Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Results

5. Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle- Poitier gives a nicely handled and surprisingly believable turn as a disrespectful student who is capable of improving himself, even if I do wish he had gotten a few more scenes to flesh out his character. 

Best Scene: Miller encourages Dadier to say the word.

4. Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock- Brennan gives an effective portrayal of a man filled pessimism but optimistic in heart.

Best Scene: The doc tries to convince the others to help Macreedy. 

3. Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers- Sellers gives a very amusing performance as slick criminal who find himself in over his head.

Best Scene: Harry tries to fetch Mrs. Wilberforce's bird.

2. Takashi Shimura in I Live in Fear- Shimura gives a moving performance as the quiet observer of a situation where there is not obvious solution.

Best Scene: Dr. Harada meets with Nakajima.

1. Raymond Massey in East of Eden- Massey's work is one I have grown to appreciate more with time. His unusual dynamic with Dean is perfect in creating the powerful rift between the father and Massey realizes Adam as man in terms of the good nature of his character, but as well his past before we meet him.

Best Scene: Adam reveals the truth about Cal's mother.

Overall Rank:

1. Raymond Massey in East of Eden
2. Takashi Shimura in I live in Fear
3. Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts
4. Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers
5. Sal Mineo in Rebel Without a Cause 
6. Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock
7. Orson Welles in Mr. Arkadin
   
8. Cecil Parker in The Ladykillers
9. Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle
10. Ralph Richardson in Richard III
11. Masayuki Mori in Forever A Woman
12. Herbert Lom in The Ladykillers
13. Paul Meurisse in Les Diaboliques 
14. Richard Conte in The Big Combo
    
15. Jarl Kulle in Smiles of a Summer Night
    
16. Vic Morrow in Blackboard Jungle
17. Robert Ryan in Bad Day At Black Rock
18. Charles Vanel in Les Diaboliques 
19. Mischa Auer in Mr. Arkadin 
20. James Cagney in Mister Roberts
21. Ernest Borgnine in Bad Day At Black Rock
22. Danny Green in The Ladykillers 
23. Jules Dassin in Rififi
24. Carl Mohner in Rififi
    
25. Robert Manuel in Rififi
    
26. Bill Thompson in Lady and the Tramp 
27. Preben Lerdorff Rye in Ordet 
28. Akim Tamiroff in Mr. Arkadin 
29. Todd Duncan in Unchained
    
30. Kanu Banerjee in Pather Panchali
31. Michael Redgrave in Mr. Arkadin
    
32. Lee Marvin Bad Day At Black Rock 
33. Rod Steiger in Oklahoma
    
34. Cecil Parker in The Court Jester
    
35. Donald Crisp in The Man from Laramie 
36. Eddie Albert in Oklahoma
    
37. Emil Hass Christensen in Ordet
    
38. Robert Middleton in The Desperate Hours 
39. Gene Nelson in Oklahoma
    
40. Arthur Kennedy in The Man from Laramie 
    
41. William Powell in Mister Roberts
42. Burl Ives in East of Eden  
43. Franco Frabizi in Il Bidone
    
44. John Gielgud in Richard III
45. Basil Rathbone in The Court Jester
46. Robert Middleton in The Big Combo
    
47. Louis Calhern in Blackboard Jungle
48. Edmond O'Brien in Pete Kelly's Blues
    
49. Minoru Chiaki in I Live in Fear
50. Darren McGavin in The Man With the Golden Arm 
51. Wesley Addy in The Big Knife
    
52. Arthur Kennedy in Trial  
53. Brian Donlevy in The Big Combo
    
54. Arthur O'Connell in Picnic
    
55. Jim Backus in Rebel Without a Cause 
56. Everett Sloane in The Big Knife
    
57. Robert Strauss in The Man With the Golden Arm 
58. Lee Marvin in Pete Kelly's Blues 
59. Lee Van Cleef in The Big Combo
60. Earl Holliman in The Big Combo
    
61. John Ericson in Bad Day At Black Rock
62. James Gleason in The Night of the Hunter  
63. Eddie Albert in I'll Cry Tomorrow
    
64. Wallace Ford in The Man From Laramie 
    
65. Stanley Baker in Richard III
66. Frank Sutton in Marty 
    
67. Timothy Carey in East of Eden 
68. Chester Morris in Unchained
    
69. Frank Alvin Silvera in Killer's Kiss
70. Dean Jagger in Bad Day At Black Rock
71. Ryōji Hayama in Forever a Woman
72. Basil Rathbone in We're No Angels 
73. James Whitmore in Oklahoma
    
74. Gig Young in The Desperate Hours 
75. Rossano Brazzi in Summertime
    
76. Richard Davalos in East of Eden
77. Ward Bond in Mister Roberts  
78. Sheldon Leonard in Guys and Dolls 
79. Robert Flemyng in Cast a Dark Shadow
80. Leo G. Carroll in We're No Angels
    
81. Wilfrid Lawson in The Prisoner
82. Dewey Martin in The Desperate Hours
83. Koji Tsuruta in Samurai II 
84. Darren McGavin in Summertime
    
85. Peter Graves in The Night of the Hunter  
86. Jay C. Flippen in Oklahoma
    
87. Joe Mantell in Marty
88. Royal Dano in The Trouble With Harry
89. Don Beddoe in The Night of the Hunter 
90. Richard Conte in I'll Cry Tomorrow
    
91. Cliff Robertson in Picnic 
92. Roger Moore in Interrupted Melody
    
93. John Hoyt in Blackboard Jungle
94. Alex Nicol in The Man from Laramie
95. Corey Allen in Rebel Without a Cause
96. Arthur Kennedy in The Desperate Hours 
97. Burt Lancaster in The Rose Tattoo
    
98. Arnold Stang in The Man with the Golden Arm
99. Dan Terranova in Blackboard Jungle
100. Jerry Mathers in The Trouble With Harry 
101. Ben Cooper in The Rose Tattoo
     
102. Cameron Mitchell in Love Me Or Leave Me
103. Ronald Lewis in The Prisoner
104. Tor Johnson in Bride of the Monster
105. Rafael Campos in Blackboard Jungle
106. Rafael Campos in Trial
107. Rod Steiger in The Big Knife
     
108. Harvey P Dunn in Bride of the Monster

Next Year: 1970 lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Raymond Massey in East of Eden

Raymond Massey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Adam Trask in East of Eden.

East of Eden is known best as the film debut of James Dean introducing his style of performance to the silver screen. Dean's performance, which works incredibly well for the role of Cal Trask, is almost the antithesis of the style of Raymond Massey who plays the father of Cal. Where James Dean murmurs his lines, constantly looks in any direction that is not the natural direction, and slouches in every way imaginable whereas Raymond Massey stands up straight, looks directly where he should, and speaks all his lines firmly with proper diction. Their styles are dramatically opposed and this seems like something that might be rather distracting, but it absolutely works perfectly in creating that rift between the father and son.

Massey and Dean are technically both theatrical actors but Massey is of the old way and Dean the new. In their scenes together there is always a rift with Massey putting everything directly as he can in terms of emotions and getting across the emotional point of a scene, and Dean doing his side stepping method that seems almost random at times. There is always a disconnection between the two's performances and it is fitting in showing the way the father and son are dramatically opposed in nature. Adam is a man who is always trying to be good and Massey's passionate straight forward portrayal expresses this well, but Cal is a troubled son, taking after his mother, which Dean expresses in his performance.

I don't want it to seem though that I am praising Massey for not having chemistry with Dean, as Massey portrays the part that goes deeper than the broad strokes. Adam is meant to be a good man and Massey portrays this honestly in his dignified manner he gives him, but as good men go he is not necessarily the easiest to like. Massey, unlike say Anthony Hopkins in The Elephant Man or Ian Charleson in Chariots of Fire who played genuinely good men, does not have that welcoming or warmth filled quality in his performance as Adam. This might seem a negative, but actually it is the right way to play Adam. The way Massey presents Adam's attitude keeps a distance making it understandable why Cal would act the way he does without compromising the nature of his character.

Massey brings the right complexity to his performance in the important moments particularly when Adam confesses the truth about their mother. It is easily Massey's best scene as he does his very best to make up for the fact that this film version cuts out the entirety of Adam's story before the birth of his sons. Massey has to tell a great deal of story in just a few sentences therefore it is all in his performance. Massey stays very understated in telling the story, which makes sense as Adam does not wish to delve too much into his past, and convey the complex emotions that Adam has with the situation. Massey has the idea of nostalgia and a past love as he speak of his wife, but as well the pain of the situation as he seems haunted by his relationship from a woman who was so unlike himself.

It seems a bit strange that the Academy chose to ignore Massey's work despite recognizing Dean's and Jo Van Fleet as Cal's mother, perhaps it is because Massey's role is a bit thankless. The finale of the film is of course for Dean and Adam's stroke and forgiveness of Cal is rather swift. Massey does well in portraying the disabled and damaged state of Adam, but he can only do so much in the scene as the focus is squarely on Dean. Massey does very well in the part, and it's performance that has really grown on me with time.I do wish that Massey had a few more scenes devoted to Adam's past because the one he does have is  exceptional scene in Massey's portrayal. The dynamic he and Dean share is a very striking one though, likely aided by their off set tensions which director Elia Kazan apparently encouraged, that very effectively creates the central conflict of the film.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955

And the Nominees Were Not:

Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock

Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle

Raymond Massey in East of Eden

Takashi Shimura in I Live in Fear

Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers

Best Actor 1940: Results

5. James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story- Although I usually like Stewart a whole lot, here his performance always seemed to lack the right comfort and joy to work for this romantic comedy.

4. Raymond Massey in Abe Lincoln in Illinois- Massey is not always completely believable as Abe Lincoln such as in his early scenes, but he always gives a nice charming, and passionate performance as Lincoln.

3. Henry Fonda in The Grapes of Wrath- Fonda gives a very strong performance showing Tom Joad as a normal man, who slowly grows a strong passion and realization to fight against the injustices brought against his family and other struggling people.

2. Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator- I will not say Chaplin is entirely consistent, but almost always enjoyable. His comedic timing as both the Barber, and the Dictator are spot on with his direction. Also his final speech although out of character, has tremendous power due to his passionate delivery.

1. Laurence Olivier in Rebecca- Olivier once again was an easy choice for me. Olivier simply does wonders with his role as Maxim de Winter. In the somewhat sparse time he is given early in the film, he creates a wonderful interesting character, with the mysterious haunted quality, and when he finally can reveal the whole truth of his character it simply leads to an outstanding performance by Olivier.

Deserving Performances:
Cary Grant in His Girl Friday

Best Actor 1940: Raymond Massey in Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Raymond Massey received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Abraham Lincoln in Abe Lincoln in Illinois.

Abe Lincoln is a standard 40's biography film about Lincoln's early life to his success as a passionate politician.

Raymond Massey's portrayal of Lincoln is certainly aided by Massey's physique. He is quite believable as Lincoln, since he does resemble him quite well, which certainly does add to his portrayal. I will say though that this believability is not throughout his performance because at the beginning of the film he must portray the pretty young Lincoln. His early scene in the home is a bit silly, and Lincoln performance can't really be entirely realistic.

After this initial scene though Massey is able to come back well enough still, even though he does use a very particular voice as Lincoln. It is a bit unusual most certainly, but Lincoln was an unusual man, so I did feel it worked in that aspect. Although again as the younger exuberant Lincoln the over 40 Massey is not entirely believable but he still is fine and better than his first scene.

This is a 40's biography film so one thing that must be remembered is that there really is not too much negative material to found about Lincoln in the film. He is portrayed almost as an entirely great guy especially in the early scene of the film where he tries to find his place in the world. Lincoln is portrayed as properly nice by Massey and charming in a down home sort of way without laying on the niceness of Lincoln too much.

As the film goes on the believability of Massey certianly does grow. Massey is particularly good at showing the passion and strength behind Lincoln as he fights for the causes he believes in. He is particularly good in certian moments such as the debate scene with Stephen Douglas for Senator. Massey as Lincoln puts the right strong by respectful passion into his speech, which has the proper, power and strength.

Surprisingly enough there is just a little bit of a darker side shown involving Lincoln in the film which is his romantic life. He first has his loving but tragic relationship with Ann Rutledge , where Massey is properly charming, as well as properly saddened when tragedy hits. Lincoln though marries the cold Mary Todd. Massey shows actually shows a colder side of Lincoln in regards to this relationship that does work quite well without overriding the more heroic aspects of the character.

Overall I found this to be a fairly good performance as Abraham Lincoln. Not always completely believable in every aspect of Lincoln, but manages to be very strong in others. I will say it is a mixed performance that is I think more good, despite some lacking qualities. Massey does manage to still make an interesting portrait of Lincoln, that I would have actually liked to seen his Lincoln's journey during the civil war to his eventual death.

Best Actor 1940

And the Nominees Were

Henry Fonda in The Grapes of Wrath

Charlie Chaplin in The Great Dictator

James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story

Laurence Olivier in Rebecca

Raymond Massey in Abe Lincoln in Illinois