Alternate Best Actor 1963: Results

10. Peter Breck in Shock Corridor - Breck gives a rather underwhelming performance that fails to grant the needed detail to his character's mental transition and his relationship to the other mental patients.

Best Scene: Asking about the murder.

9. Steve McQueen in Love With a Proper Stranger - McQueen gives an effective alternative performance from him that realizes his hapless failure as romantic, which is a far cry than his typical cool characters.

Best Scene: Seeing the abortionist. 

8. Alberto Sordi in Il Diavolo - Sordi gives an effective sort of observational turn that offers both comedy and a bit of poignancy in his portrayal of a tourist not quite getting what he expects from his travels.

Best Scene: Confession. 

7. Maurice Ronet in The Fire Within - Ronet gives a rather effective portrayal of a festering depression that manifests itself in different forms over the course of a day.

Best Scene: Final party.

6. Michael Redgrave in Uncle Vanya - Redgrave manages to find comedy and the right degree of pathos in his portrayal of a man who hates his existence to the point he can't help but laugh.

Best Scene: Finally breaking.

5. Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer - Mastroianni gives an effective atypical turn from him in his off-beat portrayal of a passionate activist.

Best Scene: Final speech.

4. Gunnar Björnstrand in Winter Light - Björnstrand gives a distant though striking turn as a man whose crafted an existence through rejection of emotion and thought that would otherwise pain him.

Best Scene: Telling his truth. 

3. Robert Shaw in The Caretaker - Shaw gives a powerful internalized portrayal of a man psychologically broken however still attempting to make a human connection.

Best Scene: His story. 

2. Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow - McGoohan gives a great turn as every facet of his masked hero, from the menacing "villain" that is the scarecrow, to the affable, if seemingly harmless, parson, and the cunning man beneath each ruse. 

Best Scene: The official trial.

1. Burt Lancaster in The Leopard - Good predictions Robert, Luke, BRAZINTERMA, Charles, Tahmeed, Michael McCarthy, RatedRStar, and Bryan. Lancaster reveals his greater versatility once again in his convincing portrayal of his cunning and charismatic prince's method but also a powerful portrayal of his final melancholy.

Best Scene: Alone during the party. 

Updated Overall

Next Year: 1963 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1963: Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer

Marcello Mastroianni did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Professor Sinigaglia in The Organizer.

The Organizer is a rather effective film that follows textile workers as they attempt to organize then maintain a strike.

Marcello Mastroianni appears more than 20 minutes into this film, as just barely the lead. This as his character more than anything acts as a catalyst for how the strike will develop. He is not one of the workers but rather an on the run "organizer"/former teacher who is attempting to help the workers in their efforts for better treatment. This is just a brief description however and this is a rather fascinating performance to examine by Mastroianni that is a far cry from the slick modern Italians you'd find him in his Fellini collaborations. Mastroianni actually leverages his typical charisma to offer a wholly different sort of character for himself, in the professor who is anything but the common man. Mastroianni delivers a very different physicality than is typical to his other performances of the period. He has a very effective meek expressionism in his manner. This as he walks very much around like a slightly fearful and rather modest teacher. An interesting approach actually as really what is about half of his performance is that of a rather comedic take, in a film that in its overarching themes is most certainly a drama. Mastroianni plays him almost as this goofball who sticks out quite sorely across the crowd with his slanted walk, and way of always seeming a bit overly, while also oddly, dressed.

I will say though I rather love the approach Mastroianni takes in this regard in it effectively distances the professor from the rest of the people, though while still managing to show why he'd be able to endear himself to the majority of them. This is as Mastroianni has the right off-beat energy in this manner of a man whose joyful attitude is rather endearing. It also helps that Mastroianni manages to be genuinely amusing here in his comedic moments, which he rather naturally brings to the fairly dramatic narrative. This such as his somewhat trollish expression when reacting to seeing he's stopped a potential sexual rendezvous, or his complete lack of hesitation in his manner in a later scene where a prostitute he's staying with says he doesn't need to sleep alone. The way Mastroianni jumps up in that moment is a bit of comic gold and makes the professor rather likable. He importantly doesn't go overboard in his approach that would stretch the honesty of the character. Mastroianni manages to make his manner both enjoyable to watch but also natural within his character. Mastroianni uses it to portray the man who in many ways doesn't really fit in where he is as a fugitive professor among the working class, however he realizes this essentially in this affable way.

Mastroianni's approach though also works in creating this certain specific dynamic within the man, where he is is this affable sort but with a certain pathos. Mastroianni's work finds the right pathos through his quieter scenes where he explains his motivations. In these moments there's a real sense of history in his eyes of a man who has seen much pain in his time. He's especially strong in the moment where he reflects on the situation forcing a woman to become a prostitute with a quiet discontent that so powerfully realizes the man's convictions as an underlying fact. These though are in a way the fuel within the character that flows from the professor when he must speak to the crowd of the workers to to convince them to keep on the good fight. Mastroianni makes these moments especially pointed as he fashions them in contrast to the near clown we see the rest of the time. Mastroianni however rightly plays this as part of who the man is as he almost brings this hesitation before each moment, portraying the professor purging the strength out of himself in order to make his statements. In turn Mastroianni makes them such genuinely striking moments of a fervent passion from a meek man. This as he calls upon a strict righteousness in his words with such a direct strength within his eyes in these moments. Mastroianni in these scenes shows a man who becomes in his element, in a way that has always been within him, however now as he reveals it with such a direct purpose. His way of spurring this grandiose strength out of such modesty makes it all the more notable, since he shows still to come from a man of that modesty through that hesitation. He's a man who must conduct what he believes out himself, which he can do with such thunder, but must still deliver from within himself. This is very much an against type turn by Mastroianni as he takes his usual casual cool charisma and re-purposes it to this more erratic role. Mastroianni does so successfully in making the professor a real character without a becoming a caricature. He finds the man who is of a different life, in an entertaining way, yet never sabotages the serious intentions of the man that brings out in such a remarkable force. The professor isn't your standard Mastroianni lead, or even union hero, however his work crafts instead such a unique sort, that leaves an equally unique impression both within the film and among his oeuvre.

Alternate Best Actor 1963

And the Nominees Were Not:

Michael Redgrave in Uncle Vanya

Laurence Olivier in Uncle Vanya

Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias The Scarecrow

Gunnar Björnstrand in Winter Light

Peter Breck in Shock Corridor

Alberto Sordi in Il Diavolo

Predict those five (Redgrave from Vanya for prediction purpose),  these five (Shaw from The Caretake for Prediction Purposes) or both

Robert Shaw in The Caretaker

Donald Pleasence in The Caretaker

Steve McQueen in Love With a Proper Stranger

Burt Lancaster in The Leopard

Maurice Ronet in The Fire Within

Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer

Alternate Best Actor 1963: Results

5. Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2-  Mastroianni gives a good performance but he is always overshadowed by the man he is suppose to be portraying. 

Best Scene: Guido speaks with his wife.

4. Steve McQueen in The Great Escape- McQueen as the Cooler King is all about the cool which he brings in his trademark fashion.

Best Scene: Hilts goes to retrieve his ball.

3. Tom Courtenay in Billy Liar- Courtenay gives a complex and entertaining performance as a man who lies to hide his insecurities.

Best Scene: Billy tries to speak with his mother after his grandmother's death.

2. Dirk Bogarde in The Servant- Bogarde gives a brilliant performance showing the layers come off of what seems to be just a normal unassuming butler.

Best Scene: The Sevant reveals his true nature to his employer.

1. Toshiro Mifune in High and Low- This year came down between Bogarde and Mifune for me. It comes very close for me as I do love Bogarde performance, but I will go with Mifune's work which I found the most moving of all the performances this year. Mifune gives a poignant performance as a man who chooses to do good no matter how much harm it will cause. His portrayal of the moral decision moral on fuels the entire film and Mifune made it so I remembered even during the second half of the film in which he only occasionally appears.

Best Scene: King Gondo makes his final decision on the ransom.

Overall Rank:

1. Paul Newman in Hud
2. Toshiro Mifune in High and Low
3. Richard Harris in This Sporting Life
4. Burt Lancaster in The Leopard
5. Dirk Bogarde in The Servant
6. Tom Courtenay in Billy Liar
   
7. Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow
   
8. Sean Connery in From Russia With Love
9. Gunnar Björnstrand in Winter Light
10. Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
11. Richard Attenborough in The Great Escape 
12. Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field
13. Albert Finney in Tom Jones
14. Cary Grant in Charade 
15. Kazuo Hasegawa in An Actor’s Revenge
16. Laurence Olivier in Uncle Vanya
17. Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer 
18. Michael Redgrave in Uncle Vanya
19. Maurice Ronet in The Fire Within
20. Patrick McGoohan in The Three Lives of Thomasina
21. Marcello Mastroianni in Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
22. Alberto Sordi in Il Diavolo
23. Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2 
24. Raizo Ichikawa in The Third Shadow Warrior
25. James Fox in The Servant 
26. Charlton Heston in 55 Days At Peking
27. Gregory Peck in Captain Newman M.D. 
28. Steve McQueen in Love With a Proper Stranger
29. John Wayne in Donovan's Reef 
30. Rod Taylor in The Birds
31. Jean-Paul Belmondo in Magnet of Doom
32. Jackie Gleason in Soldier in the Rain
33. Nino Manfredi in The Executioner
34. Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor
35. Burt Lancaster in A Child is Waiting
36. Oliver Reed in Paranoiac 
37. Dick Van Dyke in Bye Bye Birdie
38. Jack Lemmon in Irma La Douce 
39. Jean-Pierrie Kerien in Muriel
40. John Wayne in McLintock!
41. Alexander Davion in Paranoiac
42. Jackie Gleason in Papa's Delicate Condition
43. James Garner in Move Over Darling
44. Michel Piccoli in Contempt
45. Steve McQueen in Soldier in the Rain
46. Stathis Giallelis in America America  
47. James Aubrey in Lord of the Flies
48. Fred MacMurray in Son of Flubber
49. Todd Armstrong in Jason and the Argonauts
50. Peter Breck in Shock Corridor
51. Tom Tryon in The Cardinal 
52. Richard Chamberlain in Twilight of Honor 
53. Richard Burton in The V.I.P.s 
54. Claude Mann in Bay of Angels
55. David Niven in The Pink Panther 
56. Channing Pollock in Judex
57. Richard Burton in Cleopatra
58. Rex Harrison in Cleopatra

Next Year: 1963 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1963: Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2

Marcello Mastroianni did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Guido Ansemli in 8 1/2.

8 1/2 is a well made film about the strange journey a film director goes through as he struggles to make his next film. I only say well made film because it is a film I liked, but I just am not nearly as passionate about it as so many are.

The last time I reviewed Mastroianni is was for his performance in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita this time he once again teams up with the director although this time he acts as the surrogate for the director within the film. As with La Dolce Vita Mastroianni acts as a guide of sorts for the film although to different ends. Where in La Dolce Vita he made his way through various vignettes as the tired journalist where he did interact but just as often kept as a distance. In this film though Guido is always a part of them as sometimes they are only in his own mind yet this time his interaction is a much firmer thing yet there still seems a distance in this case as well.

8 1/2 is most definitely a director's film as the main character is there to even represent the director. Fellini pretty much strong arms the entire thing and it is hard at times to notice anything other than what he is doing at any particular time. The fantasy scenes in particular are shot in a way that never brings emphasis to what the actors are doing instead always focusing on what Fellini is doing instead. This is the case throughout the film and no one stands out like Fellini's direction does. It is his film the entire running time and therefore the actors at best are given limited time to do much of anything and even in that time they usually confined there in some fairly simple character requirement.

Mastroianni is probably given the most to do as Guido although even his part is quite limited in the scheme of things. Mastroianni is a very passive actor which works at times like his dead pan work in Divorce Italian Style as well as in La Dolce Vita where he was playing a passive character. This time he again plays a passive character although one can wonder if he necessarily had to be this way. Another actor may have made their own take on Fellini like say Peter O'Toole in the Stunt Man sort of thing, but Fellini himself probably would not have approved. In fact Mastroianni passive style probably made him the perfect choice as Fellini then knew there would not be any out of control characterization standing as his surrogate.

Mastroianni plays Guido as very much an observer above all else. Most of the time he is fairly downplayed and mostly seems to be examining what others say more than directly reacting to them. This approach actually does entirely fit the part of Guido in this film. He seems usually in a bit of a daze of sorts, a strange self reflective sort of daze rather than an uncaring one. This approach does suggest what is exactly going on through his head as he makes his little personal journey through the film where he has trouble making a statement with both his relationships as well as his new film. Mastroianni makes him as man trying for something but very much grasping into the air.

There really is not much of an arc to his character in this case. Where La Dolce Vita Mastroianni portrayed the slow descent of the man who slowly failed to find some sort of redemption for himself leaving him as a shell of a man only able to live with gilded extravagance, in this film he does not have the same type of journey. Guido is in more than anything a frame of mind that he cannot escape that leaves him on basically the same level of thinking throughout. Guido and Mastroianni's performance of him is almost a constant and his character journey is not really portrayed by a change in Guido but more of a change in what Guido sees therefore again the spotlight is given to Fellini and not Mastroianni.

This is probably exactly what the director wanted as his surrogate of course a performance being what the director wants is not necessarily a good thing. Looking entirely on its own though Mastroianni's performance is good for what it is. He does express what his character is going through and more importantly for that he actually allows us to understand a little more of Fellini is doing with his direction throughout. If it where not for Mastroianni work it would be much harder to understand any of the fantasy sequence and what they exactly mean. Mastroianni though in his segments establishes his character and what Guido is going through to allow us to understand what it is that Fellini is doing.

La Dolce Vita was a better collaboration between the two in terms of being collaboration. It allowed both to have their moments for example Fellini gets to shine in the famous fountain scene, but as does Mastroianni through his performance in the scene which receives substantial focus. Mastroianni even sometimes gets stripped of even reactions in this case like the fantasy dinner scene where he speaks to the women of his life and it is all from Guido's point of view. His point of view means the camera's point of view which means Fellini's point of view leaving Mastroianni holding the short straw. This is a good performance that serves its purpose splendidly but Mastroianni is always overshadowed by who he is suppose to be playing.

Alternate Best Actor 1963

And the Nominees Were Not:

Toshiro Mifune in High and Low

Dirk Bogarde in The Servant

Steve McQueen in The Great Escape

Tom Courtenay in Billy Liar

Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2

Alternate Best Actor 1960: Results

5. Robert Mitchum in The Sundowners- Mitchum gives as usual a good performance that always stays very light but fitting to the film.

Best Scene:  Early romantic scene between Paddy and his wife.

4. Max von Sydow in The Virgin Spring- Sydow although takes awhile to have his moment is quite powerful in his depiction of a father's grief and vengeance.

Best Scene: Tore's final prayer. 

3. Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita- Mastroianni acts as an effective guide as for the audience through the decadence in Rome, as well as gives an effective portrait of a man slowly giving in to it.

Best Scene:  The "orgy".

2. Albert Finney in Saturday Morning and Sunday Night- Finney gives a raw and powerful performance as a frustrated young man who couldn't care less of societal expectations.

Best Scene: "Dead from the neck down"

1. Anthony Perkins in Psycho- Congratulations to both Michael Patison and Maciej for their correct predictions please feel free to name a year and a performance. This year was incredibly close for me not between Finney and Perkins, but between Perkins and Olivier. Perkins after all gives an outstanding performance as Norman Bates being truly terrifying in his chilling portrait of a deranged man. I still will have Olivier remain the winner for the moment since I really need to watch the Entertainer again to be sure because the two are definitely close. It would be easy to hand Perkins the win since he is amazing, but I could not cheat my favorite actor like that.

Best Scene: "We all go a little mad sometimes" 

Overall Rank:

1. Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer
2. Anthony Perkins in Psycho
3. Burt Lancaster in Elmer Gantry
4. Richard Attenborough in The Angry Silence
5. Toshiro Mifune in The Bad Sleep Well
6. Renato Salvatori in Rocco and His Brothers
7. Jack Lemmon in The Apartment
8. Albert Finney in Saturday Morning and Sunday Night
9. Alec Guinness in Tunes of Glory
10. Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita
11. Alain Delon in Purple Noon
12. Karlheinz Böhm in Peeping Tom
13. Peter Finch in The Trials of Oscar Wilde
14. Soumitra Chatterjee in Devi
15. Montgomery Clift in Wild River 
16. Jack Hawkins in The League of Gentlemen
17. Kirk Douglas in Spartacus  
18. Charles Aznavour in Shoot the Piano Player
    
19. Gabriele Ferzetti in L'Avventura
    
20. Alain Delon in Rocco and His Brothers
21. Woody Strode in Sergeant Rutledge
22. Pierre Brasseur in Eyes Without a Face
23. Marc Michel in Le Trou
24. Max von Sydow in The Virgin Spring
25. Dean Stockwell in Sons and Lovers 
26. Robert Morley in Oscar Wilde 
27. George Sanders in The Village of the Damned
28. James Cagney in The Gallant Hours
29. Spencer Tracy in Inherit the Wind
30. Yul Brynner in The Magnificent Seven
31. Robert Mitchum in The Sundowners
32. Ignacio López Tarso in Macario
33. George Hamilton in Home from the Hill
34. Jerry Lewis in The Bellboy 
35. Mel Welles in The Little Shop of Horrors
    
36. Rod Taylor in The Time Machine 
    
37. Jonathan Haze in The Little Shop of Horrors
    
38. Jerry Lewis in Cinderfella
39. Burt Lancaster in The Unforgiven 
40. Paul Newman in Exodus
41. Jean Paul Belmondo in Breathless
42. Dirk Bogarde in Song Without End  
43. Jules Dassin in Never on Sunday 
44. Frank Sinatra in Ocean's Eleven   
45. John Richardson in Black Sunday
46. Jeffrey Hunter in Sergeant Rutledge
47. Stuart Whitman in Murder Inc.
48. Tommy Kirk in Swiss Family Robinson
49. James MacArthur in Swiss Family Robinson
50. Fredric March in Inherit The Wind
51. Ralph Bellamy in Sunrise At Campobello
52. Ward Ramsey in Dinosaurus!

Next Year: 2003

Alternate Best Actor 1960: Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita

Marcello Mastroianni did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Marcello Rubini in La Dolce Vita.

La Dolce Vita is an interesting film that is a group of episodic stories in the life of a tabloid journalist.

La Dolce Vita is very much Federico Fellini's picture from beginning to end. It is a director's picture the whole way through controlling the film with his remarkable imagery, and the actors are very much in service of their director. The characters are there very much to suit the points of the director's scene more than they are to create their own incredible characterization. This true just about down the line for the most part, it is even true to some degree for the leading man of Marcello Mastroianni, although he is allowed developments of sorts even though they are relatively limited. There is actually plenty of time for him still as this is a long film, but Marcello's story is hardly the only focus of the film.

Mastroianni acts as our guide through the various journey's into the very particular culture of the wealthy in Rome. Mastroianni has a very particular role in so many scenes which is being a watcher rather than the actor in many scenes. After all Marcello is a journalist in the film and his point is to observe for his articles not to be the person who the articles are about. As the observer Mastroianni is effective at being one. He brings attention to himself to only the right amount. Marcello is there always, he might not be the most flamboyant individual in many scenes, but he is always interesting to watch and Mastroianni effectively brings us into his observer status.

Mastroianni is his usual charming self, even though it is in a way purposefully muted here. Unlike in say Dark Eyes where he was all about romantic gestures, Mastroianni portrays Marcello's various romantic encounters with women in a very downplayed way. Marcello is constantly having affairs with women, but even when he approaches them with proclamations of the love his method is something that is almost depressed at times. This actually works terrifically for his character though who in terms of his romantic associations is a little bit like Albert Finney's performance from this year.

The most important part of Marcello's life as a journalist is how little pleasure that Mastroianni shows in all that Marcello does whether it is being in a party or wooing one of his romantic conquests. It is simply something he just does and goes along with. Everything that comes with it Mastroianni shows that Marcello only takes it in stride. It does not matter what it is even being attacked over getting involved with one of the many women he gets involved in. Mastroianni shows a very strong hesitation and exasperated in Marcello what he does. This is not from any pain that he has in the past really, but rather Mastroianni effectively shows that it simply comes from his whole sort of life.

Mastroianni carries his tired look at his life well most of the film without overdoing it to the point in which it becomes tiresome, he rather shows well the type of man that can come from living in the certain sort of decadence that Marcello stays in. Marcello is not always tired though and there are some very important moments in Mastroianni performance that are quite notable. One set of scenes in particular are when his father comes to visit him, and Mastroianni is very good in showing a very different side to Marcello. Mastroianni is very quiet in these scenes but moving as he portrays a tenderness in Marcello that hints at perhaps the possibilities of a different life for him, as Mastroianni makes it clear Marcello honestly does care about his father.

There are two other important scenes for Marcello's character outside of his normal spectrum. One consists of a fairly brutal fight with his clinging girlfriend where Marcello fights against moving away from his current life. Mastroianni is louder here than most of his other scenes as he brings to life the anger in him of not having any idea what he really wants, only that what he has really is not it. The other important scene for him comes when a tragedy occurs involving one of Marcello's friend. In this scene we see him lose his tired exasperation finally and there almost seems to be clarity in him over what has occurred. Mastroianni is almost silent here but he is very powerful in showing how deeply affected Marcello over what has happened.

Mastroianni's performance ends in a final long scene where years later after the other action Marcello seems to have final done something. What that something is the is only going further into his the life of decadence, and Mastroianni is amazing in this final scene in showing just how pathetic Marcello finally has become. Before where he seemed tired here Marcello seems ready collapse in Mastroianni's depiction. There is not really even the slightest joy in him now which seemed to occasionally appear before. There is almost nothing left in Marcello now but the decadence which he tries to go further and further into, as Mastroianni portrays a drive to get something out of it, but there is nothing there. It is an incredible end to this effective work from Mastroianni which moves in a wonderful harmony with the film.

Alternate Best Actor 1960

And the Nominees Were Not:

Robert Mitchum in The Sundowners

Albert Finney in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning 

Anthony Perkins in Psycho

Marcello Mastroianni in La Dolce Vita

Max von Sydow in The Virgin Spring

Best Actor 1987

5. Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam- Williams is given the right part that allows him to show his comedic ability in this film, it is not anything great, but it still is an effective enough performance.

4. Marcello Mastroianni in Dark Eyes- Mastroianni puts a whole lot of effort in his big romantic performance, some of his performance does not entirely pay off, but enough does for this to be overall a charming as well as tragic performance.

3. Michael Douglas in Wall Street- Douglas' Gordon Gekko is not the most three dimensional character, but Douglas is properly commanding and convincing in his entirely villainous role.

2. William Hurt in Broadcast News- Hurt's performance is not all that interesting, but it does fulfill the requirement of his role as the rather shallow newscaster. 

1. Jack Nicholson in Ironweed- Nicholson for me this year stands far and above the rest of the performances. His performance as the homeless alcoholic Francis Phelan is a sad, haunting, memorable performance, that easily is my choice.

Deserving Performances:
John Lone in The Last Emperor

Best Actor 1987: Marcello Mastroianni in Dark Eyes

Marcello Mastroianni received his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Romano in Dark Eyes.

Dark Eyes is a romantic, tragic, comedy, that has its moments I suppose.

Dark Eyes concerns Mastroianni's character Romano who is married to a wealthy Italian woman who he does not love, but instantly falls in love with a Russian woman he meets, and than later seeks in Russian to love. This means basically that Mastroianni whole performance is going to be a big romantic performance in his scenes of the past, as well as a tragic performance in his scenes in the present where he reflects on his past relationship.

If there is one thing I have noticed in all of his past nominated performances, Mastroianni always plays at least in some way a rather romantic character, as well as I notice Mastroianni is always a very physical performance. He always tends to act out in his performances in some way, and usually infuses at least some sort of playful quality in his performances.

Here Romano is always a rather playful fellow in the past scenes anyways, always doing some sort of special walk or dance that certianly is colorful. Mastroianni is very good at this because he is quite effective in displaying all of this playful parts of his performance as simply the flamboyant way Romano is, and makes even his walking like a bird chirping, seem natural to the character.

One of the most important aspects of Mastroianni performance is how charming he is in this film, and he is extremely charming. His face just simply glows in this film, and that work perfectly for the story. Due to the fact that he is exceedingly likable, it makes it far easier to follow him and enjoy with him through his romantic adventures.

Mastroianni is always constantly being charming as Romano, on this journey, which results in a large amount of scenes devoted to either his romantic gestures, or his actions needed to get his romantic ends. Not all of these scenes work completely, but Mastroianni is always trying hard to make each scene work anyway.

Some of the scenes most certainly do though like when he attempts to convince various rich Russians to sign his pass, to get to the woman he desires. He has to do it by showing his glass, off, which he does in various theatrical fashions, and each Mastroianni, is very entertaining, and most of all incredibly charming.

Well Mastroianni certainly makes us care for his romance, and romantic intentions, but he as well creates the right amount of sadness in his scenes during the present as well. Mastroianni shows his sad history in his face, where he was never able to finalize his love really. Mastroianni shows a distinct loss in Romano at the end, which is quite saddening due to the difference in that sad face, and the glowing face of before. I think this whole performance depends on if you find Mastroianni charming, I do so I therefore like this performance, it is not his best (I prefer when he is trying to murder for his romances) but it is most certainly a good performance of his.

Best Actor 1987

And the Nominees Were:

William Hurt in Broadcast News

Marcello Mastroianni in Dark Eyes

Michael Douglas in Wall Street

Robin Williams in Good Morning Vietnam

Jack Nicholson in Ironweed

Best Actor 1977: Results

5. Woody Allen in Annie Hall- Woody Allen does his usual routine, but this is certainly one of his better variations, since the character fits his standard character more, and gives a little more depth to his persona that usual.

4. Richard Burton in Equus- Richard Burton does his best as he can without the very bad film he is in. He makes the monologues powerful despite the fact that the writing is so bad.

3. Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl- Richard Dreyfuss wins you over thoroughly with his performance. 

2. Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day-Mastroianni is very good here creating a fascinating portrait of a very much repressed man who, slowly breaks open. Mastroianni is terrific all the way through.

1. John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever- Travolta really is great in his star making performance. Travolta gives a strong charismatic performance. I will admit this year is incredibly close for me. It was incredibly hard for me to chose between these top two performances, since they are both strong in fairly different ways.

Best Actor 1977: Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day

Marcello Mastroianni received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Gabriele in A Special Day.

A Special Day is an interesting Italian film set during the fascist reign of Mussolini. A fascinating and simple tale of an anti-fascist homosexual, and a lonely housewife from a Fascist household.

 Marcello Mastroianni first appears as a rather mysterious neighbor Gabriele to the lonely housewife Antonietta(Sophia Loren). She initially comes to her house to gather her families pet bird who had flown away from its cage. Mastroianni as with his performance in Divorce Italian Style, his creation character is instantly apparent as he as on screen and has not said even a single word. He shows a man who is unassuming at first but shows that the man clearly is hiding something, not only his full personality, but also he clearly hiding a pain of sorts that is fully apparent in Mastroianni faces but somehow never is obvious which is rather spectacular. His first scene with Loren is very strong, since he tries to be welcoming and charming, he tries to interest her in a book of his, and show her a dance step, but Mastroianni always suggests a very haunting element in his character that is very effective.

The character is slowly revealed carefully, by Mastroianni. I particularly thought when he talks on the phone immediately when Loren first leaves is just about outstanding. He shows Gabriele certainly has far more troubles than he originally lets on, his nervousness, combined with sadness and anger is absolutely brilliantly shown by Mastroianni. He mixes all these emotions incredibly well, and he does not just show in his voice, or his face, but he shows this throughout his body. Mastroianni fully utilizes his entire being to suggest Gabriele troubles, but he never seems to be forcing his performance at all, and this makes his performance all the more effecting.

He later again meets Antoneitta with the in an attempt to have some sort of friendship before his eventual fate. He and Loren really create at fascinating relationship between these two rather different in some ways but also similar people. Mastroianni really builds his character well as he talks to her, because he shows the man to trying to have life, well his life will shortly be changed very much. He tries to make the woman happy with his little jokes here, and there with his fairly gentle charm. But he is unable to fully hide his sadness, and Mastroianni always keeps this even when he is smiling. He also slowly shows his very angry and sad feelings toward the nature of Italy and its fascism. Also toward the housewife's support of the current regime. He never lets an overtly but subtly shows his pains over the matter.

He though does finally breaks open completely, in a moment of absolute brilliance on Mastroianni's part, as he slowly shows his inability to repress himself and he conveys Gabriele's problems which become harder and harder to hide. Though what really breaks him wide open is when Antoneitta tries to advance sexually toward him but she is surprised by his lack of emotion from her advances. Her partial disgust from when she finally realizes that he is homosexual causes Gabriele finally to make an outburst. He finally shows his utter hatred loud and clear of being mistreated and hated by people. Mastroianni really hits the right nerve in this scene and reached it perfectly along his earlier suggestions of these feelings. It is incredibly powerful and striking scene which is all due to Mastroianni.

Later after his outburst they sort of make up in a way, as Gabriele quietly opens up about his troubles, and she opens up about hers. He shows a truly authentic man who has had to lie, and poignantly opens up to her in a very moving scene. She and He than in a very different scene have sex, in one of the most essential sex scenes in a movie. She sort of forces herself on him, he reacts in a way of a pained face, and inability to really respond properly, yet he still tries to respond to her, knowing that it seems to be something that he needs even though he cannot exactly respond. This scene is not at all exploitative and possibly that is because Mastroianni is so absolutely stunning in his emotional power all without saying anything. In end the two become acquainted and develop a relationship with true poignancy. The script certainly helps their final moments to be so powerful, as does Loren, but I believe Mastroianni is the one who is absolutely essential for this with his incredible performance.

Best Actor 1977

And the Nominees Were:

Richard Burton in Equus

Woody Allen in Annie Hall

Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl

John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day   

I won't make any potential jokes about certain actors playing themselves, and just ask who do you pick who do you predict?