Alternate Best Actor 1975: Results

4. Charles Bronson in Hard Times - Bronson fulfills the tough guy needs of the role, yet once again reveals his greater talent to exhibit a more powerful emotional side subtly within his portrayal of a man in desperate circumstances. 

Best Scene: Before the first fight.

3. Robert Mitchum in Farewell, My Lovely - Mitchum elevates his entire film, despite being too old for the part, he captures the style of the genre so effectively through his earnest yet intelligent approach towards the material. 

Best Scene: Waking up next to a corpse.

2. Maxim Munzuk in Dersu Uzala - Munzuk gives a wonderfully idiosyncratic turn that captures both the history of hardship as a man of the wilderness, but also an optimistic spirit that defines the man's success within it. 

Best Scene: Death of a tiger.

1. Richard Dreyfuss in Inserts - Richard Dreyfuss gives one of his best performances that uses his unique presence well to create a very particular state of a man completely spent by life at such a young age. 

Best Scene: Boy wonder directs the first time.

Updated Overall

Next Year: 1975 Supporting, Note: I decided to move Ugo Tognazzi's review over to supporting. I have also seen In Celebration and Smile, and consider both to be ensemble films.

Alternate Best Actor 1975: Robert Mitchum in Farewell, My Lovely

Robert Mitchum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Philip Marlowe in Farewell, My Lovely.

Farewell, My Lovely is a somewhat tepid, though not terrible, take on the Philip Marlowe mystery.

This film is a little strange within its period. It is a noir, but during the time of neo noirs. Unlike the other earlier Marlowe adaptation in the 70's, The Long Goodbye, which featured a subversion of the character and the whole idea of noir, this film plays it straight. Perhaps too straight in attempting to make the film as it probably would've been in the 40's or 50's, only with colored cinematography and the allowance of a bit more graphic content. The overall style though is that of a classic noir, which is a little strange for a 70's film. I would say this approach could have even lead to abject failure if not for one man. Well that brings me to my continued exploration into the career of the great Robert Mitchum. Now I specifically noted in my previous reviews of his memorable turns in the decade, Mitchum embraced his age and found success within that. This turn would seem contradiction in that path given the role is typically played by a much younger man, and probably would have made more sense if he had played the part in the 40's or 50's, when Mitchum was often the lead of a noir. Although the film might not quite know this, Mitchum actually does. His performance is particularly astute as he again wears his age into the role, that is just one of the most obvious intelligent choices he makes in his approach as the film opens.

Mitchum's performance is something of a wonder in how he seeks to make the film work despite its shortcomings at every turn. The film itself really is lacking in terms of capturing a proper noir style to grant the vibrancy one would want out of such a mystery. Mitchum though seeks to provide this style within his performance as Marlowe that beautifully embodies the genre. Mitchum physically plays the part with that smooth yet still haggard stature. A man very much bearing through long nights, and just has that iconic look about him to truly be Marlowe, even if a few years above the actual age of the character. This is further amplified by the obligatory narration that leads us through the various twists and turns of the plot, and a bit of insight into Marlowe's mindset throughout. A old trope, but so well realized not really by again how the film uses it rather by Mitchum's delivery of it. Frankly one could just listen to the film wholly as radio play by how much character Mitchum brings to every word. He creates the intrigue of the mystery, and captures the exasperation of the man so well. Again he does it with style, but also a real emotion within every twist and turn. Such narrations can quickly become ridiculous, particularly in a noir out of time and place, Mitchum nearly sets things right through his wonderfully nuanced take.

Of course Marlowe has to work the case and get into every little cliche in the noir book, well since the source material helped to define them, but again the film does it so earnestly it could become comical. Mitchum though again salvages it all through his approach that just so embodies the part that it doesn't matter that the film has absolutely nothing new to say within the genre. Mitchum takes us along in almost every part. This is whether he making his close calls with gunfire, a tense physical confrontation, the occasional drugging, being harassed by the police, or of course occasionally dealing with a few lustful women. Mitchum never lost or forgot the ways of the noir, in fact he sort of refines it here to an art form all of his own. The way Mitchum goes about any scene he brings you into his orbit that makes this point of the film that is compelling even if other things around him are a little clunky. Mitchum just commands these moments with this purity of the noir lead. That is in bringing just that certain sarcasm in his police interrogations, that daze in his eyes as he witnesses one double cross after enough though with just enough of glint to represent his own determination, and of course with all that overarching gritty suave manner behind it all needed to be such a hero. He even can lose that all in the drugging scene where Mitchum realizes the effects of the drugs, and the desperation of that moment brilliantly as well.

The one place that there is a bit of struggle though is in the lusty women. Well specifically Charlotte Rampling's femme fatale Helen Grayle, now don't get wrong Mitchum's easy going charm is as prevalent as ever when Helen tries to work her wiles on him, but his age does find one problem here. The problem being Mitchum, again, uses it to his advantage except for in these scenes where it makes the older man seem far too naive as the duplicitous woman seduces him, especially given the life one would assume he had lived. Mitchum is a better fit for the scenes he shares with the more age appropriate Sylvia Miles as the desperate Jessie Halstead Florian. Here Mitchum truly thrives in his knowing reactions where he brings a certain distance but also playfulness as interacts with her. He finds the right balance as sort of presenting his professional needs for the interaction, but with the right understanding of her not so hidden ulterior motives. Those are just examples of Mitchum's whole approach which is to be the first rate noir lead, for sort of a second rate noir film. What works about the film is Mitchum, but he actually sort of makes the film work. As I found it is easy to stay invested just by how pitch perfect Mitchum is as Marlowe. Although all the circumstances of the casting might not be ideal, Mitchum still proves himself to be a ideal as Philip Marlowe. It is a terrific performance as Robert Mitchum frankly elevates the film entirely to be worthy of the genre it is exists in.

Alternate Best Actor 1975

And the Nominees Were Not:

Maxim Munzuk in Dersu Uzala

Richard Dreyfuss in Inserts

Charles Bronson in Hard Times

Robert Mitchum in Farewell, My Lovely 

Ugo Tognazzi in My Friends

Alternate Best Actor 1957: Results

5. Ben Gazzara in The Strange One - I decided against granting this performance a full review as there is just not much to it. In one part it is a shaky film debut by Gazzara, something he thankfully shook off rather quickly in just a few years, that I would probably ascribe to weak direction. His performance though makes little use of really the cinematic perspective only garnering actions or reactions when absolutely needed for the character. His performance is oddly indifferent for what is as described to be by the other characters this near dictatorial character. There is no sense of charismatic persuasion, nor even a weasel trick in his work. He's mostly just there with the same dour expression until the very end where he gives a fairly standard melodramatic breakdown. This is part the fault of perhaps the adaptation which leaves too much merely stated about the character as the film fails to create a real sense of the cadet's toxic influence within the barracks. Gazzara though doesn't create this in the few instances he has a chance with either, and this is rather underwhelming work from an actor who thankfully quickly improved after this film.

Best Scene: The opening....I guess.

4. Rod Steiger in Across the Bridge - Despite some initial concerns, Steiger gives a rather effective depiction of a cold amorality, that slowly segues to a pained desperation as he naturally discovers the character's morality.

Best Scene: The dog across the bridge.

3. James Cagney - Man of the Thousand Faces - Cagney proves himself once again to be one of the very best actors of his period giving a moving, and more emotionally complex than you might except given the period, portrayal of Lon Chaney's personal struggles, but also a rather remarkable recreations of the man's legendary work that made him an early screen legend.

Best Scene: The handicapped man.

2. Victor Sjöström in Wild Strawberries - Sjöström's performance suggests an understanding of the film's nature giving a moving despite being a largely reactionary turn that grants an even greater power to the imagery and themes presented by the film's notable direction.

Best Scene: The dream of failure.

1. Robert Mitchum in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison - Good prediction John Smith. Robert Mitchum gives one of his most charming performances that makes for a truly endearing action hero of sorts, but he goes even further in his rather effective realization of the changes of his character through his particularly potent and complex chemistry with his co-star.

Best Scene: Allison's apology.

Updated Overall

Updated Supporting Overall

Next Year: 1991 Lead

Alternate Best Actor 1957: Robert Mitchum in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison

Robert Mitchum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Corporal Allison in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison.

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison is a rather enjoyable film about a marine and nun stuck on an island in the Pacific in enemy territory during World War II.

It must be said that Robert Mitchum was a great actor, with such an ease onscreen that is perhaps what lead to him being such an underrated commodity. I must say I take a certain joy in finding each and every one of Mitchum's notable turns as they reveal such a remarkable performer who had such a notable idiosyncratic personal style yet had a tremendous and somewhat under exploited range. Of course again even this in some circumstances was almost hard to notice just in terms of how easily Mitchum slipped in a different type of role. The role of Allison here, a marine who finds himself marooned on an island, Mitchum does not use as an excuse just to deliver a performance similair to say his hard boiled P.I. from Out of the Past. Of course that probably almost would have been fine, but Mitchum doesn't go for that approach which is rather impressive to begin with, but also leads to a very special turn from him. Now this isn't just in his New York accent he fashions for his character. That's just part of it, an easy part of it that Mitchum just makes it part of himself. Mitchum with accents is always rather fascinating since he's not an actor who'd strike you as using accents, but you barely notice them when he does use them since he does so in such an effective fashion.

That accent though is only a stepping stone in his portrayal of Allison which I might say is perhaps Mitchum at his most charming. A notable distinction needs to be made in this though in that Mitchum is always a charismatic performer, however this is a time where his considerable charm really comes to the forefront with his approach to Allison as a character. Allison is after all a marine who had a none too pleasant childhood before he reached this rough patch created by his time in the war. Mitchum however does not present this as some sort of horrendous wound by any means. This is not inconsistent though which is so interesting in his work. In that Mitchum delivers the lines on Allison's past rather bluntly with certainly the right hardened attitude in this explanation. There is no sense that these are good memories however they do not truly pain him in Mitchum's presentation. He does this though through a careful, and brilliant, workaround where he reveals this as basically assuaged through his time with the marines. When he speaks of the chapter, even when explaining a harsh drill sergeant, Mitchum infuses this considerable pride in every word. In his eyes he brings this sense of purpose within the marines creating this core within Allison, and this belief essentially towards his duty in the armed forces.

Now the reason Mitchum's choice there is particularly important is because there was a potential possibility for Allison to be this terrible brooder, however his approach to avoid that really opens up the film to frankly a more enjoyable experience in general. Mitchum uses this that allows him to be far more expressive in his charm, of course with such ease as always by portraying Allison very much as a man at ease with himself. Mitchum's approach and turn here actually reminded me a bit of Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones. In that captures that sort of action hero you can approach. This is in part that charm to be sure that makes Allison just this very likable sort, but it goes further than that. In that Mitchum really allows you in on Allison's endeavors to subvert the Japanese efforts to find him, and his companion as well as to later sabotage their defenses against his fellow marines. Mitchum's so good in the action scenes not just by being charming, but also bringing this certain haplessness to moments. In that just his physicality in the moments and his reactions are not of this superman, but just a guy winging it at times. This in turn makes him so very easy to watch in every moment since he never seems too far gone, but is so very endearing in every moment by showing Allison essentially just doing his very best to survive, serve the marines, and help his nun companion.

Speaking of his nun companion who is an essential part of this performance. As in the story the marooned marine Allison comes across a nun who also happened to be marooned there, the nun Sister Angela played by Deborah Kerr. Now I already covered Kerr and Mitchum later showed their considerable chemistry in The Sundowners, but this was their first film together. The chemistry here also is a bit more complicated given the nature of the relationship whereas in that later film the two where they are already a married couple as the film opens. That is not quite the case obviously for Allison and Sister Angela. Kerr and Mitchum evidently developed a real life friendship through this film, and that sort of ease together is quite obvious through their work together here. What is so important about this though is this film is essentially a two person show between the two. What I love is how even though there is the nun/soldier juxtaposition from the start the sense of ease actually comes quite quickly. Now this is with each fulfilling their roles so well, Mitchum naturally being more expressive against Kerr who stays a bit demure. Their interactions from their opening scene though has just something so remarkable in how genuinely they speak with one another. There is just such earned sweetness and warmth in it that makes the two such entertaining duo from the outset.

The two use that as this basis for the two that certainly makes the film all the more compelling in itself. The two go much further than that though, and I love how both performers so eloquently realize their own arcs in tandem yet separately in approach. Kerr giving the more subtle and introverted portrayal, well Mitchum giving the more extroverted, although I wouldn't quite say broad. Mitchum does well though to convey really just the outgoing nature in every scene making some of Allison's blunt statements seem so honest to the character. When Allison just for example states being unaware of pretty nuns, clearly referring to Sister Angela, there is such a earnest sincerity in Mitchum's delivery that so effectively just reveals this as just the way Allison is. He uses this idea though particularly well in creating what Allison's story is within as the non-church going soldier, interacts with the devote nun. Mitchum does this carefully in presenting really an idea of kind of showing Allison's initial attraction essentially slowly falling into love with the Sister. Mitchum brings this purity through how he so well finds that directness of Allison. His rather uncompromising statements early on about her choice to be nun Mitchum refines always through such clear, and rather pure tenderness for her. What helps all the more though is just how good their chemistry is in every interaction, and to the point the two seem right together, even if this must be in a specific way.

Mitchum gradually delivers this to a tipping point which he importantly portrays not as a mental breaking point, but rather Allison's blunt attitude taking him too far, amplified due to drink. When he reveals his feelings for her I love the definite vulnerability in Mitchum's eyes that allude to really only a most sincere reasoning in the man's mind, even if it was perhaps not in the right circumstances or taken with the right considerations. When the Sister rejects this Mitchum doesn't show the love Allison has for her diminish instead he actually presents as growing after she becomes ill. When he treats her there is perhaps the most powerful affection in every moment as Mitchum brings such a striking compassion in every moment. As he treats her, and then later asks for her forgiveness for his previous statements, Mitchum though has one major difference though which is in his face he carries this considerable sense of empathy. When he asks for her forgiveness Mitchum makes Allison as straight forward as ever, but now with such solemness in his voice evoking such a convincing act of contrition and understanding towards her. The relationship between the two is so beautifully realized as we see both change through it, and come together in what is technically not a romantic love in the most traditional sense, however it is not unrequited in the end. Of course this all naturally woven within their interactions throughout that create such a winning duo throughout the film. I love both of their performances here that manage to find the dramatic potential within the central relationship, but at the same time are just a pair I simply liked spending time with.

Alternate Best Actor 1957

And the Nominees Were Not:

Ben Gazzara in The Strange One

Rod Steiger in Across the Bridge

Victor Sjöström in Wild Strawberries

Robert Mitchum in Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison 

James Cagney in Man of a Thousand Faces

Alternate Best Actor 1974: Results

5. Bruno S. in The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser - S. creates a proper enigma as he is always at a certain distance yet is always compelling.

Best Scene: Philosophies.

4. James Caan in The Gambler - Caan gives a terrific performance where he plays with his usual image to create a man at odds with himself as essentially meek man deluding himself with the risk his gambling addition entails.

Best Scene: End of the game.

3. Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza - Mitchum is a proper badass as you'd expect yet he finds a real substance within the role by so effectively exploring the history with the man.

Best Scene: Amputation forgiveness.

2. John Hurt in Little Malcolm - Hurt gives a downright brilliant performance that makes sense of his potentially unwieldy material, and is always engaging even as the film loses steam.

Best Scene: Malcolm's delusions are confronted.

1. Warren Oates in Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - Good Predictions Luke, Charles, Robert, Tahmeed, Omar, RatedRStar, Matt C., BRAZINTERMA Prêmio Fictício, Anonymous and Calvin. Oates easily wins this lineup for me for his dynamic and daring portrayal of a man already on the edge falling off.

Best Scene: "Because it feels so good."

Updated Overall

 Next Year: 1974 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1974: Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza

Robert Mitchum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harry Kilmer in The Yakuza.

The Yakuza I found to be a pretty effective action/crime film about an retired American detective with connections in Japan being sent there by an old friend/businessman whose daughter has been kidnapped by a yakuza gangster, naturally things aren't as they appear.

Robert Mitchum managed to fashion a later career for himself not by attempting to hide his age but by embracing it. Mitchum was willing to play the meek schoolteacher in Ryan's Daughter and the down on his luck mobster in The Friends of Eddie Coyle. Although Mitchum gets to play perhaps a more traditionally appealing leading man here he does not attempt to position the part as something its not in fact he ensures the years past are something which define his Harry. Now from the outset though Mitchum made his breakout originally through crime noirs  and here is returning to a genre though with a twist through its setting which mostly takes place in Japan. The appeal of Mitchum's screen presence is of course quite evident, and it is perhaps only amplified by his age to be honest. Mitchum has that same ease onscreen and is naturally compelling as usual. This is not a copy of those earlier performances though by any means, as again Mitchum takes in consideration who Harry has been and where he has been. This is not a man fresh into the life of dealing with crime, he's a seasoned veteran, and Mitchum brings just the right inherent world weariness within his work for the crime world.

Although Mitchum properly keys into the losses in the life of this man, he carefully does not let that be the character's only definition. In a early scene we see Harry as he goes to see the Japanese woman Eiko and her daughter who he had saved and had an affair with long ago. Mitchum is great in this scene as he brings such a genuine warmth creating such a strong sense of the love they once shared, and which he certainly fully feels towards her. Mitchum uses these moments so well in creating a real honest tenderness within the character, that makes it all the easier to invest into his story.  There is a severe complication though is in her apparent brother Ken (Ken Takakura), who seems to hold quite the disdain for Harry, though is honor bound to help him for what he did for his sister. Mitchum is careful in also creating this history between the two men as there is a strong sense of the bitterness which Mitchum shows not within Harry himself rather he portrays it as part of this unease he exudes in their early interactions. Mitchum always emphasizes though a definite respect in the way he looks and interacts with Ken.

I'll spoilers for the rest of this review since of course while saving the kidnapped girl goes well the rest does not as soon becomes known that the kidnapping was due to an arms transaction between the yakuza and Harry's American friend which leads to Harry and Ken being the ones in the line of fire. Now in part this does lead to some premium Robert Mitchum as an aged badass, seeing him take down bad guys with a pistol and double barrel shot gun definitely has an appeal. Mitchum always is good at being "cool" in such scenes, while never compromising the intensity of them. In fact here's he's particularly good in every moment of his physical work portraying the way Harry becomes rather exasperated throughout the experience. Mitchum being just entertaining to watch is only part of his performance here as he goes much further in developing the continued relationship with Ken which becomes all the more complicated when he learns that Ken was in fact Eiko's husband not her brother. Mitchum doesn't let a moment of this slide bringing such a poignancy in his reactions to learning this information. Mitchum importantly lets this dictate their later interactions, as he does not make this a ill-fitting action duo, rather Mitchum offers a real sensitivity in portraying in every moment such a guilt and severe concern for the man in every interaction. When the battle is won by the two of them they share a final scene that Mitchum is incredible exceptional in. Mitchum brings such a power in revealing the modest yet palatable gratitude in his eyes that reveal a sadness for what he has done to the man, but also an appreciation for all his sacrifices. Even though the scene involves chopping off an appendage, Mitchum and Takakura make it heartwarming in its own way as in the brief interaction between the two they reveal a mutual understanding between the two that feels wholly earned by both performances. This is a terrific performance by Robert Mitchum as he not only offers a strong presence to keep this thriller compelling, he goes further by amplifying any substance to be found within it. 

Alternate Best Actor 1974

And the Nominees Were Not:

Warren Oates in Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia

Robert Mitchum in The Yakuza

James Caan in The Gambler

John Hurt in Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs

Bruno S. in The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser

Alternate Best Actor 1973: Results

5. Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle - Well this is unpleasant. I hate putting any of these performances "last" because they're all great, but I have to choose one. Anyway Mitchum gives a great performance giving this quietly devastating portrait of a man who essentially wasted his life.

Best Scene: "what a future he’s got, huh"

4. Robert Shaw in The Hireling-  Shaw gives a heartbreaking performance here showing a different shade of his talent in his powerful realization of a lonely man seeking love.

Best Scene: Declaration of Love.

3. Donald Sutherland in Don't Look Now - Sutherland's performance is both an unforgettable depiction of man struggling with his grief and also so effectively helps to realize the spine chilling horror of the film.

Best Scene: Seeing the Inspector.

2. Elliott Gould in The Long Goodbye - Gould gives a brilliantly funny and always compelling performance in his rather contradictory yet most effective take on Phillip Marlowe.

Best Scene: "I even lost my cat"

1. Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man - Edward Woodward gives a masterful performance that works as normalcy against the unknown, as a portrait of zealous if foolish conviction, and harrowing depiction of facing unspeakable horrors. This year frankly deserves multiple winners by the sheer quality of so many of the leading turns.

Best Scene: Seeing the titular man. 

Updated Overall

Next: 1973 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1973: Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Robert Mitchum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular Eddie "Fingers" Coyle in The Friends of Eddie Coyle.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a terrific film, finding the tone Killing Them Softly failed to find in adapting this film's source material's followup, about an intersecting group of criminals centering around an old small time crook

Robert Mitchum plays the lead role of Eddie Coyle, though this is technically a smaller leading role, he's lead but the film spends ample time with the other people within the crime world Eddie is associated with. Mitchum though is the center point for a reason in his depiction of Eddie Coyle, which is a performance that must be stated that it is brilliant from the get go then dissect why. Again Robert Mitchum is not constantly front and center in the film, and what he does is so much within his performance it is something truly remarkable. Now in Mitchum first scene we have him meet one of his first associates and it's incredibly what Mitchum does here. Mitchum very much embraces his age in the role, and never tries to hide it. In fact he quite embraces, amplifying it even by wearing these hard years within himself. He doesn't create a falsehood in this regard, as he does not attempt to try to show this old timer whose really tougher than all these young ins, which I'm sure Mitchum could have pulled off. Mitchum though instead far more effectively reveals who Eddie is, which is an old manstill in the criminal life.

Mitchum just is this old Boston crook, with a great Boston accent by the way, and takes it so much further from there. In that initial scene, although his face says the truth, now Mitchum shows Eddie's attempt to be more than he is but it is only an attempt. As he describes where his little moniker comes from there is this strained attempt at being some man he may have been in the past, or might not have been in reality. There's a real sadness hidden within Mitchum's work as he attempts to express this confidence of real tough within a man who has lived a hard life yet that is still meaningless within the world he lives in. Mitchum never focuses upon a single emotion and that is part of the incredible nuance in his performance though. As even in this exchange with one of his associates, even as he's trying to act tough in a way, Mitchum though even conveys just the right bit of history with still the right kind of comfort speaking to someone who he's known for awhile, he realizes this aspect so well throughout the film with every one of Eddie's "friends".

Mitchum creating the actual sense of any camaraderie to the other criminals he associates with is pivotal since it makes the story all the crueler for Eddie. The reason for that being that Eddie is an informant, aiding ATF agent Dave Foley (Richard Jordan) in taking down his various friends in an attempt to try to avoid his prison sentence of at least two years. Mitchum is amazing in the role though in every one of his scenes with Jordan because of how much he reveals about in Eddie in these scenes. As when it seems like Foley might be able to help him Mitchum projects a pride in Eddie, putting up again a certain front to try to be more than he is. Mitchum though again creates a duality in this as there is a weakness in this pride, the effort behind that can be felt which is purposeful in Mitchum's work. As Mitchum shows Eddie basically trying to convince himself he's doing the right thing by giving these bits of information out, Mitchum manages to create empathy within Eddie despite his actions seeming largely selfish in nature.

We are given a glimpse of Eddie at home with his wife and kids. Mitchum actually very good in these scenes by just being so straight forward in presenting Eddie as just a nice father and husband no more, no less. Mitchum though importantly does show exactly that Eddie does have something he cares about. Furthermore Mitchum, when Foley demands more information or fails to really provide any real benefit for the information that Eddie provides him. Mitchum again is excellent in never simplifying the emotional reaction which further helps to explain the man. Mitchum grants the expected frustrations towards Foley as he gets nothing in return but he also does reveal a real pain in Eddie as he speaks about giving up his friends who trust him. There's an outstanding moment late in the film where Eddie approaches Foley with an additional bit of information that will lead to the arrest of more of his friends. In the approach Mitchum presents the struggle and sense of self-loathing in his hesitant delivery. This makes it all the more torturous when Foley coldly reveals that the information is useless since the men have already been arrested. 

The Friends of Eddie Coyle, in great detail, shows the methods of the criminals as they undergo long lengths to commit their crimes in almost a French Connection style and also reveals that there is no honor among anyone in the organization. In turn Eddie's story is not one about redemption, or overcoming the odds to get out. It's about the last days of crook who never really made it anywhere, and no one truly cares about all that much. This sad truth is within the entirety of Mitchum's performance though again with only the weak attempts to create some sort of rationalization that he's more than he is, and will have an actual future. At the end of the film though Eddie run out of options, since he doesn't really have anyone else to turn in, and Mitchum reveals the palatable despair in Eddie as he no longer can create any delusions. What I love again though is the film never stops exactly to tells us about Eddie's state it so effortlessly within Mitchum's work. There is one particularly powerful moment near the end of the film where Eddie ponders about the promise in the future of a young Hockey player. Eddie does not speak about himself yet Mitchum is heartbreaking by in his face expressing that self-reflection of a man who knows he's essentially wasted his life.

Alternate Best Actor 1973

And the Nominees Were Not:

Donald Sutherland in Don't Look Now

Robert Shaw in The Hireling

Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Elliott Gould in The Long Goodbye

Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1960: Results

5. Martin Stephens in Village of the Damned - Stephens gives an effectively creepy kid performance, though it feels but a warm up for his more impressive work in The Innocents a year later.

Best Scene: The kids tear down the "brick wall"

4. Robert Mitchum in Home From the Hill - Mitchum avoids falling into overblown melodrama by giving an unassuming yet commanding turn that successfully realizes the two conflicting sides of his character.

 Best Scene: The captain tries to win back his wife.

3. John Mills in Tunes of Glory - Mills gives perhaps his best performance, in his tragic portrayal of a soldier being slowly broken down by his own men.

Best Scene: The final party.

2. Peter Sellers in Never Let Go - Sellers more than proves his merit in a wholly dramatic role, through his compelling portrayal of a vicious and desperate criminal.

Best Scene: The final fight.

1. Renato Salvatori in Rocco and his Brothers - Salvatori gives a powerful performance as he realizes the descent of a simple man into a form of madness in chilling detail.

Best Scene: The Murder.

Overall Rank

Next Year: 2005 Lead

Altenate Best Supporting Actor 1960: Robert Mitchum in Home From The Hill

Robert Mitchum did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Capt. Wade Hunnicutt in Home From the Hill.

Home From the Hill is a decent melodrama about a young man Theron (George Hamilton) who attempts to make something of himself but in doing so discovers the dark secrets his family holds.

Robert Mitchum plays the central figure that all the other characters revolve around in this film but he is not the lead. His lack of screentime and perspective make him a supporting character, though the story could not exist without Captain Wade Hunnicutt. The reason being everyone in his home, and the town around seems affected by the man in some way, usually in the negative sense. This is made clear in the film's opening scene where the Captain is shot by a man for having an affair with his wife. The Captain scoffs off both the man and the wound as though it happens all the time. The film builds up the character, mostly through exposition of both just how great the man is at first, then soon followed by how terrible he is. They make him into as though he is some sort of living legend and it is easy to see how this character would've wholly fallen flat with the wrong actor in the role. Luckily they cast Robert Mitchum.

Robert Mitchum is perfect for the part and he absolutely knows it through his ease onscreen throughout the film. Mitchum makes the reputation of the character earned since he seems rather larger than life himself. Mitchum just exudes the confidence of Hunnicutt as he should, as he suggests a man who has always gotten what has wanted but also always has taken what he has wanted. Mitchum though is able to do something essential for the part which is to create the idolization of the man that we see in his son. Mitchum effortlessly brings an undisputed charm about the man that actually comes in part in that confidence as he shows a man who is truly comfortable with himself. He even makes the opening scene work where he scoffs getting shot, as Mitchum successfully makes sense out of the moment by portraying him as a man completely comfortable with who he is to the point that he also wholly accepts the violent consequences of his actions.

A pivotal relationship in the film is the Captain's relationship with his wife (Eleanor Parker) who is bitter over his lecherous ways, and basically wants to keep her son away from the man's influence. Mitchum is excellent in the way he maneuvers scenes between the two of them. In the confrontational scenes Mitchum technically presents a very sleazy man as the Captain wears his transgressions with pride, however again the sheer power of his presence overrides this in a most curious way that only few actors could possibly get away with. Mitchum though also utilizes this approach to actually earn the other side of the relationship that we see a few times where the Captain attempts to win back his wife. The warmth that Mitchum brings suggests a genuine love for his wife and is convincing that he could ease any of her bitterness. What's so interesting about this is that Mitchum does not define these moments as lying, but still the Captain being a man who, for better or worse, is himself no matter what.

Eventually the Captain's son learns that one of their workers, Rafe (George Peppard), is in fact the Captain's bastard son, which leads to central conflict of the film, as the son's image of his father is shattered. The film is directed by Vincent Minnelli who in a few of his other efforts in similair stories does not exactly avoid over the top melodrama. Now it is easy to see where that could have come most strongly with the character of Captain Hunnicutt, but is avoided through Mitchum's work. As this point comes as his son demands answers, and the Captain still stands by his choices no matter what, Mitchum holds his ground. He stays in a measured work that's true to the way he set up the character. There is a moment where the Captain explains the refusal, as basically he gets to do what he wants, Mitchum is great in the moment because his portrayal makes it so the Captain simply stays with his personal resolve. This is a very strong performance from Robert Mitchum as his low key approach not only earns the two perspectives of the character but also successfully merges them as one man.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1960

And the Nominees Were Not:

Peter Sellers in Never Let Go

Robert Mitchum in Home From the Hill

John Mills in Tunes of Glory

Martin Stephens in Village of the Damned

Renato Salvatori in Rocco and His Brothers

Alternate Best Actor 1962: Results

10. Oskar Werner in Jules and Jim - Werner's role is limited yet his unassuming charm manages to keep himself from being overshadowed despite the film's apparent desire otherwise.

Best Scene: Jules talks about Catherine's True Nature.

9. Montgomery Clift in Freud - Clift manages to create a compelling portrait of Freud not through mannerisms, but rather finding the emotional core within the man's motivations.

Best Scene: Freud finding the truth behind Cecily's mental trauma.

8. Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate - Harvey portrays well the cold calculated man turned into a cold killer, but also manages to be extremely moving in portraying the vulnerabilities of the man.

Best Scene: The Assassination

7. Patrick McGoohan in in All Night Long - McGoohan gives a fascinating portrayal of an Iago like drummer, whose greatest joy comes from the torment of others.

Best Scene: Johnnie "accidentally" spills secrets to Rex. 

6. Toshiro Mifune in Sanjuro - Mifune gives a great reprise of his role in Yojimbo, by slanting towards comedy and succeeding quite thoroughly in this regard.

Best Scene: The samurai observes the rescued women. 

5. Tom Courtenay in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner - I'll say right now that I had a great difficulty ranking these five, and found it even more impossible when having to include Peck, Wayne and Lemmon. These are all exceptional performances starting with Courtenay's intense yet heart wrenching depiction of young man lashing out due to his hatred of authority but also from his own fear.

Best Scene: The Beach.

4. James Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance - Stewart gives one of his best performances as both a young man passionately fighting for what is right, as well as an older man forcing to live with the lie that made his life.

Best Scene: The Senator finishes the story.

3. Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear - Mitchum creates one of the all time great cinematic villains, not through the depiction of a mastermind, but rather a violent creep who's completely content with his actions.

Best Scene: Cady's mentions his wife.

2. Tatsuya Nakadai in Harakiri - Nakadai gives an outstanding performance as he realizes not only an otherworldly spirit of righteous vengeance, but also the man who became it.  

Best Scene: Hanshiro Tsugumo finishes his story. 

1. James Mason in Lolita - Good Predictions JackiBoyz, RatedRStar. Mason gives an outstanding performance as he manages to balance everything in the film. He's the perfect straight man for Sellers's comedy, he manages to make Humbert far more sympathetic than should be possible, while giving an absolutely mesmerizing depiction of man being destroyed mentally and physically by his unhealthy obsession.    

Best Scene: Humbert confronts Quilty.

Overall Rank:

1. Peter O'Toole in Lawrence of Arabia
2. James Mason in Lolita
3. Tatsuya Nakadai in Harakiri
4. Jack Lemmon in The Days of Wine and Roses
5. Robert Mitchum in Cape Fear
6. Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird
7. James Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
8. Tom Courtenay in The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
9. John Wayne in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
10. Terence Stamp in Billy Budd
11. Toshiro Mifune in Sanjuro
12. Patrick McGoohan in All Night Long
13. Laurence Harvey in The Manchurian Candidate
14. Frank Sinatra in The Manchurian Candidate 
15. Trevor Howard in Mutiny on the Bounty
16. Richard Attenborough in Trial and Error 
17. Phillip Alford in To Kill a Mockingbird
18. Montgomery Clift in Freud
19. Sean Connery in Dr. No 
20. Paul Newman in Sweet Bird of Youth 
21. Peter Ustinov in Billy Budd
22. Gregory Peck in Cape Fear
23. Oskar Werner in Jules and Jim  
24. Peter Sellers in Trial and Error
25. Robert Preston in The Music Man
26. Paul Harris in All Night Long
27. Burt Lancaster in Birdman of Alcatraz
28. Henri Serre in Jules and Jim
29. Marlon Brando in Mutiny on the Bounty

Next: The Waiting Game.