Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1963: Results

5. Tatsuya Nakadai in A Woman's Life - I guess I'll note that I decided against reviewing both he and Steiger, as I found neither were notable examples of their talents, though for different reasons. For Nakadai it is just far too limited of a role, reduced even more so by the film's strange structure. He only gets the chance really to be charming, which he of course delivers on, but as Nakadai roles go it wastes him more than a bit.

Best Scene: Years later.

4. Rod Steiger in Hands Over the City - I'd actually say Steiger had a good role here but he's sabotaged by really a bad dub job. Obviously it's not going to be his real voice anyways, but it's worse than that because it doesn't really ever seem to be coming out of him, even with that in mind. It sadly detracts from his work even as dubbing go. This is a shame as his role is pretty meaty, but Steiger just can't shine. I'll give him credit that he does still convey a certain ego and powerful manner of a manipulative businessman. Sadly the dubbing issues keep a certain detachment there. Steiger is obviously acting his heart out at every point, but given the amount of dialogue in particular, it's a shame we can't hear him.

Best Scene: Opening

3. Geoffrey Keen in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow - Keen makes for a properly despicable villain who brings the right sort of glee and venom to his role.

Best Scene: "Don't be a fool, they'd hang anyway."

2. Anil Chatterjee in Mahanagar - Chetterjee gives an effective turn in offering humor, somberness and a bit of poignancy in his depiction of a husband slowly rediscovering his place in his family and his wife. 

Best Scene: Reconciliation.

1. Alan Bates in The Caretaker - Bates fairly easily conquers this lineup for me, this even if he might reach the heights of his co-stars, gives a terrific performance between them offering the one typically "sane" man, as society would see him, who plays around with the "insane" man by acting a bit insane himself.

Best Scene: Final Scene. 

Updated Overall

Next Year: 2001 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1963

And the Nominees Were Not:

Tatsuya Nakadai in A Woman's Life

Anil Chatterjee in Mahanagar

Alan Bates in The Caretaker

Rod Steiger in Hands Over the City

Geoffrey Keen in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

George Cole in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow 

Patrick Wymark in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow

For prediction purposes: Keen out of the Scarecrow men. 

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: Rod Steiger in Across the Bridge

Rod Steiger did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Carl Schaffner in Across the Bridge.

Across the Bridge is a decent thriller about a European embezzler trying to hide out near the Mexican/American border only by stealing the identity of a lookalike only to find that man is a wanted assassin, a problem I think most of us know all too well.

Rod Steiger I will admit quite worried me as the film opened in a scene where his character is fielding pressing questions about his troubling business history as well as his wife's suicide. In that I've found more recently in my exploration of Rod Steiger's career that there are certain problematic tendencies that are common in his lesser performances. These Steigerisms are on display a bit here early most notably his way of doing this strange loud high pitched yell to signify anger. Thankfully though these are only very briefly used by Steiger, and in context of the entire performance it isn't too egregious as this representation of a man as a pressure cooker just on the edge of letting out his emotions given his situation. That is where his Carl Schaffner is just on the edge of being discovered and about to be liable for a prison sentence. I'll admit though I had a bit further worry, this one a bit more unfounded, in his portrayal of the German Schaffner given his future success in The Pawnbroker. Steiger uses a similair accent here, that actually just becomes a natural part of the character, and successfully further entrenches himself into the role through it.

The strength of this performance quickly became more obvious to me as soon as the plot really kick starts as Schaffner finds himself on a train in his attempt to escape to Mexico in order to escape his prison sentence. Steiger does not portray this initially as a man on the run in a traditional sense. In that he does not portray an overt desperation within the character at first. He subtly exudes just a bit of it enough to be believable, however he introduces well the idea of the cutthroat businessman here on the run as well. This is seen through his portrayal of his initial actions which carry this definite calm in Steiger's performance, and successfully distinguishes the man from the pressure of facing actual consequences. We see the man distinctly running away from them, and the ease that Steiger depicts effectively reveals the man's amorality early on. This personal attitude continuing even as he steals the identity of a fellow passenger who closely resembles him. When Steiger first tricks the man directly, then later directly hectors him for his identity, Steiger carries this intensity with right assurance within this behavior. He delivers this cold efficiency to these two important scenes showing a man ready to avoid taking any responsibility for his actions, in fact rather determined to do so.

Schaffner's choice in identity theft though quickly leads him into trouble as he is sent packing towards Mexico to take the fall as an assassin. Steiger keeps this calm in the moments of the wrongful identification though successfully reveals this certain glint in his eye, a sense of slyness as though this is initially just part of the plan for the man to easily cross over the border. This becomes slightly more complex when the process of correcting his identity takes longer than expected. Steiger still does not depict an obvious breakdown though just a minor frustration in every one of Schaffner's claims of wrongful identification.There is still that cold incisive stare though once the opportunity for bribery and avoiding of responsibility appears. Steiger delivers the needed incisiveness through this bit of smugness in every moment as Schaffner ease away his obstacles and seems to once again avoid his real mistakes. The arrival of Scotland Yard in addition to the local authorities growing exasperation with the man requires further maneuvering from Schaffner. Steiger is consistently compelling in that he captures again that manipulators charisma in that while he is not truly charming, how much command Steiger says with every word is with the authority of a brilliant criminal.

The authorities do not stop trying to catch Schaffner though and Steiger is very good in portraying the growing exasperation in himself which he realizes well in a growing subtle desperation in his performance. This change in the man though goes further though as he sees the results of his actions where the local Mexican populace begin to openly reject any hospitality towards the man due to the fate of the man's identity he stole. The one source of consistent support comes from an unlikely place that being the dog of the same mann. Although Schaffner initially coldly shoos the dog away, which Steiger portrays with the same indifference the same way he treats any human with as well. The dog, being a dog, doesn't reject Schaffner though coming to support him even as all the humans around him having nothing but disdain for him. This relationship oddly enough is the heart of the film, and quite frankly the best part of the film. This is due to Steiger's portrayal of this relationship where he slowly depicts this quietly growing warmth in each subsequent interaction to the dog that insists on taking a liking to the man. This warmth becoming almost a direct need for any tenderness, once all other reject him for his amorality, portraying as this full attention towards the dog. Steiger's quite moving in giving it his all and finally revealing just a bit of a soul in the character. This is often just in his silent performance though in bringing such delicate and earnest physical interaction with the dog that only becomes all the more heartwarming, as the rest of Schaffner's existence becomes all the bleaker. Eventually the dog is used as a last resort by the authorities to catch Schaffner as they tie the dog just across the border where he can be arrested. This idea could have potentially been ridiculous however Steiger makes it honestly heartbreaking by having created such a convincing connection between man and dog. This culminates finally where the dog cries for the man's help, and we only see Steiger's silent reaction where he reveals such a genuine anguish that naturally finally reveals a better man than the one we saw that opened the film. In turn this leaves this performance by Steiger on quite the high note, despite my initial concerns.

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 Supporting Actor 1965: Results

7. Jack Lemmon in The Great Race - I decided not to review Lemmon here for a few reasons. The first being after watching the film I felt he was definitely lead along side Tony Curtis and in no way supporting him. Then I did not really feel it was quite a good enough performance worthy for his own separate lead review. Also no reason to ruin the perfect streak of the previous six performances reviewed. It is amusing to note that the previous collaboration between Lemmon and director Blake Edwards was The Days of Wine Roses so Lemmon went from a harrowing depiction of alcoholism to playing a live action Saturday morning cartoon villain right down to his name of Professor Fate. The film itself I felt was too bloated as you can probably only have so many slapstick gags before they wear a bit thin which is unfortunately the case for this film. Lemmon is quite the energetic presence and his over the top performance is actually fitting for the film. He does his best to sell every gag and his whole portrayal is amusing enough though it can't quite sustain the running time of the film. It's hardly a great performance from Lemmon, but he is indeed the best part of the film. 

6. Ian Bannen in The Hill - Well this was in no way a pleasure to even place the seventh spot in my ranking since I love all of these performances. Bannen merely gives another great performance of one man's own clever ways of survival as military prison guard while never losing his frustrations underneath.

Best Scene: The final confrontation.

5. Ian Hendry in The Hill - Hendry is also great in his uncompromising depiction of his character's sadism. What makes him standout though are the very human weaknesses he also brings to the character particularly in his portrayal of his character's attempt to be the proper military man. 

Best Scene: The final confrontation as well.

4. Oskar Werner in A Spy Who Came In From The Cold - Werner actually does not have too much material but has to make a whole lot of it. Well he does so giving so much life and genuine passion to his character Fiedler that he makes it heartbreaking when it turns out that Fielder has been used all along.

Best Scene: Fiedler realizes he's been had.

3. Toshiro Mifune in Red Beard - The last great performance to be found from the collaboration between Akira Kurosawa and Toshiro Mifune. Mifune takes a rather unorthodox somewhat colder approach with the character of the wise mentor but succeeds wholly in earning the palatable emotions of every scene he is in, and effortlessly becoming a personification of compassion.

Best Scene: Red Beard goes to retrieve the patient from the Brothel.

2. Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago - Steiger has a great character and brilliantly realizes his complexity. He's a perfect smiling devil yet Steiger importantly shows that there still a bit of humanity to be found.

Best Scene: Komoravosky tells Zhivago what happened to Pasha.

  1. Harry Andrews in The Hill - Andrews gives an outstanding performance as he carefully differs himself from the other two men playing guards by showing a man utterly devoted to the mindset of the military. Andrews never allows himself to be one note though using every moment to fully realize his character as man who tries to conduct things as a machine. It's hard enough ranking these six but becomes even harder having to consider Tom Courtenay's work in Doctor Zhivago as well, which only improved all the more on re-watch. I really hate to have to leave the Ians out of the top five. Now I do feel I could give any one of these men the win and they would be more than deserving. My choice goes to Courtenay as it's a performance that only gets better the more I think about it, plus if I want to cheat in my reasoning he was also great in King Rat.

Best Scene: Wilson deals with the potential riot.

Overall Rank:

1. Tom Courtenay in Doctor Zhivago
2. Harry Andrews in The Hill
3. Robert Shaw in Battle of the Bulge
4. Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago
5. Richard Harris in Major Dundee
6. Toshiro Mifune in Red Beard
7. Oskar Werner in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold
8. Ian Hendry in The Hill
9. Ian Bannen in The Hill
10. Tsutomu Yamazaki in Red Beard
11. Ossie Davis in The Hill
12. Gian Maria Volonté in For A Few Dollars More 
13. Charlton Heston in The Greatest Story Ever Told
14. Claude Rains in The Greatest Story Ever Told
15. Donald Pleasence in The Greatest Story Ever Told
16. Tom Courtenay in King Rat
17. Roy Kinnear in The Hill
18. Cyril Cusack in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
19. Michael Redgrave in The Hill 
20. Junzaburō Ban in A Fugitive From the Past
21. Tom Courtenay in Operation Crossbow
22. John Gielgud in Chimes at Midnight
23. Hans Christian Blech in Battle of the Bulge 
24. James Mason in Lord Jim
25. Edward G. Robinson in The Cincinnati Kid
26. Trevor Howard in Von Ryan's Express
27. Klaus Kinski in Doctor Zhivago
28. Noel Coward in Bunny Lake is Missing 
29. Telly Savalas in Battle of the Bulge
30. Alec Guinness in Doctor Zhivago
31. Leo McKern in Help!
32. Nigel Green in The Ipcress File
33. Richard Attenborough in The Flight of the Phoenix
34. Jack Watson in The Hill
35. Terry Thomas in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 
36. Roy Kinnear in Help! 
37. Peter van Eyck in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold 
38. Warren Oates in Major Dundee 
39. Burgess Meredith in In Harm's Way
40. Hardy Kruger in The Flight of the Phoenix
41. Alfred Lynch in The Hill 
42. Charles Bronson in Battle of the Bulge
43. Van Heflin in The Greatest Story Ever Told
44. James Coburn in Major Dundee
45. Dean Martin in The Sons of Katie Elder
46. Eijiro Tono in Samurai Assassin
47. Alberto Sordi in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines 
48. Wallace Ford in A Patch of Blue 
49. Richard Harris in The Heroes of Telemark 
50. Christopher Lee in in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
51. Jose Ferrer in The Greatest Story Ever Told
52. Michael Hordern in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold 
53. Anthony Quayle in Operation Crossbow
54. Ralph Richardson in Doctor Zhivago 
55. Peter Sellers in What's New Pussycat?
56. Eli Wallach in Lord Jim
57. Dirk Bogarde in Darling
58. Keenan Wynn in The Great Race
59. Ronald Fraser in The Flight of the Phoenix
60. Victor Spinetti in Help!
61. Peter Falk in The Great Race
62. Sergio Fantoni in Von Ryan's Express
63. Geoffrey Keen in Doctor Zhivago
64. Vladimir Mensik in Loves a Blonde
65. Woody Allen in What's New Pussycat?
66. Michael Craig in Sandra
67. Karl Malden in The Cincinnati Kid
68. Denholm Elliot in King Rat 
69. Michael Redgrave in The Heroes of Telemark
70. Robert Morley in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
71. James Donald in King Rat
72. Ken Takakura in A Fugitive From the Past
73. David McCallum in The Greatest Story Ever Told 
74. Peter Finch in The Flight of the Phoenix 
75. Patrick Cargill in Help!
76. John Mills in King Rat  
77. Jean-Claude Brialy in I Knew Her Well
78. Marino Mase in Fists in the Pocket
79. Sal Mineo in The Greatest Story Ever Told 
80. Patrick Wymark in Repulsion
81. Jack Weston in The Cincinnati Kid 
82. Joseph Schildkraut in The Greatest Story Ever Told 
83. Paul Lukas in Lord Jim
84. Arthur O'Connell in The Great Race
85. Telly Savalas in The Greatest Story Ever Told
86. Norman Bird in The Hill 
87. Ben Johnson in Major Dundee 
88. Donald Sutherland in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
89. Ed Wynn in The Greatest Story Ever Told
90. Jaime Sanchez in The Pawnbroker 
91. Klaus Kinski in For A Few Dollars More
92. Bernard Lee in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold
93. Derek Jacobi in Othello
94. Ernest Borgnine in The Flight of the Phoenix
95. Richard Haydn in The Sound of Music  
96. Mario Adorf in I Knew Her Well
97. Williams Daniels in A Thousand Clowns
98. Mario Brega in For A Few Dollars More
99. Brandon De Wilde in In Harm's Way
100. Henry Fonda in Battle of the Bulge
101. Dennis Hopper in The Sons of Katie Elder
102. Michael Gough in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
103. Desmond Llewelyn in Thunderball 
104. Jeremy Kemp in Operation Crossbow
105. Finlay Currie in Bunny Lake is Missing 
106. Peter Cushing in Dr. Terror's House of Horrors
107. Laurence Harvey in Darling
108. Trevor Howard in Operation Crossbow
109. Robert Ryan in Battle of the Bulge
110. Guy Doleman in The Ipcress File 
111. Dana Andrews in Battle of the Bulge 
112. Jim Hutton in Major Dundee
113. Kirk Douglas in In Harm's Way
114. Harry Andrews in The Agony and the Ecstasy
115. Christopher Plummer in Inside Daisy Clover
116. Adolfi Celi in Thunderball 
117. Gene Saks in A Thousand Clowns
118. James Gregory in The Sons of Katie Elder
119. Tom Tryon in In Harm's Way 
120. James Fox in Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
121. Bernard Lee in Thunderball
122. Rip Torn in The Cincinnati Kid  
123. Hardy Kruger in Lord Jim
124. Maurice Dallimore in The Collector  
125. Martin Landau in The Greatest Story Ever Told 
126. Charles Bronson in The Sandpiper 
127. Michael Anderson Jr. in Major Dundee
128. Martin Balsam in A Thousand Clowns
129. Michael Dunn in Ship of Fools
130. George Segal in Ship of Fools 
131. Robert Redford in Inside Daisy Clover
132. Lee Marvin in Ship of Fools
133. Ian Bannen in Flight of the Phoenix
134. Brock Peters in The Pawnbroker
135. José Ferrer in Ship of Fools
136. Barry Gordon in A Thousand Clowns

Next Year: 1957 Supporting

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1965: Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago

Rod Steiger did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Victor Ipolitovich Komarovsky in Doctor Zhivago.

Doctor Zhivago did receive a best supporting actor nomination, and deservedly so, for Tom Courtenay but Steiger could not get double nominated despite the film being well received by the academy. As I stated in Werner's review there seemed to be some prejudice against a leading man even being thought of as a supporting player, but perhaps also what kept Steiger from being recognized was the nature of Komarovsky. Although Courtenay's Pasha does not exactly end on a light note, he at least started as an optimistic man, Komarovsky though may be the most insidious character in the film. We first meet Komarovsky in the per-revolutionary Russia as a wealthy man who is working his ways on the daughter of his friend. The daughter being Lara (Julie Christie) who Komarovsky goes about seducing, and Steiger is almost the lead of the film in these scenes since Zhivago (Omar Sharif) is very much in the background.

Steiger is brilliant here as he is so effortlessly commanding the role of Komarovsky. Steiger is marvelous in his scene with Christie early on as he basically depicts each step of Komarovsky's method from start to finish. In his earliest scenes Steiger presents himself as a charming enough fellow, that of possible even mentor and father figure to Lara. Steiger though effectively undercuts this by always keeping that lust in Komarovsky's eyes as he slowly woos Lara to accept him. Steiger breaks this though, revealing true extent of his sleaze, as he forces himself upon Lara in a cab ride home. Steiger even plays this scene particularly brutally by showing absolutely no hesitation as Komarovsky does this. Of course even when this ends Steiger reverts partially back to an apparently sensible fellow as he presents Komarovsky once again having a vile warmth as he almost acts as though he was merely leaving a lesson for Lara, but this is not the end of Komarovsky's cruel game by any margin. This continues as Komarovsky even bothers to meet Lara's fiancee Pasha.

Komarovsky though is only continuing to use Lara though as he basically states that she lowered herself by giving in to him. Steiger is absolutely brutal in the scene, which Komarovsky claims is not rape, because Steiger keeps his performance so viciously calms as if the whole thing has all been part of his malicious plan to use Lara then basically throw her away. What stands out most though is Steiger does not just play Komarovsky as just an evil manipulator, even though he is that. Steiger though is most effective perhaps when showing the humanity in Komarovsky along with his disgusting behavior. Steiger is particularly good in the scene where he rushes to find help for Lara's mother who has attempted suicide. Steiger suggests the guilt is still palatable in the man, Steiger presents it not as something that will make him change his ways exactly, but that he's still a man and will feel such things. He's equally great in the scene where Lara takes her revenge by shooting Komarovsky, and Steiger's reaction is perfection. It is less fear, but more of realization that perhaps he did go too far in his manipulations of Lara.

One of the most important aspects of his character is that Komarovsky never seems to lose his status despite all the changes going on around him. The reason being that Komarovsky tries to always play all sides in order to keep people as friends even though he is never their friend. This is well shown in the scene immediately after the shooting where he is treated by Zhivago. Steiger is very charming and even makes himself most likable as he talks with Zhivago and even speaks of Zhivago's father. Steiger is quite persuasive in making Komarovsky a man that's easy to like when you are aware of very little about him, and he pulls this trick off pivotal to the character flawlessly. Komarovsky disappears for some time after this point but he does appear late in the film to visit Lara and Zhivago about their impeding doom due to the powers that be after the revolution. The humanity that Steiger did give to Komarovsky earlier in the film is very important here because it would be quite difficult to understand his reasoning here as he has not much to gain, especially since he does intend to help Zhivago as well. 

Steiger is outstanding in these scenes as well because there is a sense of regret within his demeanor yet still that same treacherous glint in his eyes as though maybe there is yet one more game he is playing. Steiger's best moments within in these is when he tells Zhivago the truth of his situation as there is such passionate nihilism Steiger brings in his delivery. Steiger is particularly effective against the more uplifting work of Sharif, as Sharif presents a man trying to look for the best, Steiger unrepentantly shows a man who is aware of the worst. Komarovsky is a rather complex character to begin with but that in no way means that Steiger had an easy here. Steiger is pivotal in giving Komarovsky the strong presence that he needs making it so you never forget him even when he has a more than an hour long absence from the film. Steiger does this and more as he matches the depth of the character with an equally deep portrayal. Steiger is striking in his depiction of the reprehensible fiend that Komarovsky was. Steiger importantly shows that Komarovsky understands that about himself, but also makes it absolutely convincing why Komarovsky would never pay for his crimes with his memorable portrait of duplicitous ingenuity.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1965

And the Nominees Were Not:

Toshiro Mifune in Red Beard

Rod Steiger in Doctor Zhivago

Ian Bannen in The Hill

Harry Andrews in The Hill

Ian Hendry in The Hill

Oskar Werner in The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

Jack Lemmon in The Great Race 

For the Prediction Contest the Honor goes to:

Andrews

Best Actor 1965: Results

5. Laurence Olivier in Othello- Laurence Olivier is always a master of the language of Shakespeare, but his performance as Othello is not as finely attuned as his other screen performances. It is a theatrical work, that is odd in many ways but I still think it was effective.

 4. Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou- Marvin is properly menacing as the bad brother, and is hilarious as Kid Shelleen the good brother. It is a very enjoyable performance that I  really do not mind that it won at all.

3. Oskar Werner in Ship of Fools- Werner gives a strong performance, and with Simone Signoret create a charming, yet tragic story of two people who find each other for a time. It is terrific, natural work in an otherwise bad film.

2. Rod Steiger in The Pawnbroker- Steiger gives an uncompromising powerful performance, as man who has become pessimistic and lost his humanity due to his horrific treatment. He creates an excellent portrait of this man and gives a truly dark, but an incredibly effective one.

1. Richard Burton in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold- Richard Burton is excellent in showing the dark sad history of this spy, and also his pessimistic view (Another pessimistic character no wonder Marvin won) of his current condition. He handles both the pretending to be a drunken defective and in being in reality a tired yet still functioning and technically loyal spy fed up with loss of humanity with perfection. Burton and Steiger was a hard choice for me, their performances are both equally great.

Deserving Performances:
Sean Connery in The Hill
Omar Sharif in Doctor Zhivago
Sidney Poitier in A Patch of Blue
Lee Van Cleef in For A Few Dollars More
Terrence Stamp in The Collector

Best Actor 1965: Rod Steiger in The Pawnbroker

Rod Steiger received his second Oscar nomination for portraying concentration camp survivor Sol Nazerman in The Pawnbroker.

The Pawnbroker is a dark sometimes haunting film about a Jewish man who's lost any positive feelings towards life due to loss of his family by the Nazis.

Sol Nazerman is a rather interesting character because he does not really act like the sorrowful victim in the film, at least in the way Rod Steiger portrays him. Steiger portrays him indeed as a victim of a terrible crime, not a sorrowful one, but rather a man that it has more of corrupted his world view. He shows sorrow at times, but not for most of the time which is what makes Nazerman such an interesting character. I really came into thought it was at first going to be about a very sad man, dealing with his sadness, but that is not the case.

Sol Nazerman instead became an incredibly pessimistic soul from experience. I think the brief sequences showing Sol before and during his time in the concentration camp. I think especially the opening scene where Steiger shows a happy family man who is happy in his life in his family, a wordless scene but a powerful one because of the difference between Steiger happiness here, and his behavior as the old Sol Nazerman. There also a few brief flashbacks to his time as in the concentration camp itself. These scenes are indeed brief but Steiger completely honest reaction is what makes these scenes so incredibly heartbreaking, since he makes Sol's loss very personal.

Later though Sol has become a pessimistic man who runs a pawn shop in New York City, showing no happiness in his job or his, and more of going through the motions. He is an associated of a crime boss overacted by Brock Peters, who uses his pawn shop as a front for criminal activities. He shows a  distaste for a man at the beginning of the film, but still deals with him nonetheless. He greets everyone though with a distaste viewing all as scum to him, and not worth anything. Steiger makes his pessimism again extremely authentic, which makes his loss of care for man all the more harrowing.

Sol has the thoughts of his past, of what he lost, and what he witnesses. He remembers these events but he does not precisely react initially. He is reminded when he sees current events in the slums he lives that remind of concentration camp events, or also when he barraged by a junkie with Anti-Semitic slurs. Steiger reactions here are interesting because although the film shows him technically think through flashback about the past, Sol's reaction is lacking in emotion. This is not to say that Steiger does not act with these reactions, his performance is extraordinary because Steiger shows that Sol does not really react only because of the lifelessness of the character which Steiger conveys perfectly.

The extreme pessimism and hatred deep inside the character is brilliantly shown by Steiger especially in two key scenes. One is his uncaring, reaction to a friendly woman who only wishes to friendly greet. His darkly stark reaction is uncaring, and cold, a perfect coldness that shows the inner dread and loss in his character. Another scene though where he more loudly, but just as realistically, shows his pessimism to the entire world is when his local employee asks him about how Jewish people are successful. His long speech about his feelings that money is the only thing that matters is hauntingly told by Rod Steiger again due to the matter of fact realistic emotion he brings to Nazerman.

Nazerman though slowly begins to show more profound emotions that not even his world view have completely gotten rid of. The development of these actual emotions come from his slow realization of similarities of his experience and of some individuals in the slums where he works. Steiger slow portrayal of these growing is well handled, since he does not force them or over play them in the least. He displays them quietly but incredibly effectively in two moments, where he cannot shed his feelings of the past any longer. The key scene where he admits to these feelings is when a prostitute tries to offer herself to him, and all he can think of is his wife being raped by the Nazis. A tragic and powerful moment that a truly authentic feeling and heartbreaking because of Steiger. I think even the flash backs get forced after awhile but Steiger himself is always true, and creates a sad meaningful portrayal of a man who has become lost in this film. 

Best Actor 1965

And the Nominees Were:

Richard Burton in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold

Oskar Werner in Ship of Fools

Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou

Rod Steiger in The Pawnbroker

Laurence Olivier in Othello

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Results

5. Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny- Tully does basically nothing with his role which is basically nothing in itself.

4. Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa- O'Brien is okay and certainly seems slimey enough, but he never really becomes more than adequate with this performance.

3. Karl Malden in On the Waterfront- Malden is one of three perfect supporting performances from On the Waterfront. He has all the right passion and strength in to make his important scene appropriately powerful.

2. Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront- Cobb is perfect as the villain of On the Waterfront, making him a realistic and very effective villain. His role perhaps could have been stock but Cobb never makes it so.

1. Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront- All of three of them are great and perfect in their roles, but Steiger merely gave the emotional punch for me. He is always spot on as Charley, and His performance in the famous cab scene just strikes a perfect emotional note for me and that is what makes Steiger my third actor to win twice.

Deserving Performances:Raymond Burr in Rear Window
Van Johnson in The Caine Mutiny

Best Supporting Actor 1954: Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront

Rod Steiger received his first Oscar nomination for playing Charley Malloy, Terry Malloy's brother in On the Waterfront.

Charley stands in a more to the middle point on the moral scale, although learning toward the evil side. Charley though is not really completely evil,  but he certainly is not good either. Steiger is not actually in the film that much. For the early scenes of the film he mostly acts as a yes man of sorts for Johnny Friendly. He is always backing up Friendly, and also trying to convince his brother Terry to stay on the "right" path. Steiger is good at showing that Charley cares about his brother, but at the same time still holds his own interests, and the interests of Friendly first. He has the right amount of cockiness and matter of factness in these scenes.

The early section of his performance is fine but nothing overly special actually, but it does not need to be either. The important part of his performance comes from two scenes that focus quite a bit on Steiger. The first scene being when he tries to convince Friendly that he will talk to Terry. Steiger puts all the right anguish and pain into this scene. He is incredibly effective here, because he shows he truly wants to save his brother but is still interested in himself still. The way he says "he's my brother", is just perfect. Steiger puts the right amount of power into his face, showing all the right fear and and regret. Steiger makes Charley sympathtic in this one scene despite the fact he had been just a yes man before this.

The greatest scene of his performance is the famous car scene. Now this scene might seem just like it is only Brando's scene, but Steiger is also essential to making the scene as powerful as it is. Steiger begins in Charley's earlier fashion trying to act like the confidant deep thinker, trying to convince Terry to not testify. Steiger is just perfect when he realizes Terry will not do it. His sadness and regrests are perfectly conveyed by Steiger. The best though is when Terry can't believe Charley would pull a gun out on him, and when Terry states the famous line. Steiger is perfect when he shows he can barely get the words out and that Charley himself really cannot understand what he is doing. All his smartness of before is perfectly stripped of him by Steiger. Charley breakdown is completely rings true, and is truly effective due to Steiger. He perfectly shows Charley's own regrets and sadness at what he did to his own brother. Steiger reactions to everything Brando does is spot on. Both are finely attuned with each other in this scene, and plays off each other perfectly. Both actors are downright perfect in this scene, making it one of the most powerful I have ever seen. 

Best Supporting Actor 1954

And the Nominees were:

Rod Steiger in On the Waterfront

Lee J. Cobb in On the Waterfront

Karl Malden in On the Waterfront

Edmond O'Brien in The Barefoot Contessa

Tom Tully in The Caine Mutiny

Who do you Pick? Who do you Predict?

Best Actor 1967: The Results

5. Spencer Tracy in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner- Tracy is very effective a lot of the time in his last performance. He overacts a little bit at times but his last speech is brilliant.

4. Warren Beatty in Bonnie and Clyde- Warren Beatty relies to little on his acting skills at times, but he certainly shows he does have them at other times, making a good although uneven performance. I upped his score because I felt he deserved more credit for what he did right.

3. Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate- Hoffman is very good in the Graduate using just the right amount of uneasiness to create Braddock in a memorable character. His scenes with Bancroft are brilliant and he carries the film very well.

2. Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke- No one could have played Luke like Newman. Newman finds the right way to create Luke using his presence, making a memorable character. 

1. Rod Steiger in In the Heat of the Night- I will admit maybe some do not see what I see in this performance, but I see it nonetheless. I believe Steiger brilliant creates the depth of Gillespie so perfectly, and he and Poitier create incredibly memorable scenes together because of their perfectly attuned performances.

Deserving Performances:
Sidney Poitier in In the Heat of the Night