Alternate Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor 1952: Update

Well here are some supporting turns I rather enjoyed. 

James Mason in The Prisoner of Zenda - Well as to be expected Mason takes on the role of the villainous Rupert with great relish. In the 37 version we had Douglas Fairbanks Jr. out of his typical element stealing the show, here we get Mason very much in his element. Although this performance is less of a surprise to be sure, he steals the entirety of the film wholesale with his turn where he very much emphasizes just how much fun the man is having as tries to find a way to rule a kingdom he has no right to, or at least benefit in its power plays in some way. Mason is cheerfully evil here, in a classic Mason way, and you can really get the sense of the joy of performance in Mason's work here. It is very much Mason in his most well known element, and in turn he of course does not disappoint. This as he shows a man who loves the games he gets to play for his schemes, perhaps more than the prizes he may gain from it. I especially love his work in two elements in particular. This being his relationship with his co-villain, the attempted usurper Michael's mistress. Mason does his lusty sleaze with such a devious style by playing the whole moment into how Rupert just finds any way to enjoy himself quite frankly. This of course even with Mason pulling off a bit of that charm of his, though funneled through some expertly performed creepiness. The other element are the action scenes where Mason isn't content to just be in them, but owes them with granting such a sense of sheer joy in every moment of Rupert's attempts at murder.

Ralph Richardson in The Sound Barrier and The Holly and The Ivy - Speaking of actors I suppose in his element here Richardson in two roles that share a great similarity yet are very different. In each film, for much of the film, Richardson's character is assumed to be something by the other characters in the film. In David Lean's The Sound Barrier, he's a research scientist whom his daughter views as heartless as he takes part in experiments that lead to the death of one test pilot after another, many of whom are very close to both of them. Richardson here has a purposefully limited role for much of the film, though that isn't to say he isn't still remarkable in the role throughout. Richardson projects this cold conviction rather effectively and in his eyes delivers that determination of a man intent on changing the world. His performance though is this time bomb of a way, as it builds up until the daughter confronts her father for what she perceives as uncaring and unconcerned. This is until she actually sees him as he listens to an ongoing test and a potential pilot death. Richardson in this moment is fantastic in portraying the sheer distress within the man eyes, powerfully showing the very real weight of the sacrifice within the man who is well aware of what is being lost. This only be amplified by his subtle yet striking silent relief in his expression as he hears one of his pilots survive. Richardson showing the good man within the cold conviction in a particularly believable way, because he portrays the moment not as a different man but rather this honest reflection of how this type of man who reveal his empathy.

This is essentially the same structure, though a very different character in The Holly and the Ivy, an early, and effective, example of the ennui filled family reunion genre. Richardson though here played a white haired parson, who for much of the film is man who is seen, but mostly spoken of by others. Richardson serves the role well actually by just portraying his part as a man who appears contented in the presence of quite simply his life. This with the occasional interested, curious if not perhaps concerned interest in his children as they visit, though they speak too little to him for him to be able to speak more. Of course as his family visits for Christmas, all with their own personal problems, they all assume that their pastor father will not understand their problems. This is until he directly confronts his son and daughter who both went drinking the night before Christmas. This as each first assume he will not know anything based upon two separate issue. The first with his son assuming he cannot understand troubles as a pastor. Richardson is downright amazing in the scene by playing such genuine befuddlement at the claim, which is followed by such outwardly moving portrayal of empathy. This being a far more open empathy than seen in his aforementioned performance, fitting to the pastor who is nothing by a loving caring father. I love Richardson's delivery of the pastor's response to his son, where his delivery finds this eloquent combination of disbelief but also the utmost sincerity as the man only speaks words of care and support towards every problem his son reveals to him. This soon followed by a similar conversation with his daughter, who believes him unable to understand her feelings of doubt towards her faith, because again of his place as a pastor. Richardson again is fantastic in the moment in now showing even more this sense of disbelief. Again within this Richardson wraps in this loving warmth in this though of a man hurt, though only hurt only towards his own apparent inability to prevent his family from misconstruing his personality and the nature of his faith. Richardson again excels though in only depicting a fundamentally good man, even as he speaks of his religion not in boisterous piousness, but rather through quiet reasoned words of a man whose own struggles helped cement his beliefs. Richardson is terrific as he once again makes this considerable impression, as this impeccably placed performance, by delivering the essential brunt of his film's emotional impact in one major revelation. In each, Richardson earns the build up, and doesn't waste the surprise in granting two powerful portrayals of two rather different men poignantly revealing their true natures.

Updated Lead Overall
Updated Supporting Overall

Next Year: 1999 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Results

5. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With The Wind - Mitchell gives a very strong performance by so effectively realizing the wear of loss through his enthusiastic portrayal before the war and his haunting one after it. 

Best Scene: The return to Tara.

4. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy - Cobb completely overcomes his potential miscasting by exuding both the age and background of his character so effortlessly through his performance. Cobb goes even past that to give such striking yet almost silent depiction of the moral center of the film.

Best Scene: Mr. Bonaparte before the fight.

3. Ralph Richardson in the Four Feathers - Richardson gives a powerful performance that effectively steals the spotlight of the film through his depiction of the breakdown of a proper soldier.

Best Scene: Durrance realizes who saved him.

2. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz - Lahr is consistently endearing and hilarious in a performance that stands out among a memorable ensemble through his portrayal of a true scaredy cat.

Best Scene: The Lion's introduction.

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Good Predictions Luke, and Anonymous. Among a great field Hardwicke stands at the very top for me in his outstanding portrayal of a zealot's struggle to destroy sin which he sees everywhere including in his own desires.

Best Scene: Frollo reveals his feelings for Esmeralda. 

Overall Rank:

1. Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
2. Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach
3. Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
4. Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz
5. Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz 
6. Ralph Richardson in The Four Feathers
7. Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy
8. Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind
9. Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz
10. Thomas Mitchell in Only Angels Have Wings 
11. John Barrymore in Midnight
12. Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz
13. Humphrey Bogart in The Roaring Twenties
14. Harry Davenport in Gone With the Wind
15. Edward Arnold in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
16. Leslie Howard in Gone With The Wind
17. Thomas Mitchell in Mr. Smith Goes To Wasington
18. George Bancroft in Stagecoach
19. Don Ameche in Midnight
20. John Carradine in Stagecoach
21. Robert Preston in Beau Geste
22. John Carradine in Jesse James
23. Thomas Mitchell in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
24. Sam Jaffe in Gunga Din 
25. Claude Rains in Juarez
26. Harry Davenport in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
27. John Carradine in Drums Along the Mohawk
28. Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste
29. Eduardo Ciannelli in Gunga Din 
30. Ward Bond in Gone With the Wind
31. C. Aubrey Smith in The Four Feathers
32. Otto Kruger in Another Thin Man
33. J. Carrol Naish in Beau Geste
34. Frank McHugh in Another Thin Man
35. Nigel Bruce in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
36. Sheldon Leonard in Another Thin Man
37. Arthur Shields in Drums Along the Mohawk
38. Donald O'Connor in Beau Geste 
39. Shemp Howard in Another Thin Man
40. Sig Rugman in Only Angels Have Wings
41. Henry Fonda in Jesse James
42. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. in Gunga Din 
43. Adolphe Menjou in Golden Boy 
44. Sig Rugman in Ninotchka
45. Felix Bressart in Ninotchka
46. Alexander Granach in Ninotchka
47. Donald Meek in Young Mr. Lincoln
48. George Zucco in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes
49. Broderick Crawford in Beau Geste
50. Fredrick Culley in The Four Feathers
51. Humphrey Bogart in Dark Victory
52. Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington 
53. Charley Grapewin in The Wizard of Oz
54. Richard Bathelmess in Only Angels Have Wings
55. Donald Meek in Stagecoach
56. Joseph Calleia in Golden Boy
57. Ward Bond in Drums Along the Mohawk 
58. Jack Allen in The Four Feathers
59. Donald Gray in The Four Feathers
60. Lee Bowman in Love Affair
61. Ward Bond in Young Mr. Lincoln 
62. Paul Henreid in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
63. Guy Kibbee in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
64. David Niven in Wuthering Heights
65. Morton Lowry in The Hound of the Baskervilles
66. Guy Kibbee in Babes in Arms
67. Henry Hull in Jesse James  
68. Sebastian Shaw in Another Thin Man 
69. Terry Kilburn in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
70. Reginald Gardiner in The Flying Deuces
71. Richard Greene in The Hound of the Baskervilles
72. Jeffrey Lynn in The Roaring Twenties
73. Sidney Blackmer in Convict's Code
74. George Reeves in Gone With the Wind
75. Fred Crane in Gone With the Wind
76. John Garfield in Juarez

Next Up:

An announcement first which is to thank everyone who has been following and continues to comment. I really like how civil the discussions over any films or performances are even when we might disagree vehemently over them. Now I must announce a change in pace due to other obligations. For the time being there probably will only be one review a week and sometimes it might be longer. I'll still leave my thoughts on new movies I see, and update film thoughts now and again. Hopefully in the future I will be able to pick up the pace again, but this is how it has to be for the present.

Now to take a break from trying to find the Best OF before the Bonus Rounds start I'd like to go to the opposite end of things with a WISEAU ROUND (as suggested by Robert MacFarlane). Which means give me your best(worst) performances that are of a different breed entirely.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939: Ralph Richardson in The Four Feathers

Ralph Richardson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain John Durrance in The Four Feathers.

The Four Feathers is an effective film that tells the story of one man Harry Faversham (John Clements) who attempts to redeem himself, through rather unorthodox means, after he is shamed by those around him for resigning his military commission just before they were to be sent out on an dangerous mission.

Ralph Richardson plays one of his military friends, though John and Harry already share a complicated relationship due to their attempts to court the same woman Ethne (Jane Duprez). Richardson's role is pivotal in the film, as several scenes focus squarely on him, though his character's purpose and actions are always in relation to Harry's journey, so I do feel he is supporting. Richardson, despite having a less notable film career, though not unremarkable, than his contemporaries of the British stage, John Gielgud and Laurence Olivier, actually started out with a greater comfort in regards to cinema than either of them. Richardson, as he also proved in The Citadel and even the Ghoul of all films, has a natural grace on screen which works quite well with the part. Richardson finds the right approach in the early scenes with Durrance by bringing an underlying understanding in Durrance's interactions with Harry, despite alluding to some understandable consternation due to his rejection by Ethne. Richardson finds the complexity of Durrance's attitude towards Harry well, never overplaying either side of the man's personal feelings. Richardson handles this within bringing the right strict manner fitting for a man who certainly believes in being a soldier.

After Harry resigns the film follows Durrance's time in the Middle East where he does not exactly get off all that well as a soldier. Richardson is terrific in portraying the physical degradation of Durrance as he slowly succumbs to heatstroke. He's equally good in portraying the mental breakdown in Durrance. Richardson takes a decidedly nontheatrical approach in realizing almost in a certain surprise in Durrance's view during this time as almost he can't believe how ill equipped he's found himself not only in terms of current predicament but as a soldier. Richardson importantly never shows this to be as though Durrance is some sort of goof, but rather finds the suffering Durrance goes through in a genuinely harsh fashion. This only worsens as a battle occurs while he is in this state which leaves only Durrance, and a disguised Harry living. Harry goes about attempting to save Durrance whose state which only worsens during this time. Again Richardson is very good in his depiction of the delirium that that inflicts upon Durrance due to his heat stroke. Richardson finds this confused state by showing bluntly just how much of a mess Durrance is bringing the right constant unease in terms of state along with a harried method of speaking.

Eventually Harry gets Durrance to safety without Durrance ever knowing it was his old "cowardly" friend, unfortunately Durrance has been left apparently permanently blind by the experience. Richardson is very moving in finding the new state of Durrance back at home, where he does find sympathy from Ethne who agrees to merry him. The blindness itself Richardson effectively portrays particularly since he does not attempt to draw too much attention to it. The most remarkable aspect of Richardson's work is his portrayal of the change in Durrance as a man bringing out the right earnest modesty in man who has had the soldier in him painfully ripped out. Now really the emotional climax of the film does not belong to our leading character Harry, as his success at proving his bravery is acknowledged largely off screen, that even includes his own reunion with Ethne. That climax is really all left to Richardson which is all the better I suppose due to John Clements's choice to give a rather cold performance as Harry. Richardson makes the most of this chance in the scene where Durrance comes to realize what Harry had done for him, and decides to give up Ethne. Richardson is heartbreaking as he internalizes the decision brilliantly throughout a single scene, and his brief reaction upon realizing Harry's deed is outstanding as Richardson effortlessly conveys the severity of this revelation in Durrance. This is a very strong performance by Ricahrdson as he anchors the film throughout rising above the call of duty, since he still really is not the lead.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1939

And the Nominees Were Not:

Cedric Hardwicke in The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Lee J. Cobb in Golden Boy

Ralph Richardson in Four Feathers

Thomas Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Leslie Howard in Gone With the Wind

Bert Lahr in The Wizard of Oz

Ray Bolger in The Wizard of Oz

Frank Morgan in The Wizard of Oz

Jack Haley in The Wizard of Oz 

For Prediction Purposes:

Mitchell in Gone With the Wind

Lahr in the Wizard of Oz

Alternate Best Actor 1948: Results

5. Orson Welles in Macbeth- Although there may be a little more to be desired from his vocal portrayal, Welles's silent portrayal of Macbeth is good.

Best Scene: Macbeth finally understands the prophecy. 

4. Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Thieves- Maggiorani gives a simple but effective performance that serves the purpose of his film well.

Best Scene: Antonio becomes a thief himself. 

3. Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol-Richardson gives a strong performance showing both the idol a child would see, but as well the lonely sad man an adult would see.

Best Scene: Baines tells Phillipe about his African adventure. 

2. Toshiro Mifune in Drunken Angel- Mifune gives a great early performance by accentuating the foolishness in pride but as well suggesting the underlying possibility of redemption.

Best Scene: Matsunaga finds out about the real "honor" of the Yakuza.

1. Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre- Good Prediction Psifonian feel free to name a year and a performance. Bogart in this film gives his very best performance powerfully and believably portraying the slow descent of a somewhat decent drifter to a pathetic gold obsessed mad man.

Best Scene: Dobbs tries to find Curtin.

Overall Rank:

1. Richard Attenborough in Brighton Rock
2. Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
3. Laurence Olivier in Hamlet
4. Toshiro Mifune in Drunken Angel
5. Takashi Shimura in Drunken Angel
6. Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol
7. Ray Milland in The Big Clock
8. James Stewart in Call Northside 777 
9. Rex Harrison in Unfaithfully Yours
10. Joseph Cotten in Portrait of Jennie 
11. Robert Mitchum in Blood on the Moon
12. Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Thieves
13. Montgomery Clift in The Search
14. John Wayne in 3 Godfathers 
15. Gregory Peck in Yellow Sky
16. Richard Attenborough in London Belongs to Me
17. Orson Welles in Macbeth
18. John Wayne in Red River
19. Montgomery Clift in Red River
20. Barry Fitzgerald in The Naked City
21. Anton Walbrook in The Red Shoes 
22. Jean Marais in Les Parents Terribles
23. Tim Holt in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre 
24. Henry Fonda in Fort Apache  
25. John Garfield in Force of Evil
26. Clifton Webb in Sitting Pretty
27. Ivan Jandl in The Search 
28. Lew Ayres in Johnny Belinda
29. Richard Conte in Cry of the City 
30. Cary Grant in Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
31. Richard Attenborough in The Guinea Pig 
32. Dean Stockwell in The Boy with the Green Hair
33. John Wayne in Fort Apache 
34. Edmund Moeschke in Germany Year Zero
35. Humphrey Bogart in Key Largo
36. Tyrone Power in Luck of the Irish
37. John Dall in Rope
38. Farley Granger in Rope
39. Bobby Henrey in The Fallen Idol
40. John Howard Davies in Oliver Twist
41. Don Taylor in The Naked City
42. Bud Abbott in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
43. Robert Young in Sitting Pretty
44. Dan Dailey in When My Baby Smiles At Me
45. Bob Hope in The Paleface 
46. John Lund in A Foreign Affair
47. Mark Stevens in The Street With No Name
48. Lou Costello in Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

Next Year: 48 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1948: Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol

Ralph Richardson did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning NBR and getting second place for NYFCC, for portraying Baines in The Fallen Idol.

The Fallen Idol is an excellent film about an impressionable young boy and son of a diplomat named Phillipe's relationship with his butler.

Ralph Richardson plays the boys butler who also takes care of the boy along with his cold wife due to the boy's parents frequently being away. Butler's are often characters that are either just someone in the background, an overly repressed man, or a witting supporting player. Richardson as Baines is nothing like any of the standard butler as he plays him him as much more of a man first a butler second whereas with most do emphasize the butler mannerisms Richardson certainly is a butler in the role in terms of his proper but he does not have it something that is a constant. Richardson portrays it far more as the job Baines does opposed to the job he was born to do as butler's usually are portrayed.

Richardson's character is a man seen through the perspective of Phillipe who sees him as some sort of great man due to the stories that Baines tells of adventures he had in Africa. Richardson is very good in these moments where Baines tells the stories. Richardson is good because he really shows that Baines is not really taking this all that seriously. It is not that he is telling a joke but as through the view of an adult perspective we see that he is simply telling stories to amuse himself as well as to hold the attention of the easily distracted little boy. Richardson shows that this intention is through subtle nuances that any clear thinking adult would easily see, but at the same time how they are really something a boy like Phillipe would not really be able to notice or understand.

Richardson is very good in realizing the two sides of Baines the one shown to Phillipe and the one that everyone else would be able to see. Importantly Richardson does not portray it as a ruse really, but rather just a simple way for him to keep the boy interested and entertained. Richardson in the forward projection of Baines is that of a likable confidant sort he speaks with a pleasant authority and it is easy to see how Phillipe takes to Baines as much as he does. Richardson does not have this as a facade in the traditional sense because when we see more of Baines it is not a reveal in the same way as we simply see him when he is not playing with the boy and just being himself.

Richardson is rather moving when we see the real Baines much more clearly as he is really just a quiet but sad man who is attempting to move away from his wife and to a far more caring woman named Julie. Richardson's performance is good because he portrays the scenes between Julie and Baines with a great deal of earnestness. Yes he does show a the deliberate method that Baines takes to keep Phillipe from spoiling his secret but Richardson is effective in the just the calm way he speaks to her. Richardson is very good in conveying both the sadness in Baines over the difficulty he is clearly having with his wife, but as well we see in his eyes a man with a woman he very much loves something we never see when he is with his wife.

The glimpses we see of Baines Richardson creates the right sympathy for the man through the genuine quality he gives the man in despite the lies he tells the boy as well as his wife. The sympathy he creates is very much needed in the last act of the film after an accidental death which the boy believes was caused by Baines but we as the audience know he is innocent. Richardson allows us to care for Baines is plight thereby amplifying the intensity of the scenes late in the film as he comes under suspicion for the death that he had not caused. Richardson is very good in these expressing the fears in Baines well in an internalized fashion as he tries to both tell the police the truth about what happened, but lie to try to keep the police away from the affair he is hiding at the same time.

Richardson's performance here works well really because he gives the character of Baines just the right complexity. For example when he is being interrogated Richardson is effective in showing all that's going on through Baines's head as he tries to deal with the troublesome interrogation, but when he is questioned about the tales he told Phillipe he dismisses them quickly. Richardson doesn't have it be life scattering for Baines in the least to say his tales with false because they merely something for him to say to keep the boy interested. Richardson gives a strong performance that finds just the right path for Baines making it so that he is sympathetic as just a normal human being but as well properly creates that image that Phillipe would not be able to see through although every else might not even notice.

Alternate Best Actor 1948

And the Nominees Were Not:

Toshiro Mifune in Drunken Angel

Ralph Richardson in The Fallen Idol

Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Orson Welles in Macbeth

Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Theives

Best Supporting Actor 1949: Results

5. John Ireland in All the King's Men- I will admit the character of Jack Burden's is not a great one, but Ireland stilted and uncharismatic performance does not help matters at all.

4. Dean Jagger in Twelve O'clock High- Jagger's character actually should have been the heart of his film, but Jagger is unable to really bring an authentic emotion, or life to his character.

3. Arthur Kennedy in Champion- Kennedy does not get a lot of time to develop his character but he does manage to find himself as a moral conscience and later contrast to Kirk Douglas' character quite well.

2. James Whitmore in Battleground- Whitmore's performance is realistic and always proper as the commanding sergeant of the men in Battleground, but the most impressive part of his performance is his expertly handled physical disintegration throughout the film. 

1. Ralph Richardson in The Heiress- I do not blame anyone for not being interested in this year, since again this is another supporting year with a clear cut winner. Richardson performance is simply superb piece of acting. He is outstanding in creating a memorable, and incredibly effective character. He manages his character quiet and more obvious cruelty exceptionally well. Richardson also manages to make a fully realized and three dimensional character.

Deserving Performances:
Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets
Edmond O'Brien in White Heat

Best Supporting Actor 1949: Ralph Richardson in The Heiress

Ralph Richardson received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Austin Sloper in The Heiress.

The Heiress tells the story of a plain but wealthy woman, whose life is changed by a conflict between her possibly less than honest suitor, and domineering father.

Austin Sloper is a rich man off his hard work as a surgeon. He has a large house, his wife has died and he is left with only his grown up daughter Catherine (Olivia de Havilland). Sloper is a highly intelligent man, and one of exquisite tastes. He expects people to fit his ideas of excellence and looks at those who do not very lowly, which includes his own daughter, who he views a plain unintelligent girl with not a hint of what her mother had.

Richardson simply could not be better in this role. His entire manner in this performance, simple amplifies the nature of the character. Richardson has the perfect style and grace that suits Sloper as well as possible really. Richardson perfectly displays the acidic tongue of the character especially well. I think is incredibly well shown in an early scene where Catherine wears one of her Mother's dresses. His quiet but incredibly cruel way of telling her she could not ever be her mother, is subtle but all the more coldly effective. Early he always shows a quiet distaste for his daughter which Richardson excels with because quiet but completely acerbic method.

Richardson displays Sloper's method of dissecting Catherine's suitor Morris Townsend (Montgomery Clift) equally well. I think he is especially apt at this when he is only watching Morris talk, and he listens, such as the scene where they all have dinner together. Richardson most of the time is just watching him, but he always shows that Sloper is breaking down, and piercing through Townsend's facade of sorts, just when he is listening. Richardson immediately  always shows that Sloper never really needs to be told anything about this mean, but he can see through him instantly.

Richardson builds up well Sloper's hate and dislike for Townsend and his general distaste for his Daughter's lack of anything special in his eyes. Richardson builds to each of the two confrontation scenes the one with Townsend and the one with Catherine, to make them especially powerful. Richardson in both scenes dominates the scenes with his incredibly powerful performance. Richardson is incredible as he tears down both of them, and telling them truly as he sees them. I think especially the scene with Catherine because Richardson makes Sloper's cruelty completely real, so much so that I never questioned that it would have such a changing effect on Catherine.

I think one other noted aspect of his performance that Richardson carefully handles is Sloper's relationship with Catherine. Richardson makes it clear he dislikes her lack of intelligence, and her overall painless, but I believe he manages to show that although he dislikes his daughter he does not completely hate her. Richardson does incredibly subtlety suggest I think that he does not entirely hate his daughter, he in fact does have the slightest hint of fatherly love, but not nearly enough for it to effect his overall treatment of her. It would have been easiest for Sloper just to simply hate her but Richardson does brilliantly show this, making it so the scene where he cannot bring himself to disown Catherine is entirely authentic.

The Heiress is simply a delight to watch for many reasons but most of all perhaps because of the incredible entertaining acting. The acting can be in a very dark and dramatic scene, but it remains a delight to watch because these actors light up the screen. These performers work outstanding together making truly outstanding scenes of performance with one another. Richardson for me stands out as well as de Havilland in creating a fascinating character, and a performance that I would watch the film alone for, it is that good.

Best Supporitng Actor 1949

And the Nominees Were:

Arthur Kennedy in Champion

James Whitmore in Battleground

Dean Jagger in Twelve O'clock High

John Ireland in All the King's Men

Ralph Richardson in The Heiress

I was originally not going to this year now, but since I just watched three of the nominees for Best Actor, I might as well do this now.

Best Supporting Actor 1984: Results

5. Ralph Richardson in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes- Richardson is perfectly fine in his role, but whoever played the role could not have made it Oscar worthy.

4. John Malkovich in Places in the Heart- Malkovich gives a simple yet fairly effective performance. He is not given that much to do, but when he is given the chance to do more he does.

3. Pat Morita in the Karate Kid- Morita actually does everything he should as Mr. Miyagi, since it is the sort of role where it is hard to see anyone else in the role.

2. Adolph Caesar in A Soldier's Story- Caesar gives an effectively cruel performance realizing the hatred through this palatable self-loathing.

1. Haing S. Ngor in The Killing Fields- There is no competition here Ngor simply is incredible in his role. It is a quiet performance but it conveys so much strength. His performance is completely authentic, honest, and absolutely spot on.

Deserving Performances:
Jeffrey Jones in Amadeus
James Woods in Once Upon a Time in America

Best Supporting Actor 1984: Ralph Richardson in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, the Lord of the Apes

Ralph Richardson received his second and final Oscar nomination a posthumous one for portraying The Sixth Earl of Greystoke.

Greystoke besides having a very long name is a rather odd telling of the Tarzan story.

Ralph Richardson portrays the Grand Father of Tarzan. Richardson character and performance is that of a nice supportive old man. There really is nothing else to the role. It is a fairly standard stock role, and Richardson is just fine in it. He never has anything scenes that really requires anything more for him. He is simply just a likable old nice figure who is supportive to Tarzan.

Richardson is perfect in the role technically, I like his presence in the film, and it is a nice little performance. There is not single thing wrong with his performance, but his performance is also just a rather simple short performance that no actor could have done more with than Richardson does. I want to stress that this technically a good performance, but simply this character could not have had more to it than it does.

Best Supporting Actor 1984

And the Nominees Were:

Pat Morita in The Karate Kid

Ralph Richardson in Greystoke:  The Legend of Tarzan, the Lord of the Apes

Haing S. Ngor in The Killing Fields

Adolph Caesar in A Soldier's Story

John Malkovich in Places in the Heart