Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1961: Results

5. Anthony Quinn in The Guns of Navarone - Quinn gives a solid performance that overcomes his technical miscasting far more effectively than his co-stars. 

Best Scene: His introduction.

4. Burt Lancaster in Judgment in Nuremberg - Lancaster might not give the best performance in the film, but he still gives a powerful portrayal of a man consumed by despair.

Best Scene: Janning's speech.

3. Eli Wallach in The Misfits - Wallach technically has probably the most thankless role out of the main cast, but is quite remarkable by giving such a honest portrayal of his character.

Best Scene: Guido tells Roslyn about his wife.

2.  Karl Malden in One-Eyed Jacks - Malden is easily the highlight of his film giving a striking performance where he cleverly subverts his usual unassuming screen presence.

Best Scene: Dad and his men confront Rio.

1. Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo - Good Prediction Michael McCarthy. Nakadai gives a great and so brilliantly smug villainous turn that perfectly complements Toshiro Mifune's heroic turn.

Best Scene: The Final Duel.

Overall Rank:

1. Montgomery Clift in Judgment At Nuremberg
2. Maximilian Schell in Judgment At Nuremberg
3. Martin Stephens in The Innocents
4. Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo 
5. Jackie Gleason in The Hustler
6. George C. Scott in The Hustler
7. Murray Melvin in A Taste of Honey
8. Karl Malden in One-Eyed Jacks
9. Nakamura Ganjirō II in The End of Summer 
10. Eli Wallach in The Misfits
11. Burt Lancaster in Judgment At Nuremberg
12. Montgomery Clift in The Misfits
13. Leo McKern in The Day the Earth Caught Fire
14. Anthony Quinn in The Guns of Navarone
15. Alan Bates in Whistle Down the Wind
16. Soumitra Chatterjee in Teen Kanya
17. Max von Sydow in Through the Glass Darkly
18. Rod Steiger in The Mark
19. Anil Chatterjee in Teen Kanya
20. Hans Lothar in One, Two, Three
21. Myron McCormick in The Hustler
22. Sacha Pitoeff in Last Year At Marienbad
23. David Niven in The Guns of Navarone
24. Francisco Rabal in Viridiana
25. Tony Randall in Lover Come Back
26. Tatsuya Nakadai in The Other Woman
27. Gunnar Björnstrand in Through the Glass Darkly
28. Frank Thring in King of Kings
29. Bernard Lee in Whistle Down the Wind
30. Eijirō Tōno in Yojimbo
31. Brian Keith in The Parent Trap
32. Ron Randell in King of Kings
33. Keiji Sada in Immortal Love
34. Robert Stephens in A Taste of Honey
35. Pat Hingle in Splendor in the Grass
36. Keiju Kobayashi in The End of Summer
37. J. Pat O'Malley in 101 Dalmatians
38. Fernando Rey in Viridiana   
39. Chishū Ryū in The End of Summer
40. Hisaya Morishige in The End of Summer
41. Ikio Sawamura in Yojimbo
42. Donald Houston in The Mark
43. Richard Widmark in Judgment At Nuremberg
44. Murray Hamilton in The Hustler
45. Robert Ryan in King of Kings
46. Anthony Carbone in The Pit and the Pendulum
47. John Wengraf in Judgment At Nuremberg
48. Derren Nesbitt in Victim
49. Bernhad Wicki in La Notte
50. Hurd Hatfield in King of Kings
51. Lars Passgard in Through the Glass Darkly
52. Norman Bird in Victim
53. Robert Blake in Town Without Pity
54. Daisuke Katō in The End of Summer
55. Benson Fong in Flower Drum Song
56. Stanley Holloway in No Love For Johnnie
57. Donald Pleasence in No Love For Johnnie
58. Mervyn Johns in No Love For Johnnie
    
59. Geoffrey Keen in No Love For Johnnie
    
60. Dennis Price in no Love For Johnnie
61. James Shigeta in Flower Drum Song
62. David Frankham in 101 Dalmatians
63. Peter McEnery in Victim
    
64. Jack Soo in Flower Drum Song
65. Anthony Quayle in The Guns of Navarone
66. Seizaburo Kawazu in Yojimbo
67. Kali Banerjee in Teen Kanya
68. Ned Glass in West Side Story
69. Takashi Shimura in Yojimbo
70. Peter Falk in Pocketful of Miracles
71. Michael Redgrave in The Innocents
72. James Garner in The Children's Hour
73. Donald Wolfit in The Mark
74. Christopher Lee in taste of Fear
75. Thurl Ravenscroft in 101 Dalmatians
76. Keenan Wynn in The Absent-Minded Professor
77. Dennis Price in Victim
78. Ronald Lewis in Taste of Fear
79. Edward Everett Horton in Pocketful of Miracles
80. Stanley Adams in Breakfast At Tiffany's
81. Ben Wright in 101 Dalmatians 
82. John Fiedler in A Raisin in the Sun
83. Tommy Kirk in The Absent-Minded Professor
84. Thomas Mitchell in Pocketful of Miracles 
85. Russ Tamblyn in West Side Story 
86. Richard Harris in The Guns of Navarone
87. Martin Balsam in Breakfast At Tiffany's
88. Peter Wyngarde in The Innocents
89. Kevin McCarthy in The Misfits
90. Charles Boyer in Fanny
91. Buddy Epsen in Breakfast At Tiffany's
92. Alan Scott in Lola
93. Ben Johnson in One-Eyed Jacks
94. Simon Oakland in West Side Story
95. William Shatner in Judgement At Nuremberg
96. Stanley Baker in The Guns of Navarone
97. Arthur O'Connell in Pocketful of Miracles
98. Slim Pickens in One-Eyed Jacks
99. George Chakiris in West Side Story
100. Leon Ames in The Absent-Minded Professor
101. Tucker Smith in West Side Story
102. Horst Buchholz in One, Two, Three
103. Maurice Chevalier in Fanny
104. Mickey Rooney in Breakfast At Tiffany's

Next Year: 1958 lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1961: Karl Malden in One-Eyed Jacks

Karl Malden did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dad Longworth in One-Eyed Jacks.

One-Eyed Jacks is notable as Marlon Brando's only directorial effort. It's a decent, although not especially remarkable, western about a bandit Rio (Brando) who is left to the law by his partner in crime Dad.

Malden once again re-teams with Brando who he co-starred with in On The Waterfront and A Streetcar Named Desire which are two of the most memorable films from both of their filmography. It is not surprising that Brando chose for Malden to star with him again as the two do share an effective dynamic on screen together in those earlier film. Brando with his overt intensity, and Malden with his own more reserved yet still quite striking intensity. They balance out each other well though as they never seem to be trying to show up the other yet share the screen very adeptly. One-Eyed Jacks is not nearly as good as a film as those previously mentioned, and Brando is not nearly as good of a director as Elia Kazan. Brando's shortcomings seem most obvious though in directing himself.

Kazan managed to get truly magnetic performances from Brando, but Brando directly himself seems far too calm and controlled in his performance. He far too often seems content in just playing well just a little too cool, and perhaps he thought he overacted in his emotionally intense scenes in those earlier film since they are sorely missed here. Brando apparently had a far longer cut in mind for the film, which may or may not have been a good thing, and perhaps there was more to Brando's performance there. That is not the case in its released form. The cutting as well may contribute to to the early scenes in the film that were obviously there to set up the friendship and personalities of Rio and Dad before the betrayal, but there frankly there just is enough there to make the betrayal meaningful.

Malden though is very good in the early scenes losing his usual reserve to show a drunken lout of a man, and although the betrayal is fast, Malden is very good in the scene expressing the conflict in his character well, partially making up for some of the weaknesses in the film. Rio finds himself out of jail though and tries to catch up with Dad who has become a sheriff in a town. Where Brando's performance seems far too simplistic at times, Malden is excellent in the first scene they share again suggesting all that is going through Dad's mind at the meeting. On one hand Malden shows Dad happily greeting Rio in a mostly genuine way as he tries to explain his actions in the betrayal, but as well though keeps a underlying intensity in the scene reflecting that Dad is trying to see why exactly Rio has payed him this visit.

After that opening scene Malden's plays his role quite wryly as he keeps that that unassuming quality he often carries in his roles, yet this time he uses it to hide something. At first it seems Dad is somewhat oblivious to Rio's as Malden plays the part as a likable enough naive fool, yet when it seems that Rio has made a move the true nature of Dad comes out. Malden is terrific in the scene where Dad "lays down the law" and is extremely disconcerting as he brings out such a palatable menace so naturally in a second notice. Malden is particularly effective as he takes on his usual sunny disposition, and replaces it with a cold unsavory brutality in a scene that did remind me of Gene Hackman's work in Unforgiven. Malden makes for a surprisingly vicious villain.

This is not Malden and Brando's best work together. For several reasons, one being that is a lesser work than those earlier films, and another being that in this case Malden completely blows Brando off the screen in every scene they share together. It is quite odd that Brando directed this film because every time Malden and Brando share a scene Malden absolutely overshadows him. I wish that the film had been a little stronger since Malden's work here is quite compelling and I would have liked it if the writing, or perhaps the editing, had allowed him to go even further with the character. Nevertheless Malden gives a strong performance here that rather cleverly subverts his usual onscreen persona, and his work is easily the highlight of the film as a whole.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1961

And the Nominees Were Not:

Anthony Quinn in The Guns of Navarone

Eli Wallach in The Misfits

Burt Lancaster in Judgment At Nuremberg

Tatsuya Nakadai in Yojimbo

Karl Malden in One Eyed Jacks

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1970: Results

5. Leonard Frey in The Boys in the Band- Frey, although his voice is a bit theatrical, gives an effective in his portraying his character's sharp cynicism.

Best Scene: Harold cuts Michael down.

4. Donald Sutherland in Kelly's Heroes- Sutherland gives a weird performance but an endearing character as the aptly named Oddball. 

Best Scene: Oddball takes a break from battle.

3. Trevor Howard in Ryan's Daughter- Howard gives a strong performance that deftly mixes in rather coarse qualities with a genuine heart.

Best Scene: Father Hugh talks to Rosy about marriage.

2. Alec Guinness in Scrooge- Guinness has only two scenes but two scenes of brilliance in his dryly comic performance as a ghost.

Best Scene: Marley in Hell.

1. Karl Malden in Patton- Good Predictions JackiBoyz, Maciej, and Kevin. Karl Malden gives a great performance as the unassuming General Omar Bradley by being the perfect foil for George. C. Scott's depiction of the pride filled Patton, and showing that a modest man can still be a complex man.

Best Scene: Bradley openly speaks his mind to Patton.

Overall Rank:

1. David Warner in The Ballad of Cable Hogue
   
2. Karl Malden in Patton
3. Charlton Heston in Julius Caesar
   
4. Alec Guinness in Scrooge
5. Trevor Howard in Ryan's Daughter
6. Bernard Cribbins in The Railway Children
   
7. Christopher Plummer in Waterloo
   
8. John Mills in Ryan's Daughter
9. Leo McKern in Ryan's Daughter
10. Donald Sutherland in Kelly's Heroes
11. Barry Foster in Ryan's Daughter
12. Yves Montand in Le Cercle Rouge
    
13. Don Rickles in Kelly's Heroes 
14. Chief Dan George in Little Big Man
15. Forrest Tucker in Barquero 
16. Michel Bouquet in La Rupture
    
17. Leonard Frey in The Boys in the Band
18. Mick Jagger in Performance
    
19. Anton Rodgers in Scrooge  
20. Colin Welland in Kes
    
21. Oleg Dahl in King Lear
22. Klaus Kinski in Count Dracula 
23. Gian Maria Volonte in Le Cercle Rouge
    
24. Rabi Ghosh in Aranyer Din Ratri
    
25. Regimantas Adomaitis in King Lear
26. Soumitra Chatterjee in Aranyer Din Ratri 
    
27. Yoshitaka Zushi in Dodes’ka-den
    
28. Orson Welles in Catch-22
29. Anthony Perkins in Catch-22 
30. Subhendu Chatterjee in  Aranyer Din Ratri
    
31. Kenneth More in Scrooge 
32. Samit Bhanja in  Aranyer Din Ratri
    
33. Giancarlo Gianni in The Pizza Triangle 
34. Jack Palance in Monte Walsh
    
35. Robert Duvall in MASH 
36. Junzaburo Ban in Dodes’ka-den
    
37. Robert Vaughn in Julius Caesar 
38. Strother Martin in The Ballad of Cable Hogue
39. Jeremy Kemp in Darling Lili
40. Maximilian Schell in First Love
    
41. Kārlis Sebris in King Lear
42. John Marley in Love Story
43. Tom Skeritt in MASH
44. Leonhard Merzin in King Lear
45. Martin Balsam in Little Big Man
46. Vladimir Yemelyanov in King Lear
47. Richard S. Catellano in Lovers and Other Strangers
48. Richard Mulligan in Little Big Man
49. Gig Young in Lovers and Other Strangers
50. Jean Gascon in A Man Called Horse
    
51. Bob Newhart in Catch-22
52. Martin Balsam in Catch-22
53. Henry Fonda in Sometimes a Great Notion 
54. Bob Balaban in Catch-22
55. Rene Auberjonois in MASH
56. Gerald Sim in Ryan's Daughter
57. Charles Grodin in Catch-22
58. Len Lesser in Kelly's Heroes
59. Martin Sheen in Catch-22 
60. So Yamamura in Tora! Tora! Tora!
61. Martin Balsam in Tora! Tora! Tora!
62. Jason Robards in Tora! Tora! Tora!
63. Tatsuya Mihashi in Tora! Tora! Tora!
64. James Whitmore in Tora! Tora! Tora! 
65. E.G. Marshall in Tora! Tora! Tora! 
66. Takahiro Tamura in Tora! Tora! Tora!
67. Donatas Banionis in King Lear
68. Ray Milland in Love Story 
69. Colin Blakely in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
    
70. Orson Welles in Waterloo 
71. Kerwin Mathews in Barquero
72. Lou Gossett Jr.in Landlord
73. Christopher Lee in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
    
74. Richard Johnson in Julius Caesar
    
75. Timothy Dalton in Cromwell 
76. Roy Scheider in Puzzle of a Downfall Child
    
77. Hal Holbrook in The Great White Hope 
78. Franco Nero in Tristana
    
79. Jon Voight in Catch-22 
80. Peter White in The Boys in the Band
81. Richard Jaeckel in Sometimes a Great Notion
82. Gianni Santuccio in Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion
83. Gastone Moschin in The Conformist
84. Art Garfunkel in Catch-22
85. Robert Morley in Cromwell
86. David Collings in Scrooge
87. Carroll O'Connor in Kelly's Heroes 
88. Gary Burghoff in MASH
89. Edward Binns in Patton
90. Cliff Gorman in The Boys in the Band
91. Michael Medwin in Scrooge
92. Laurence Naismith in Scrooge 
93. Dan O'Herlihy in Waterloo
    
94. Enzo Tarascio in The Conformist
95. Chester Morris in The Great White Hope
96. Billy Bush in Five Easy Pieces  
97. Herbert Lom in Count Dracula
    
98. Richard Benjamin in Catch-22 
99. Michael Bates in Patton
100. Federick Combs in The Boys in the Band 
101. Richard Beaumont in Scrooge
102. Laurence Luckinbill in The Boys in the Band
103. Patrick McDermott in Joe
104. Lawrence Dobkin in Patton
105. Jack Gilford in Catch-22
106. Ralph Waite in Five Easy Pieces 
107. Robert La Tourneaux in The Boys in the Band
108. Cal Bellini in Little Big Man

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1970: Karl Malden in Patton

Karl Malden did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying General Omar N. Bradley in Patton.

Patton is a film almost wholly involved with the story of General George Patton played by George C. Scott. The film's weakest aspects are when it attempts to diversify the story with the excessively simplistic German scenes that easily could have been removed from the film. There is only one supporting character who makes an impression on the film, Michael Bates might have with General Montgomery if he had not played him as such a caricature, that performance is of course Karl Malden as General Omar Bradley. The film carefully spotlights Bradley advancement as a General while following Patton, and in terms of the literal beginning of the story Malden actually appears before Scott does.

I always thought of Malden's performance as a good one but watching the film again for his performance the  only improved the strength of the work. This is readily apparent from his very first scene where he rides to see the end result of a battle in which the allies took heavy losses. Malden establishes the nature of Bradley very effective in the way he handles the scene. He barely says much of anything, but brilliantly portrays the reaction that Bradley has toward the tragic result of the situation. Malden expresses rightly the subtle way that Bradley is forced to suffer the sight. Malden shows that it definitely does move him to see so many of the men dead, but Malden correctly keeps it in the man of Omar Bradley who is must do his duty.

Omar Bradley is the opposite of George Patton in most ways other than that they are both competent. Patton is a loud passionate and very fierce man who does things his own way without even a question with others opinions on the matter. He is easy to find conflict and does seem to have some delusions of grandeur in his belief that he is the reincarnation of many a great warriors. Omar Bradley is nothing like that with an easy going nature, and a complete lack of glory seeking in his attitude. Malden successfully makes Bradley the perfect foil for Scott's Patton. Malden, like his Oscar winning turn, is great in playing unassuming roles. Malden is great because he does not mind being genuine in this regard, and instead of finding flamboyance where there shouldn't be, he brings out the complexities of such a man.

Malden is excellent in the role in bringing to life this man, who is in the war to do his job as efficiently as he thinks he can. Malden does not make Bradley a simple sort, as many may have, and just like Mitch Malden knows that just because a man is reserved does not make him dull. I should say Malden doesn't reprise Mitch here though as Malden has the right forceful presence necessary for a commander of man like Bradley, but Malden shows Bradley to man who carries this power in his personal determination. Malden makes Bradley a restrained man among the nature of Generals, and especially when compared to the overwhelming personality of George S. Patton. Bradley would be a man who is part of the room, Patton on the other hand insists on being the room.

The greatness of Malden's performance is in his chemistry with Scott's performance. Malden is quite fascinating in that he makes Bradley a proper right hand man at first who wants to work with Patton to fight against the Nazis, but Malden has certain hesitations suggested within Bradley kind supportive face. Although Malden goes along with Patton, but in Patton's most eccentric moments Malden hints at a certain coldness toward Patton. This is important as Bradley career takes off and Patton slowly becomes muddled in various controversies. When they meet again on less even ground Malden still keeps Bradley as mostly amiable, but when Patton goes too far Malden  reveals Bradley's side that openly distastes Patton prideful, and less professional side.

Karl Malden gives a great performance that complements Scott's main performance in a marvelous fashion. Although it is Scott's film of course, Malden is not to be forgotten through his fascinating depiction of Omar Bradley. Malden easily could have fallen into the rest of the supporting characters of the film that are forgotten as soon as they leave, or even before that. Malden, unlike the rest of the supporting cast, makes the most of his somewhat limited screen time. In his time he shows a honest depiction of a General who is passionate about his duty, but in heart is an ordinary man taking a down to earth attitude to this duty. He's extremely effective in finding the finer details of the man, especially in Bradley complex relationship to a man whose manner toward war is almost antithesis to his own.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1970

And the Nominees Were Not:

Alec Guinness in Scrooge

Donald Sutherland in Kelly's Heroes

Trevor Howard in Ryan's Daughter

Karl Malden in Patton

Leonard Frey in The Boys in the Band

Best Supporting Actor 1951: Results

5. Leo Genn in Quo Vadis- Genn gives a dull performance that just goes through the motions of a part that in better hands could have stolen a few scenes.

4. Kevin McCarthy in Death of a Salesman- Although McCarthy is not helped by his co-stars or his film he still manages to give a convincing portrayal of a troubled young man.

3. Gig Young in Come Fill The Cup- Young gives an effective performance as a rich drunk who tries to sober up.

2. Peter Ustinov in Quo Vadis- Ustinov is wildly broad in his portrayal of the mad Nero and it works. He creates an entertaining portrait of this mad man while being an effective villain as well.

1. Karl Malden in A Streetcar Named Desire- Good Prediction RatedRStar especially since you even guessed Young's placement, and Michael Patison. Where Ustinov is greatness surrounded by dullness Malden is greatness within greatness. Rather than being swallowed whole by the power house performances around him Malden not only perfectly supports these performances, but also makes his character stand on his own as well.

Deserving Performances:
Mervyn Johns in Scrooge
Michael Hordern in Scrooge

Best Supporting Actor 1951: Karl Malden in A Streetcar Named Desire

Karl Malden won his Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Harold "Mitch" Mitchum in A Streetcar Named Desire.

Karl Malden portrays one of Stanley Kowalski (Marlon Brando)'s Poker buddies who attempts to court Stanley seriously troubled sister in-law Blanche DuBois (Vivien Leigh). Mitch is different than Stanley and his friends in that he dresses and acts much more properly and lives with his sick mother whom he takes care of. Malden is perfect in the role being an excellent foil against Marlon Brando's Stanley. Malden portrays Mitch as calmly, and as reserved just as Brando portrays Stanley as loud, and outrageous. Malden makes Mitch almost the opposite of Brando in his quiet portrayal, but he is always careful to show that Mitch still is from the same exact world as the other men as well.

Mitch certainly is proper, and dresses in fine clothing, and tries to treat women in a gentlemanly fashion as well. Malden though carefully portrays the idea of how much of a true gentleman Mitch is. Malden is effective because he does leave it just enough of a mystery of Mitch. Yes it does seem Mitch genuinely does want to try to be a better sort of man than his friends, but there is always a undercurrent that puts just the right degree of doubt on this as well. There is just the right indication in Malden performance to suggest that part of this might be a bit of a put on caused by his mother's influence. Malden though perfectly makes it so you can't call Mitch a true gentleman, nor just putting on a facade he is something in between.

The most important part of his character though is Mitch's relationship with Blanche DuBois. Malden of course needs to stand along with Vivien Leigh's towering performance, and he keeps up with her every step of the way. Malden though not only stays with Leigh he also avoid being just a supporting man to her. While Leigh has some of her biggest scenes in Malden's presence, Malden never lets himself or Mitch become overshadowed. Even in some of her most dramatic moments Malden still has a prescne in these scenes. He makes Mitch his own man, who never becomes simply just the possible suitor of Blanche DuBois but rather is in his own right an interesting character.

Malden has an interesting and unique chemistry with Leigh that works well in the film. Malden shows that Mitch is honestly quite taken with Blanche, but he also shows that he is almost out of his element when it comes to relating to the woman. Malden shows that Mitch is always trying to be the proper gentleman with her, as much of one as he possibly can be, but Malden always has a shade in his performance reflecting Mitch's inability to truly understand the woman. Malden does not portray it as if Mitch is stupid, but rather Mitch just in reality is simply not able to fully comprehend the past of Blanche, even though Malden shows that Mitch struggles hard to do so.

Karl Malden is excellent in his later scene where after Mitch had discovered the truth behind Blanche, and confronts her over the truth. Malden although is not as outwardly cruel as Brando, there is a certainly almost more painful cruelty employed by Malden in this scene. Malden shows that Mitch is not trying to purposefully destructive toward Blanche, but rather it is almost a gut reaction from Mitch. Malden has that Mitch still does not fully understand, and does not know how really to deal with it so he takes it out on Blanche. Malden is excellent here because he not only brings to life his blunt attack on Blanche, but that it all comes from his own pain and distress from his loss.

Malden does not have a false moment during the film. It is an excellent portrait of this man, and even though Mitch never is the exact focus of any scene Malden nevertheless realizes a complex characterization. There is not a wasted moment in his performance. Mitch frankly could have been little more than just part of the background, but Malden never lets himself to be forgotten. In just the smallest glances, or reactions he says so much. His small little look over the mention of his mother is perfectly amazing in that single expression shows that Mitch in fact hates his mother. Moments like that perpetuate through his performance, and creates a powerful depiction that does far more than simply help Vivien Leigh's performance. Malden makes his work stand alone as well as truly great work from a great actor.

Best Supporting Actor 1951

And the Nominees Were:

Gig Young in Come Fill the Cup 

Kevin McCarthy in Death of a Salesman

Karl Malden in A Streetcar Named Desire 

Peter Ustinov in Quo Vadis

Leo Genn in Quo Vadis

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Results

5. Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny- Tully does basically nothing with his role which is basically nothing in itself.

4. Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa- O'Brien is okay and certainly seems slimey enough, but he never really becomes more than adequate with this performance.

3. Karl Malden in On the Waterfront- Malden is one of three perfect supporting performances from On the Waterfront. He has all the right passion and strength in to make his important scene appropriately powerful.

2. Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront- Cobb is perfect as the villain of On the Waterfront, making him a realistic and very effective villain. His role perhaps could have been stock but Cobb never makes it so.

1. Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront- All of three of them are great and perfect in their roles, but Steiger merely gave the emotional punch for me. He is always spot on as Charley, and His performance in the famous cab scene just strikes a perfect emotional note for me and that is what makes Steiger my third actor to win twice.

Deserving Performances:Raymond Burr in Rear Window
Van Johnson in The Caine Mutiny

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Karl Malden in On the Waterfront

Karl Malden received his second and final Oscar nomination for playing a priest Father Barry in On the Waterfront.

The three Supporting Actor nominations are rather interesting because each represent a different spot on the moral scale. Karl Malden is certainly on the good half of the scale as Father Barry, who is a priest who wants to strive for justice on the docks. Malden gives an incredibly interesting performance, and his performance stands out in a film filled with great performances. Malden is incredibly effective because he does not make Barry into a one dimensional character. He is not just some do gooder only but rather a real person trying to do this good. The good nature of the character never seems forced but rather quite natural due to Malden.

Malden is essential to the film because Barry's purpose to bring over Terry Malloy (Marlon Brando) to the good side of things, and to help in the changing of the docks.  Malden's performance consists of a lot of pushing for good from all characters, pushing to get the various characters to stand up to, and to take down the evil Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb). The push involves many invigorated speeches from Malden. The speeches are incredibly powerfully done Malden and each one stands out in the film. He is particularly effective in the Crucifixion speech. Malden puts all the right power and passion in this speech to make the scene truly effective and incredibly memorable. He also allows even greater believability in Malloy's transformation since Malden shows Barry to be a truly inspiring and effecting person.

Malden is always strong in this performance and never fails to be interesting and effective. He standouts even when he is with Marlon Brando which is rather something. He is never forgotten in scenes with Brando and completely stands his own. He takes a good character and puts the right amount of depth into him. He shows the priest is not perfect but rather a man trying to do the right thing. He is not just a speech maker but a man who wants to understand and learn why the dock is the why it is. Malden shows all of this as well as possible. He is always spot on in every scene and he only makes the powerful scenes even more powerful. Malden gives a flawless performance as Father Barry, and his performance perfectly adds to the great On the Waterfront.

Best Supporting Actor 1954

And the Nominees were:

Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront

Karl Malden in On the Waterfront

Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa

Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny

Who do you Pick? Who do you Predict?