Best Supporting Actor 1963: Results

5. Nick Adams in Twilight of Honor- Adams is effective enough at being pathetic and confused in the trial scenes, but they don't come together all that well with his scenes of being a potentially violent loner.

4. John Huston in The Cardinal- Even though his part is barely anything Huston does everything he can with and more given some weight to a picture, as well as stealing all of the scenes he is in.

3. Hugh Griffith in Tom Jones- Griffith in fact might have been drunk during much of his performance but nevertheless he gives a entertaining and very enjoyable performance that only adds to his film.

2. Bobby Darin in Captain Newman, M.D.- Darin's performance is indeed pure Oscar bait, and his big Oscar scene is far too long. This does not take away the fact that he does give an moving portrayal of a traumatized soldier nevertheless.

1. Melvyn Douglas in Hud- In a year that turned out to be stronger than I actually expected it to be, Douglas still stands tall above his fellow nominees. Douglas gives a poignant and powerful performance that absolutely creates a heartbreaking portrait of a dying breed of man.

Deserving Performances:
Brandon deWilde in Hud
Robert Shaw in From Russia With Love

Best Supporting Actor 1963: Hugh Griffith in Tom Jones

Hugh Griffith received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying Squire Western in Tom Jones.

Hugh Griffith portrays Squire Western the father of Tom Jones's (Albert Finney) love interest Sophie Western (Susannah York). Although he is a Squire is a very uncouth man. He stands as a jovial fellow who likes Tom Jones, but refuses Jones as a proper husband for Sophie due to the societal problems in the match up constantly told to the squire by his very very proper sister (Edith Evans). Griffith's whole point here is just to be funny as was his basically his point in his Oscar winning turn in Ben-Hur. The difference here is Griffith appears throughout with his comedic antics, unlike Ben-Hur where he just appeared in a group of scenes almost entirely together to put some humor in that film.

It makes sense though for Griffith to perpetuate throughout this film though as this is wholly a comedy unlike Ben-Hur where Griffith stood as the only comic relief in the film. Due to the fact that he is just one of the acts in an entire comedy show he has less of an impact than he had in Ben-Hur, but he still is an enjoyable part of the film which is Tom Jones. Tom Jones certainly is an interesting sort of film that is a comedy, but Griffith and every other actor never plays it like they are in a comedy, except maybe the few fourth wall breaks. Griffith the entire time of his routine that comes in and out of the film but it is always in the character of Squire Western.

I suppose it should be noted that Griffith apparently was drunk during filming, best shown when he actually fell right off his horse after mounting it. Even though I would say his drunkenness to shine through his performance, but I would also say it works for Squire Western. He has a manic, uncontrollable energy that works for Squire Western who is suppose to be a bit of his rocker at all times. It is an enjoyable performance that doesn't have a boring moment, and does bring life to all of his scenes. His character is suppose to be a basically insane presence Griffith certainly is that presence.

Hugh Griffith best moments though come with Edith Evans. Griffith as the Squire is as uncouth as the Squire's sister is proper. The two have an enjoyable dynamic and both actors play off of each other extremely well. None of their scenes are wasted, and their scenes of chasing after Sophie are some of the most enjoyable moments in the film. Griffith stands as just an enjoyable part of an enjoyable film. I would not quite put his work up with his Ben-Hur work since I love the idea of Griffith playing the smartest man in the room, but there certainly is nothing wrong, in fact is very enjoyable, though with Griffith playing the drunkest man in the room instead.

Best Supporting Actor 1963

And The Nominees Were:

Bobby Darin Captain Newman, M.D.

John Huston in The Cardinal

Melvyn Douglas in Hud

Hugh Griffith in Tom Jones

Nick Adams in Twilight of Honor

Best Supporting Actor 1959: Results

5. Ed Wynn in The Diary of Anne Frank- Ed Wynn, although not the most memorable of the cast, still gives a performance showing another honest portrait of a man living in a terrible situation, and he does add a little humor nicely enough when he can.

4. Robert Vaughn in The Young Philadelphians- Although Vaughn mostly gives functional work for the most of the film he makes up for it in two pivotal scenes where he nails the pain and trauma that his character is going through.

3. Arthur O'Connell in Anatomy of a Murder- O'Connell has a nice supporting turn offering a charming and warm presence in the film, and as well succeeds with the slightly more dramatic material also needed of him.

2. Hugh Griffith in Ben-Hur- Griffith is the comic relief purely and simply and he suceeds completely at being so. In his few scenes he successfully lightens the mood, and offers some much needed laughs for his film.

1. George C. Scott in Anatomy of a Murder- George C. Scott easily takes the win though in what one could almost argue is the simplest character of the nominees yet Scott makes it so he has the greatest impact out of all the nominees. His performance as Dancer is an intense piece of acting that absolute holds your attention on screen. Every second he has Scott makes the most of, and is the perfect rival for James Stewart in that film.

Deserving Performances:
Joseph Schildkraut in The Diary of Anne Frank
Stephen Boyd in Ben-Hur
Laurence Olivier in The Devil's Disciple
James Mason in North by Northwest

Best Supporting Actor 1959: Hugh Griffith in Ben-Hur

Hugh Griffith won his Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Sheik Ilderim in Ben-Hur.

This is a bit of surprise winner if you watched Ben-Hur before finding who won best supporting actor for it simply because one would think Stephen Boyd as the villainous Messala would have been the winner from that film, at least would have been the actor nominated with the film, at least would have been nomination along with Griffith, but no Boyd was not even nominated despite the fact he even won the Golden Globe for his performance. I suppose maybe what sunk Boyd was the fact he played Messala too well in that he was a truly detestable villain that was impossible to like, whereas the winner Griffith portrayed Sheik Ilderim who is the joyful comic relief of the film.

Hugh Griffith after all does come in the perfect time in the film during when Ben-Hur is basically overwhelmed with thoughts of vengeance. Griffith as a jovial, warm and comedic presence is most certainly a nice welcome to the film and they really could not have chosen a better character and actor to lighten things up a bit. Griffith from the first second he is on screen does just that as he is attempting to train a chariot rider for his horses he holds so dear. Griffith has a great deal of comedic energy as he hollers about his rider's inability, that certainly succeeds in making everything at little less weighty.

His best comedic moments come though from his quieter conversations with his pitch perfect humorous reactions such as his inability to recall how many wives he has, and that it is uncivilized to have only one wife. His best scene though, and my favorite dialogue based scene in the film comes when he sets up the odds for betting on the chariot race with Messala. Hugh Griffith is hilarious in this scene as the Sheik basically gets exactly what he wants without getting angry once over the Romans pointless insult. I particularly love his delivery and reaction when he says "bravely spoken" in regards to their boasting and belief in their own superiority.

Griffith is great in those scenes, and I'm sure his odds scene is what got him both the nomination and the win in the category. Other than those being a nice warm and comedic presence for these few scenes Griffith does not do anything more with the Sheik, nor did have to though. His performance is exactly as it should rather short, but funny and it is the type of comic relief performance one would want. Firstly Griffith is actually funny, and secondly his comedic character still fits with the rest of film. Although I can't say he should have been nominated instead of Boyd I will say Griffith still managed to give Ben-Hur as a film exactly what needed and when it needed it, and that is most certainly worth something.

Best Supporting Actor 1959

And the Nominees Were:

Arthur O'Connell in Anatomy of a Murder

George C. Scott in Anatomy of a Murder

Hugh Griffith in Ben-Hur

Ed Wynn in The Diary of Anne Frank

Robert Vaughn in The Young Philadelphians