Best Actor 1968: Results

5. Ron Moody in Oliver- Moody gives a very enjoyable performance in Oliver. He really comes off well as Fagin and he handles his songs very well.

4. Cliff Robertson in Charly- I can take or leave Robertson's first half of his performance but his transition phase and final phase of the performance are terrific.

3. Alan Arkin in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter- Arkin gives a heartbreaking portrayal of a man trying to silently make a human connection.

2. Alan Bates in The Fixer- Bates is very effective and gives a truly sympathetic performance. 

1. Peter O'Toole in The Lion in Winter- O'Toole is plainly brilliant as Henry the second.

Best Actor 1968: Ron Moody in Oliver!

Ron Moody received his only Oscar nomination for playing Fagin in Oliver!. Fagin is a strange old criminal who gives shelter to boys so they can pick pocket people for him.

Oliver! is the musical version of Dicken's tale Oliver Twist. Many people hold great disdain for the film, not me. I do not love it by any measure but I do enjoy watching it, even though it is so over the top. But that might be part of the reason I enjoy it. Fagin is not truly the lead but he might as well be because Oliver himself is rather boring, and boringly played by Mark Lester. Fagin is actually one of the few characters I cared about and might as well be the lead then.

Moody plays Fagin in a fully immersed sort of way, with all the mannerisms, and gestures that go with Fagin. I like what does with the role, and find most of the mannerisms work such as the as posture and the hand gestures. Although at times it can seem a bit theatrical but then again its Oliver!. I like his musical numbers, and his performance is entertaining and enjoyable as Fagin, but not mind blowing. I enjoyed his songs the most and I did think he went a little beyond just entertaining when he is talking about his old age, but still he never went extremely deep. Then again he does not really need to. I liked this performance for its entertainment value, and the few subtle qualities about it. Not amazing but I do like the performance.

Best Actor 1968

And the Nominees were:

Alan Arkin in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

Alan Bates in The Fixer

Cliff Robertson in Charly

Ron Moody in Oliver

Peter O'Toole in The Lion in Winter