Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1969: Results

5. Helmut Berger in The Damned - Berger is creepy enough in his role but his presence is oddly muted considering the nature of his role.

Best Scene: His musical number...I guess. 

4. Laurence Olivier in Oh! What a Lovely War - Olivier gives an enjoyable performance as a General who may be just a little too English.

Best Scene: Discussing French generals. 

3. Gene Hackman in Downhill Racer - Hackman manages to steal the film by realizing depth in a character who easily could have been a non-entity.

Best Scene: Eugene chews out David.

2. Robert Ryan in The Wild Bunch - Robert Ryan gives a very effective performance as he creates sympathy for the traitor.

Best Scene: The end scene.

1. Ernest Borgnine in The Wild Bunch - Good predictions Luke, GetDonaldSutherlandAnOscar, RatedRStar, and JackiBoyz. Ernest Borgnine gives a great performance that is almost made through silent reactions. Everything he does adds at least a little something to the film and his chemistry with William Holden is absolutely incredible.

Best Scene: Pike and Dutch at the campfire.

Overall Rank:

1. Ernest Borgnine in The Wild Bunch
2. Gig Young in They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
3. Robert Ryan in The Wild Bunch
4. Jack Nicholson in Easy Rider
5. Gene Hackman in Downhill Racer
6. Laurence Olivier in Oh! What a Lovely War
7. Robert Duvall in True Grit
8. Jackson Beck in Take the Money and Run
9. Noel Coward in The Italian Job
10. Marcel Bozzuffi in Z
11. Red Buttons in They Shoot Horses Don't They?
12. Joe Melia in Oh! What a Lovely War
13. Walter Brennan in Support Your Local Sheriff!
14. Edmond O'Brien in The Wild Bunch
15. Yves Montand in Z
16. Hardy Kruger in The Red Tent
17. Bruce Dern in Support Your Local Sheriff! 
18. Rupert Crosse in The Reivers
19. Michael Redgrave in Oh! What a Lovely War
20. Sean Connery in The Red Tent
21. Jacques Perrin in Z
22. Telly Savalas in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
23. Helmut Griem in The Damned
24. Philippe Noiret in The Assassination Bureau
25. Dennis Hopper in True Grit
26. Jean-Pierre Cassel in Army of Shadows
27. Telly Savalas in The Assassination Bureau
28. Bruce Dern in They Shoot Horses Don't They?
29. Burgess Meredith in The Reivers 
30. Ted Cassidy in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
31. Harry Morgan in Support Your Local Sheriff!
32. Paul Meurisse in Army of Shadows
33. Ben Johnson in The Wild Bunch 
34. Warren Oates in The Wild Bunch
35. Benny Hill in The Italian Job 
36. Al Lewis in They Shoot Horses Don't They?
37. Christian Barbier in Army of Shadows
38. Jack MacGowran in Age of Consent
39. Bob Balaban in Midnight Cowboy
40. Marcel Hillaire in Take the Money and Run
41. Desmon Llewelyn in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
42. Jeff Corey in True Grit 
43. Robert Stephens in The Prime if Miss Jean Brodie 
44. Jack Weston in Cactus Flower
45. John McGiver in Midnight Cowboy
46. Bernard Lee in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
47. Ray Walston in Paint Your Wagon 
48. Anthony Quayle in Anne of the Thousand Days 
49. Alan Hewitt  in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
50. Umberto Orsini in The Damned
51. Jack Elam in Support Your Local Sheriff!
52. William Squire in Anne of the Thousand Days
53. Helmut Berger in The Damned
54. Michael Constantine in The Reivers
55. John Colicos in Anne of the Thousand Days 
56. Harve Presnell in Paint Your Wagon
57. George Baker in On Her Majesty's Secret Service
58. William Schallert in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes
59. Michael Hordern in Anne of the Thousand Days
60. Michael Redgrave in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
61. John Fiedler in True Grit
62. Donald F. Muhich  Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
63. Gordon Jackson in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
64. Michael Bryant in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
65. Ernesto Gonzalez in Last Summer 
66. Arnold Stang in Hercules in New York
67. Tim McIntire in The Sterile Cuckoo 
68. Clifton James in The Reivers
69. Rick Lenz in Cactus Flower
70. Glen Campbell in True Grit
71. Ernest Graves in Hercules in New York

Next Year: 1941 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1969: Ernest Borgnine in The Wild Bunch

Ernest Borgnine did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dutch Engstrom in The Wild Bunch.

Ernest Borgnine plays Dutch Engstrom who is the second in command of the wild bunch and the right hand man of William Holden's Pike bishop. Borgnine's performance here is an interesting one in that he really does not have a lot of lines in the film even though he does have a considerable amount of screen time since he's rarely not in a scene with Holden's leading performance, and does even have a few moments without Holden. Borgnine has a challenge as these sort of roles often can be limit the actor by the nature of the role, but that never feels like the case for Ernest Borgnine's performance. He always has a strong presence in any scene in which he appears even when he might not even have more than a few words to say, sometimes no words to say. It's a particularly remarkable achievement by Borgnine since there is nothing obvious about why he stands out, he certainly does not try to showboat here through a lot of over the top reactions, yet he makes an impact in every scene in which he appears for even a moment. It's quite something and worth examining just what makes this performance work.

Borgnine work here is supporting in the most traditional of senses in that what makes his performance so well is the way he supports William Holden's lead performance. This is can be sensed in his earliest scene where he rides into town to rob a bank alongside the rest of the bunch. Borgnine brings that understated determination and is particularly good in portraying the process of the robbery through simply through some slight facial indicators during the heist. After the heist there is one particularly strong moment for Borgnine, even though it is only short one, where Pike asks if they should bury one of their dead members to which two of there members suggest they should. Dutch disagrees though as Borgnine delivers intensely Dutch sarcastic remarks about suggesting hymns for the funeral which get the men to decide again. Although Borgnine certainly does that well what makes it so notable though are the glances he trades with Holden. Borgnine brilliantly realizes Dutch's role as he supports Pike. It's not just Dutch shutting down their idea, it's also Pike allowing himself to look more democratic even though he's completely in line with Dutch who acts as the harsh truth.

Borgnine and Holden both establish this certain connection that Pike and Dutch have incredibly well. Borgnine and Holden are marvelous together as they make you really feel the history the two have had with one another. They capture the certain wavelength between the two so beautifully as they are able to show how each man is able to say a whole lot to one another just through a slight gesture. There is also of course a more verbal moment in this regard which is when they speak to one another at the fireside after finding out that there latest heist only brought them a bag of washers. There is a certain sadness about this as both actors reflect the losses along the way as well as the fact that they are no longer the age they once were, and that society itself is changing around them. In addition though there is striking undercurrent of warmth that Borgnine brings in his interactions as he is so honestly supportive in these scenes as Dutch is a man who will have Pike's back no matter what comes. There friendship is not something that the film exactly constantly dwells on yet both actors are absolutely convincing in creating the powerful camaraderie between the two men.

The one scene where there is an antagonism between the two comes up when Pike defends the technically traitorous former member Thornton (Robert Ryan), but Dutch has no such sympathies for the man. Again the two are exceptional as they both passionately realize how the codes technically are almost the same though how they differ leave the one major disagreement between the two of them. Where Pike is clearly held back by past mistakes, Borgnine is terrific in showing that Dutch is not burdened by this therefore he can't make an exception for Thornton in his mind. Borgnine's work here is outstanding because he does not waste a second of his screen time, especially since he really can't given the technically limits of his part. There are so many slight reactions though that add so much such as when he has to go from a false callousness to a genuine concern when Dutch is forced to give up a member of the bunch who made a mistake, or just his perfect chuckle near the end of the film when it seems like they might make it out of a tense situation. My favorite single moment is his last line which is just yelling out "Pike" one last time. The anguish that Borgnine brings is incredibly moving as he calls back to their friendship in the final moments. This is great work by Borgnine as he makes something special out a role, that in lesser hands, could have been nothing. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1969

And the Nominees Were Not:

Gene Hackman in Downhill Racer

Helmut Berger in The Damned

Laurence Olivier in Oh! What a Lovely War

Ernest Borgnine in The Wild Bunch

Robert Ryan in The Wild Bunch

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1953: Results

5. Lee Marvin in The Wild One - Marvin steals the film in just a couple of scenes with his entertaining portrayal of a boisterous biker.

Best Scene: The Beetles arrive into town.

4. Otto Preminger in Stalag 17 - Preminger gives an enjoyable, with just enough menace, performance as the smug camp commandant.

Best Scene: The man trying to "escape" is killed.

3. Jay Robinson in The Robe - Robinson makes himself the highlight of the film by giving a lively energetic performance in an otherwise rather bland film.

Best Scene: Gallio's trail.

2. John Gielgud in Julius Caesar - Gielgud gives a great performance through his devious portrayal of Cassius that acts a particularly effective counterpoint to James Mason's honest portrayal of Brutus.

Best Scene: Cassius before the battle.

1. Ernest Borgnine in From Here to Eternity - This year came down for me between Gielgud who gives a great performance with a great material against Borgnine who gives a gives a great performance with very limited material. Although Borgnine only has a few minutes of screen time he makes a substantial impact with his intimidating portrayal of a vicious soldier.

Best Scene: Fatso warns Maggio

Overall Rank:

1. William Holden in Stalag 17 
2. Robert Ryan in The Naked Spur
3. Ernest Borgnine in From Here to Eternity
4. John Gielgud in Julius Caesar 
5. Marlon Brando in Julius Caesar 
6. Roland Lesaffre in Thérèse Raquin
7. Jay Robinson in The Robe
8. Otto Preminger in Stalag 17 
9. Lee Marvin in The Wild One
10. Hans Conried in The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T   
11. Isao Yamagata in Gate of Hell
12. Charles Laughton in Young Bess 
13. Jūzō Dosan in Love Letter
14. Shirō Ōsaka in Tokyo Story
15. Boris Karloff in A & C meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
16. Jack Palance in Shane
17. Richard Erdman in Stalag 17
18. James Mason in The Desert Rats 
19. Charles Laughton in Salome 
20. Joseph Cotten in Niagara 
21. Jukichi Uno in Love Letter
22. James Mason in The Story of Three Loves 
23. Jacques Duby in Thérèse Raquin
24. Peter Graves in Stalag 17   
25. Millard Mitchell in The Naked Spur
26. Lee Marvin in The Big Heat
27. Peter van Eyck in The Wages of Fear
28. Folco Lulli in The Wages of Fear
29. Neville Brand in Stalag 17   
30. James Whitmore in Kiss Me Kate
31. Keenan Wynn in Kiss Me Kate 
32. William Powell in How to Marry a Millionaire  
33. Ralph Meeker in The Naked Spur
34. Gill Stratton in Stalag 17 
35. Robinson Stone in Stalag 17
36. William Tubbs in The Wages of Fear  
37. Sig Ruman in Stalag 17  
38. So Yamamura in Tokyo Story 
39. Robert Strauss in Stalag 17 
40. Hasse Ekman in Sawdust and Tinsel 
41. Robert Beatty in Man on a Tightrope  
42. Jack Buchanan in The Band Wagon 
43. Donald O'Connor in Call Me Madam
44. Alberto Sordi in I Vitelloni
45. Franco Interlenghi in I Vitelloni
46. Franco Frabrizi in I Vitelloni 
47. Leopoldo Trieste in I Vitelloni 
48. Koreya Senda in Gate of Hell
49. Vittorio de Sica in The Earrings of Madame de... 
50. Kirk Douglas in The Story of Three Loves 
51. Edmond O'Brien in Julius Caesar
52. Scott Forbes in Charade
53. Robert Newton in The Desert Rats 
54. Bill Thompson in Peter Pan 
55. Farley Granger in The Story of Three Loves 
56. George Sanders in Call Me Madam 
57. Brian Aherne in Titanic
58. Edmund Trizcinski in Stalag 17 
59. Karl Malden in I Confess
60. Alexander Scourby in The Big Heat
61. Louis Calhern in Julius Caesar 
62. David Wayne in How to Marry a Millionaire 
63. Hugh Griffith in The Beggar's Opera 
64. Edmund Gwenn in The Bigamist
65. Harvey Lembeck in Stalag 17 
66. Donald Sindon in The Cruel Sea 
67. Eddie Albert in Roman Holiday
68. Stanley Holloway in The Titfield Thunderbolt
69. Hugh Griffith in The Titfield Thunderbolt 
70. Jack Warden in From Here to Eternity
71. Richard Boone in Man on a Tightrope  
72. Adam Williams in The Big Heat  
73. Charles Coburn in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 
74. Denholm Elliott in The Cruel Sea 
75. Miles Malleson in The Captain's Paradise
76. Frank Sinatra in From Here to Eternity
77. Charles Goldner in The Captain's Paradise 
78. Stanley Baker in The Cruel Sea
79. John McIntire in The Mississippi Gambler 
80. Adolph Menjou in Man on a Tightrope 
81. Oscar Levant in The Band Wagon 
82. Don Taylor in Stalag 17  
83. Reginald Denny in A & C meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
84. Anthony Perkins in The Actress 
85. Michael Rennie in The Robe 
86. Tom Tully in The Moon is Blue
87. Ward Bond in Hondo
88. Richard Kiley in Pickup on South Street
89. Paul Cavanagh in House of Wax  
90. George Reeves in From Here to Eternity 
91. Paul Cavanagh in The Mississippi Gambler 
92. Elisha Cook Jr. in Shane 
93. Frank Lovejoy in House of Wax 
94. Howard Keel in Calamity Jane 
95. James Whitmore in All The Brothers Were Valiant
96. Keenan Wynn in All The Brothers Were Valiant 
97. Henry Morgan in Torch Song 
98. Bela Lugosi in Glen or Glenda
99. Brian Aherne in I Confess  
100. John Harryson in Summer With Monika 
101. Emile Meyer in Shane
102. Ray Teal in The Wild One 
103. Cameron Mitchell in Man on a Tightrope 
104. Richard Baseheart in Titanic
105. Gig Young in Torch Song 
106. Geoffrey Toone in The Man Between 
107. Rhys Williams in Man in the Attic
108. Ryosuke Kagawa in Ugetsu  
109. Robert Keith in The Wild One 
110. Philip Ober in From Here to Eternity
111. Cedric Hardwicke in Salome 
112. Donald Sinden in Magambo
113. Harley Power in Roman Holiday
114. Robert Wagner in Titanic
115. Jean-Pierre Aumont in Lili 
116. Peter Lind Hayes in The 5000 Fingers of Dr. T 
117. Michael Pate in Hondo
118. Cecil Kellaway in Young Bess  
119. Lyle Bettger in All I Desire 
120. Harcourt Williams in Roman Holiday 
121. Karl Malden in Take the High Ground 
122. Alan Badel in Salome
123. Paul Picerni in House of Wax 
124. Tommy Wall in Kiss Me Kate
125. Bobby Van in Kiss Me Kate 
126. Richard Long in All I Desire 
127. Brandon De Wilde in Shane 
128. Stewart Granger in Young Bess 
129. Dean Jagger in The Robe
130. Craig Stevens in A & C meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
131. Elliott Reid in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
132. Tommy Noonan in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 
133. Byron Palmer in Man in the Attic  
134. Victor Mature in The Robe
135. J. Carrol Naish in Beneath the 12-Mile Reef 
136. Guy Rolfe in Young Bess 
137. Richard Brewster in Little Fugitive 
138. Lloyd Nolan in Crazylegs 
139. Gregory Moffett in Robot Monster

Next Year: 1967 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1953: Ernest Borgnine in From Here to Eternity

Ernest Borgnine did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Staff Sergeant James R. "Fatso" Judson in From Here to Eternity.

It seems everything was put in place by fate for Frank Sinatra to win his Oscar for his role as Private Maggio in this film. The first being by getting the role because Eli Wallach turned the role down (who surely would have been brilliant), and then the academy taking upon themselves to nominate a rather weak set of nominees to make sure nothing happened like having a performance that was too good to ignore. One wonders if the voters in some way were encouraged to ignore the likes of John Gielgud for example since his film was rather successful otherwise. This allowed a Sinatra victory even though he is not even the best supporting actor in the film. This is made most abundantly obvious by the fact that Sinatra shares more than a few scenes with the man, that man being Ernest Borgnine. There are several negative figures shown in the army, although shown more of to be jerks rather than anything else, Judson, who runs the stockade seems to be another sort of man altogether.

Ernest Borgnine is only in a few scenes, and even in these scenes his screen time is somewhat limited but Borgnine does not allow this to be a problem. His two earliest scenes are directly between Fatso and Maggio as they both purposefully get on each other nerves. Borgnine eats Sinatra alive in these scenes as he brings such menace in his portrayal of Fatso. Borgnine does not show Fatso outwardly aggressive yet he's more chilling by conveying the beast in the man just in that stare he gives Maggio. When Fatso threatens Maggio Borgnine does not show an empty threat but rather a sadistic guarantee that Fatso is certain he will get his satisfaction. Borgnine is fantastic as he makes Fatso such a sinister presence in his few moments on screen that he convinces of what Fatso is doing when not shown. There is not a second wasted in Borgnine's performance making an impact from even a few seconds. Borgnine best scene actually just might be when Maggio is brought to Fatso in the stockade.

Borgnine actually has only a couple of seconds to end that scene as Fatso sees that he has Maggio exactly wants him. Sinatra for some reason chooses to stare blankly at the screen in almost wonderment, not fear or more likely defiance in his face, failing to express what Maggio should be feeling. Borgnine on the other hand brings the most perfect vicious grin to Fatso's face and we know exactly the torture Fatso is planning without having to see it. Borgnine also deserves credit for being one of the actors who completely goes toe to toe with Montgomery Clift without ever being overshadowed. In their one scene together Borgnine proves a match for Clift. Their scene together is sensational as the two meet both having such a reserved intensity as the two suggest that two volcanoes are about to erupt. I especially love though that laugh Borgnine gives before he goes off with Clift portraying one again that above else Fatso loves the idea of the chance for violence.

Now I will note that this is a very short performance and he's not even like a one scene wonder since his role is spread very thinly across his few scenes. His role also technically is quite limited merely that of the evil guard who causes Maggio's downfall. I don't feel though this should be used to complain about Borgnine's performance as he goes above and beyond the duty (no pun intended) with the role of Fatso Judson. Although I certainly would not have minded a little more time given Borgnine here. Nevertheless in his sparse time Borgnine full realizes the sick nature of Judson and it feels as though his performance actually is that of a more substantial character. Not only that though Borgnine absolutely commands the screen for every moment of his performance. This is the definition of a great supporting performance because Borgnine manages to create a memorable and particularly effective character that adds a lot to the film while the character easily could have been just as forgettable as those Sergeants who hassle Prewitt.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1953

And the Nominees Were Not:

Ernest Borgnine in From Here to Eternity

Otto Preminger in Stalag 17

Jay Robinson in The Robe

John Gielgud in Julius Caesar 

Lee Marvin in The Wild One

Best Actor 1955: Results

5. Frank Sinatra in The Man with Golden Arm- Sinatra I will admit tries hard to do a good job here, but he never really succeeds. It is a challenging role which he does not meet the challenge.

4. James Cagney in Love Me or Leave Me- This is not a challenging role really, and Cagney plays it as well as possible. He is properly mean as the rather simple gangster, it is not much of a character but Cagney does a fine job with it.

3. James Dean in East of Eden- Mr. Mannerisms himself certainly has a lot of mannerism in his fairly over the top performance, now I probably would not let anyone else get away with a performance like this but something about Dean and the character of Cal make it work.

2. Spencer Tracy in A Bad Day at Black- Probably his best work, Tracy is brilliant here in a completely understated role. He has a magnetic presence in this film, and somehow controls the scenes even though he only ever raises his voice once.

1. Ernest Borgnine in Marty- Borgnine is just brilliant as Marty. He gives a very realistic and heartfelt of performance. He is brilliant at showing all of who Marty his from his frustrations, to the real joy he has when he finally finds love. Simply a great performance.

Deserving Performances:
Robert Mitchum in The Night of the Hunter

Best Actor 1955: Ernest Borgnine in Marty

Ernest Borgnine won an Oscar from his only nomination for portraying a lonely butcher Marty Piletti in Marty.

Marty I found to be quite enjoyable romantic film that I felt really had a sense of place in the Italian neighborhood in New York City, and simply had a nice story with some strong performances.

Ernest Borgnine before this role was only ever cast as a heavy, which he did play very effectively especially in From Here to Eternity and A Bad Day At Black. He excelled quite well in these fairly simple, abrasive roles, as Marty Borgnine plays a very different role, that of a very simple butcher with rather low self-esteem. Marty is a decent guy who really tries to be nice to everyone, but he he fails to find romance.

Marty is just a normal and guy, no extreme psycho drama, here just a pleasant man, and Borgnine shows that you can bring out a great performance even out of just a character who really is a pretty normal person. Borgnine begins in the film as just a normal guy, and Borgnine adds a certain realism to the film, and his performance, since not for a second did I question that he was Marty, he just was the part instantly. I like how he shows Marty go through his daily routine at the butcher shop, and then later hanging out with his rather thin headed friend Angie (Joe Mantell). He is just great showing  his normal routine of Marty, how he somewhat passively goes through the motions of the day, clearly having done them for awhile and clearly bit tired of them too.

Borgnine perfectly shows the lonely disposition of the man in these early scenes. One scene he calls a potential romantic interest, but is quickly turned down. Borgnine is perfect at showing Marty's anxiousness at first, and his shy way of talking, then he truly effective in his very honestly sad reaction to being turned down once again.  An even more powerful scene comes from his talk with his mother at the dinner table. Borgnine is brilliant in this scene, as Marty talks about himself, and his inability to find any one to like him. Marty frustrations, anger, sadness about his situation, are made absolutely powerful by Borgnine, especially in the way he says the "fat ugly man" line. Borgnine simply could not be better in showing all of Marty hangups which all shown so well in this one scene.

Marty later goes to a dance which he really had no interest in but was coaxed in to it. Marty happens to come across a school teacher Clara Snyder (Betsy Blair) who was left by her blind date. Borgnine really simply lights up the screen in the scene where he first meets her. The way he can't stop talking to her, because he finds someone who actually likes him for once. He is perfect in showing Marty downright uncontrollable enthusiasm with meeting her, and the way he tries to keep her happy at the same time. The way he keeps talking being perfectly amazed at his situation, but also always asking to make sure she is still fine with him. Borgnine and Blair work perfectly together because neither forget the certain aspects of the character. They do not instantly become perfect romantics. He does not act as he really has been on a lot dates and shows the right uneasiness and enthusiasm to the situation, and Blaire still stays properly shy.

Borgnine than brings her home, and after awhile he tries to get once kiss out of her, but she does not let him. Borgnine is again absolutely great in showing how Marty just wants to stop his loneliness and her slight rejection which more of comes from her shyness, causes Marty frustrations to come out once again. Later though when he takes her home, and is told that he should call her guaranteeing another date. Borgnine shows the truly happy Marty as well as possible. But Marty chances at true love are challenged by his friends and mother who do not like Clara.I like one more time Marty going into his usual routine of loneliness and boredom. Marty though finally forgets all that, saying he can't take it anymore and calls her. Borgnine is absolutely brilliant bringing Marty to this final moment. His performance is simply a brilliant natural performance. He shows everything there was to Marty and I really felt I met someone when I met Borgnine as Marty. That is a truly great performance.

Best Actor 1955

And The Nominees Were:

Spencer Tracy in A Bad Day At Black Rock

James Dean in East of Eden

Ernest Borgnine in Marty

Frank Sinatra in The Man With The Golden Arm

James Cagney in Love Me Or Leave Me