The Ghost Goes West 
44. Basil Rathbone in A Tale of Two Cities 
45. Donald Calthrop in Scrooge 
46. Charles Grapewin in Alice Adams
47. Roland Young in David Copperfield
48. Henry Stephenson in Captain Blood
49. Harpo Marx in A Night at the Opera
50. Basil Rathbone in Captain Blood
51. Robert Armstrong in G Men
52. Thurston Howell in The Black Room 
53. Fred Stone in Alice Adams
54. Victory Jory in A Midsummer's Night Dream
55. Lionel Atwill in Captain Blood
56. Oscar Asche in Scrooge
57. Gyles Isham in Anna Karenina
58. Hugh Sinclair in Escape Me Never
59. Robert Allen in The Black Room
60. Griffith Jones in Escape Me Never
61. John Beal in Les Miserables
62. Richard Cromwell in The Lives of the Bengal Lancers
63. Dick Powell in A Midsummer's Night Dream
64. Mickey Rooney in A Midsummer's Night Dream

Next Year: 1991 Lead