Best Supporting Actor 1939: Results

5. Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- Harry Carey completely fulfills his role, his role just does not ask much of him.

4. Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste- Donlevy's performance is one dimensional evil just as he should be. I suppose someone could have been truly great in this role, but there is nothing wrong about Donlevy's performance.

3. Brian Aherne in Juarez- Aherne creates the earnestness, as well as his naivety well. He comes quite close to being great by the finale of the film where he gives a rather moving portrait of a good man who simply was in the wrong place.

2. Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- Rains gives a very effective portrait of a corrupt politician. He does this by combining the odd officialism in his cruelty, as well as showing the sadness and regret in the man who at one time was a good man. 

1. Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach- Both of the top two performance are perfect supporting performances that do far more than perfectly support the leads of the film. Mitchell gets my win because he as well gives an amazing portrait of a man. Doc Josiah Boone could have been a stock, or dull character but Mitchell brings him fully to life, and gives a striking performance. A performance that brilliantly combines weakness with strength, humor with sadness.

Deserving Performances:
Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz
Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz
Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Best Supporting Actor 1939: Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Harry Carey received his only Oscar nomination for portraying the President of the Senate in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

Harry Carey had been a very popular western star during the silent period so it is easy to see why he was nominated for this performance. This is quite clearly a career nomination award, one of if not the earliest nomination of this type. It is clear how much of a career nomination it is by how little he does in the film. He really just functions as the President of the Senate in the scenes that take place inside of the Senate.

He really does not do more that act as the President, doing the official work that is required. The simple truth any actor could easily have done this aspect of the part, there is nothing that Carey brings that is special to the role, but at the same time he probably does bring everything that one probably could in the role. The simple problem about that is that simply is not much of anything.

For about the entire performance it is a functional performance in a very functional role. There are few scenes that require more than that. The few moments that do are when he quietly shows his support for the mistreated Mr. Smith (James Stewart). These are short, basically little smiles that actually do have the proper warmness combined with an honorable dignity that work well. Still even with these short moments, this character frankly never was one that should have been nominated no matter who played him.

Best Supporting Actor 1939

And the Nominees Were:

Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste

Brian Aherne in Juarez

Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach

Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington