Best Supporting Actor 1944: Results

5. Monty Woolley in Since You Went Away- Woolley although limited by his screentime does gives a nice humorous performance as a stuffy man who becomes less stuffy.

4. Hume Cronyn in The Seventh Cross- Hume Cronyn has a fairly simple role as an average man trying to help his friend, but he makes the most of it. He gives a convincing performance effectively finding the quiet decency of his character.

3. Claude Rains in Mr. Skeffington- Although Rains has to contest with a wildly overacting co-star he does far more than hold his own as he creates a genuinely moving portrait as the titular character.

2. Clifton Webb in Laura- Webb is almost perfect throughout having the perfect superior demeanor throughout the film. He creates a memorable character and even though his final scene could have been even better this is still a strong performance.

1. Barry Fitzgerald in Going My Way- After almost winning the lead category for this year I find it very easy to give Fitzgerald his deserved win for the category he belongs. He gives a simply wonderful supporting performance that is a humorous warm performance that could not be better.

Deserving Performances:
Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity
William Bendix in Lifeboat
Peter Lorre in Arsenic and Old Lace

Best Supporting Actor 1944: Monty Woolley in Since You Went Away

Monty Woolley received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying Colonel William B. Smollett in Since You Went Away.

Since You Went Away details the harships faced by a family after their father goes off to war during World War II.

I sometimes mention when an actor portrays incredibly different characters for two different Oscar nominations. Woolley though portrays extremely similar characters though. Both are older former military men no longer believed to be useful by their countries' armies.They both are put in situation with young people, young people who they do not have all that great of a liking for, and act a bit stuffier toward them. Although I would say Wolley's Colonel Smollett opposed to his Howard in The Pied Piper are not exactly the same as Smollett is in a far better situation than Howard and Howard was bit less stuffy than Smollett is.

Woolley probably had these similar roles though is because he quite good at it. Smollett is the boarder at the house of mother Claudette Colbert, and her daughters played by Jennifer Jones, and Shirley Temple. He must deal with the young women as well as their dog which he at first off puts his usually stuffy ways. Woolley simply knows how to be stuffy as he has his various humorous reactions to the behaviors he sees while staying in the home. Woolley doesn't overplay the humor of his performance, he rather naturally brings it out in small well placed fashions.

A more serious aspect of his film though involves his relationship between Smollet and his Grandson (Robert Walker). Woolley again is effective in his few scenes with Walker as he shows disappointment in Smollet which he effectively ascribes Smollett's pride being hurt by the failures of his grandson. Woolley finds just the right way to portray Smollett's relationship with Smollett's grandson. He does mostly show his inability to get over his grandson's disappointment but does just show the slightest sense of love for his grandson. He shows that pride overrules these feelings but that they are there.

His performance though eventually depends on his character's transformation from well being less stuffy. This is here that it does become noticeable that Woolley really is not really given enough screentime. He disappears for much to great of a time like the film almost wanted you to forget about his character which is quite unfortunate considering Woolley's strong performance. Woolley though only comes in and out of the film still manages to make a believable as well as fairly moving change as Smollett slowly lightens up and begins to admit his admiration for those around him. It is a little too since Wolley is not shown enough throughout to work through it but he still shows it within his character and does succeed in making the transition, I just believe if Woolley had been given more time he could have made it more effective. Still this a good performance that I only wanted to see more of.

Best Supporting Actor 1944

And the Nominees Were:

Claude Rains in Mr. Skeffington

Clifton Webb in Laura

Barry Fitzgerald in Going My Way

Monty Woolley in Since You Went Away

Hume Cronyn in The Seventh Cross 

Best Actor 1942: Results

5. Gary Cooper in The Pride of the Yankees- Cooper gives a rather dull performance, that only has any sort of emotional power in his final speech.

4. Walter Pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver- Pidgeon is fine throughout his performance, but he does very little than support his on screen wife.

3. Ronald Colman in Random Harvest- Colman is perfect in the first half of his performance showing the right haunted quality of the man, as well shows a good transition, when he gets somewhat better from finding love. He is also good in his change when he gains his memory back, but unfortunately the second half of his performance is a lot less interesting, but he certainly makes up for it in his final scene of the film.

2. Monty Woolley in The Pied Piper- Woolley actually fairly easily is my choice this year giving the most consistently entertaining and effective performance this year. Woolley gives a humorous performance, that manages to be powerful as well when it needs to be.

1. James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy- Cagney performance certainly has a unique style that is old fashioned but this style and high kinetic energy certainly work well in this role.

Best Actor 1942: Monty Woolley in The Pied Piper

Monty Woolley received his first Oscar nomination for portraying John Sidney Howard in The Pied Piper.

The Pied Piper details the story of an vacationing elderly Englishmen who ends up trying to help a group of children escape from Nazi occupied France.

Monty Woolley portrays that Englishman, and he is an actor with a terrific scene stealing character actor type presence, who given the unusual role for a character actor, and especially an elderly character actor which is a lead role. He begins the film, as a an Englishmen of no great importance, just fishing with another English family, and being annoyed by their no it all son Ronnie (Roddy McDowall).

I really liked Woolley in these opening scenes having a very likable style, even if he is a bit stubborn. Woolley is very good because he manages to turn what could have been a rather unlikeable man, have a certain humorous quality that comes from his proper Englishmen ways, as well as his stubbornness. Woolley whole voice, and physical presence makes it so he really does not have a dull moment in his whole performance.

Soon the war strikes and this family in France must face their duties as part of the allies. Woolley is quite good in his early scene showing a just a small bit of sadness over no longer being useful to the country he loves so much, as well as still showing the right pride in himself, and his country, that perfectly expresses the inner strength of his character hidden as it might be at times.

The parents of Ronnie, as well as Shelia (Peggy Ann Garner) ask for Howard to bring them to the safety of London, which he begrudgingly accepts, even though he does not care all that much for the children particularly not Ronnie. I must say his scenes with the two very talented  child actors are so good that I wish the movie had been longer, just so Woolley could have had more scene with Garner and McDowall.

They are absolutely terrific together, with their sweetness being the perfect offset to his stubbornness. Woolley rather unsympathetic reactions to their cuteness makes for the perfect combination. I really love his small little moments with McDowall together they have just the perfect chemistry together that make their scenes quite amusing, as well as being rather sweet in their own natural way as well.

Woolley does an excellent job in showing his deeper devotion to the two initial children, and the more he slowly gains along the way. Although he certianly keeps his stubbornness as he should, Woolley lets on to just the right amount of caring he does have for the children, and also through small little perfectly timed reactions how the plight of the children does honestly effect him.

As the film proceeds Woolley gains the help of a young french woman Nicole (Anne Baxter) who he had previously known. There scenes are not as enjoyable as the ones with children but they most certainly do allow Woolley to even further develop Howard as a character, explaining that his son, who Nicole loved, had died in the war already, Woolley effective but quickly shows his history with Nicole and his son, who Woolley certianly suggests a loss, an underlying love, and pride in his late son.

Howard's devotion to his noble cause is truly tested in the later scenes of the film were he and his group are captured by a Nazi commandant (Otto Preminger). In these scenes the true inner strength, and resolve are perfectly shown by Woolley, showing that Howard will give up anything even his life to get the children to safety. Woolley simply but perfectly conveys Howard's will and resolve making it the natural part of his sense of duty.

This is not the most complex of parts, but every challenge there is in the role Woolley is more than up for it. Woolley effectively makes John Howard an enjoyable, as well as memorable character. He brilliantly conveys the noble intentions of this man, without making his character ever for a moment seem sanctimonious or false. Instead throughout Woolley gives an enjoyable, and when it needs to be a powerful performance.

Best Actor 1942

And the Nominees Were:

Walter Pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver

Ronald Colman in Random Harvest

James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy

Monty Woolley in The Pied Piper

Gary Cooper in The Pride of the Yankees