Alternate Best Actor 1979: Results

10. James Mason in Murder By Decree - Mason gives one of the best turns as Watson, emphasizing the character's low key manner compared to Christopher Plummer's Sherlock. 

Best Scene: Dealing with the prostitute. 

9. Steve Martin in The Jerk - Martin gives an entertaining turn of just emphasizing the blunt dumbness of his character. 

Best Scene: Unearned excitement. 

8. Frank Langella in Dracula - Langella successfully reworks the role of Dracula to that of a cunning and alluring romantic figure, though still vicious in his own right.  

Best Scene: Introduction. 

7. George C. Scott in Hardcore - Although I wouldn't say the film around him is the strongest, Scott gives a compelling portrayal of a man descent into both violence and the world of pornography.  

Best Scene: Attempted apology.

6. Klaus Kinski in Woyzeck - Kinski gives one of his most subdued performances, powerfully showing a man pushed around until  he's pushed too far.  

Best Scene: The murder. 

5. Malcolm McDowell in Time After Time - McDowell delivers a surprisingly charming and endearing turn that makes for a proper hero, a proper romantic and a proper man out of his time. 

Best Scene: Negotiations with Ripper.

4. Ben Gazzara in Saint Jack -  Gazzara gives a vivid characterization that so well realizes this man who seems to not care, but probably cares more than anyone would ever believe. 

Best Scene: CPR

3. Alexander Kaidanovsky in Stalker - Kaidanovsky gives a brilliant portrayal of a guide who treats his particular expertise with a religious like reverence, conviction and even anxiety. 

Best Scene: Ending. 

2. Patrick Dewaere in Série Noire - Dewaere delivers a brilliant completely off the wall performance, that just has so many weird choices yet they all pay off so wonderfully well. 

Best Scene: Final conversation with his wife.

1. Ken Ogata in Vengeance is Mine - Good prediction Bryan. Ogata gives a great uncompromising depiction of a serial killer, showing the callousness of the man through ever step of his merciless journey. I'll admit in this list, and the overall, my winner isn't decided by unanimous thought, nor is this even an example of having to choose between two performances, I could make a case in my mind for any of my top five. Ogata's cold brilliance, Burns's heartbreaking earnestness, Dourif's pure id, Dewaere's off the wall insanity, or Scheider going against type and achieving sheer greatness. I could swing to any five on the right day, I'll admit that but for now #1 is the #1. 

Best Scene: Final conversation with his father. 

Updated Overall

Next: 1979 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1979: Steve Martin in The Jerk

Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Navin R. Johnson in The Jerk.

 

The Jerk is an enjoyably dumb comedy about a jerk going through life. 

 

The Jerk marked Steve Martin's successful breakout from stand-up comedian, who occasionally cameod in films, to a full-on movie star. This is an interesting film to look at in terms of Steve Martin's later more expected presence which was a more white-collarish jerk, where he played a distinctly blue-collar jerk. Although more importantly than that, Martin later would play an intelligent man where the comedy of his work came from that in some context, particularly the idea as the smartest man in the room one way or another. This is the opposite as his Navin R. Johnson is always the dumbest man in the room right when we seem to see him in his sharecropper roots. Martin's accent he uses here I think is perhaps the greatest risk of this performance, which is really on a certain tight rope of goofiness, to begin with, and is rather wonderful in just how dumb his voice is. It isn't quite a southern accent, instead, it is best described as a stupid accent, a very stupid accent that manages to be hilarious in its odd dumbness. His way of not quite being anything that makes sense just makes for perfect sense in creating a strangely endearing kind of dumb for his Navin as we see him move from his rural life to find his fortune. 

What this performance then becomes is this series of Martin being funny as a complete idiot and getting into ridiculous situations often due to Navin's idiocy or by mere happenstance. Martin's work here is pure in the sense of him just trying to be as funny as possible with his overly earnest delivery which might be the key to his portrayal of Navin as the jerk. This as Martin is kind of everything you'd want in this performance, as there is the right lack of awareness that Martin brings as the fool. A kind of essential ingredient that is interesting to see upon reflection given Martin would be known for smarter seeming characters. Martin's approach wholly works in his foolishness because there's just something pure about his smile that suggests little to few thoughts of Navin as he first finds work at a car garage. A place where we get great comedic timing from Martin whether it be his hapless reactions to his boss (Jackie Mason)'s strange advice, or his physical comedy goes around with a sort of incompetence. That run of his alone is needed for a bit of analysis for comedy. It is just the right kind of dumb, natural unnatural dumbness. It is too much, but also not too much. A highlight of Martin's approach perhaps finding his closet apartment where the excitement in his voice and wonder in his eyes as he looks at the dingy place is hilarious because Martin is too much, but there is something strangely authentic about it as well. He makes it that Navin is a ridiculous fool, but in that foolishness, his delight at his crappy apartment is 100% true. 

I think a great example of just this is when we see him find two very different lovers one a rough-around-the-edges stunt woman and the other a sweet woman, Marie (Bernadette Peters). With the latter, there is a scene of the two talking that is hilarious as Martin shows Navin's particular ineptness that Marie for whatever reason finds absolutely endearing. The thing is it is endearing because of the pitch-perfect nature of Martin's performance. Martin says completely stupid lines like asking Marie to think of her boyfriend when making love to him, but he says them with this sort of boyish honesty that makes it so funny. The film's romance itself is really dumb, right to an initial kiss of Navin's being licking Marie, which Martin does in such stride, which is also what is so funny. Martin shows the key of trying not to be funny is often the key to hilariousness and here we get kind of a great mix of trying to be funny, while also being funny, and trying not to be funny and being funny. Martin knows how to fluctuate his performance from going all in, such as the silly way he evokes Bruce Lee in a sudden battle with racists, or his quiet "seriousness" when a lost soul is forgotten by society. Both are Martin throwing all of himself in from the strict conviction of a battle stance as a fighter to a dumb saunter of the loathsome creature attempting redemption. Martin's work here has no higher purpose here, but he does not need it. This is just Martin being funny, by so purely being this idiot, and doing so in a way that is truly delightful in its idiotic ways.

Alternate Best Actor 1979

And the Nominees Were Not:

Frank Langella in Dracula

 

Malcolm McDowell in Time After Time 

Steve Martin in The Jerk

 

Alexander Kaidanovsky in Stalker

James Mason in Murder By Decree

Predict Those Five, These Five or Both:

Ken Ogata in Vengeance is Mine

 

Patrick Dewaere in Série Noire

 

Ben Gazzara in Saint Jack

Klaus Kinski in Woyzeck

George C. Scott in Hardcore

Alternate Best Actor 1987: Results

10. Gaspard Manesse in Au Revoir Les Enfants -Manesse gives a fine natural turn however his performance is largely limited as the perspective of a mostly naive young boy.

Best Scene: The ending.

9. Steve Martin in Roxanne - Martin gives a surprisingly respectful sendoff of the Cyrano character re-imagined as a fireman, though I perhaps wish he stayed even truer to the spirit of the original.

Best Scene: Smelling fire.

8. Joe Mantegna in House of Games - Mantegna is limited by the character however he gives effective portrayals of the many different sides of a con man, from the sucker, to the smooth operator, and even just the slime ball beneath it all.

Best Scene: "Thank you sir, may I have another"

7. Klaus Kinski in Cobra Verde - Kinski as usually makes an impact in his emotionally raw turn however his work is constricted by the film's distant perspective character.

Best Scene: How to spear

6. Martin Short in Innerspace - Short gives an absolutely hilarious portrayal of an especially unlikely hero, but he also naturally finds some dramatic substance in his character's journey towards confidence.

Best Scene: The dream in reality.

5. Christian Bale in Empire of the Son - Bale gives a dramatic and compelling portrayal of the gradual maturation of a young boy through the horrors of war. His work though often seems strangely at odds with Steven Spielberg who seems often too timid to make a story about the loss of innocence.

Best Scene: After the bombings. 

4. Terry O'Quinn in The Stepfather - O'Quinn is in a garbage film however he breaths a genuinely chilling life into a man who thrives on the love of family but does so through killing them.

Best Scene: Who am I?

3. Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride - Elwes gives a somewhat underrated turn, in a highly regarded film, as his work captures just the perfect tone between earnest charisma, and sly comedy.

Best Scene: "Drop your sword"

2. Richard E. Grant in Withnail and I - Richard E. Grant delivers a marvelous feature film debut in his varied comical, yet not without pathos, portrayal of an actor trying his best to play the play that is his life.

Best Scene: Hamlet in the rain.

1. Mickey Rourke in Angel Heart - Rourke tops this list with ease in his charismatic yet also brilliantly exhaustive portrayal of a vicious mental and moral decay of a man as he descends towards hell.

Best Scene: "I know who I am"

Updated Overall

Next Year: 1987 supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1987: Steve Martin in Roxanne

Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, winning NSFC and LAFCA, for portraying C. D. "Charlie" Bales in Roxanne.

Roxanne is an enjoyable enough modern re-telling of Cyrano de Bergerac re envisioned about a long nosed firemen and tennis racket fencer searching for his titular love.

I have previously covered Cyranos in the form of the Oscar winning and Oscar nominated performances of Jose Ferrer and Gerard Depardieu respectively. The comedic performer Martin, who also wrote this film, one would assume would have a different intention overall for Cyrano which is less comedic and much more tragic than in its original form. Martin though actually doesn't fully subvert the idea of the character and in many ways embraces the traditional part even beyond the character's extended facial non conformity. This is right within the character's profession as a firemen that lends itself naturally to heroic sort, and Martin very much plays into the heroic nature of the character, though perhaps with a certain cheekiness. This from the outset where he helps the titular Roxanne (Daryl Hannah) get back into her house after being locked out...naked of course. Martin doesn't creep it up exactly though delivers a certain sly smile when telling the rest of the firemen there isn't anything too exciting about the job.

The way Martin portrays Charlie going about the job though is with this very straight forward confidant demeanor. The same is even true for when he battles some hecklers with his tennis racket, which while ridiculous as a concept Martin does present it with this strange sincerity in a way. This actually adds to the comedy since Martin plays it like an actual duel rather just a few guys goofing around. In an interesting way Martin clearly holds the role of Cyrano in great esteem since he never makes fun of the character or the idea of it. Although this is a comedy Martin doesn't ever insult the nature of the original story. This is within moments of strict earnestness within his performance such as a scene of helping kids on a roof. Martin delivers a natural warmth within that confidence of a man who wishes to do the right thing. The same is with the central romance with the titular woman where the long nosed Charlie, just as Cyrano finds himself in dangerous territory in the friend zone. Martin though in these early interactions delivers his lines without sarcasm presenting a man genuinely smitten, even if it is not returned to him.

Oddly enough the parts where he is least Cyrano are also the parts that are most traditionally Steve Martin as a comic performer. This being the famous moment of Cyrano taking down one of his nose heckler by delivery proper nose insults. This is reworked as Charlie rattles off insults based on different subjects, and Martin kind of falls upon his more traditional comedic presence. His timing is of course good, and he delivers the scene well in a comedic sense. I don't think it necessarily is entirely true to the rest of the presentation of the character. Martin isn't bad in this scene at all, in fact he rather funny, but his portrayal of Charlie's Bravado feels a touch standard. This is especially when compared to the rest of his performance that seeks to be much more the real Cyrano, even with that modern bent. This isn't to say I expected Martin to fully replicate what Ferrer did so well, I mean he did even bother to get the really bland main two co-stars, but rather his other scenes feel like a proper riff on that where that scene is more just Martin the comic. This perhaps falls more into the film not really being overly ambitious. It mostly just a loving tribute to the original, and that is Martin's performance. It seeks to lovingly allude to the Cyrano that came before as Charlie, with a bit more comedy, but not much more than that. It never quite reaches this greater grandiose styling it occasionally seems to try to achieve.  This even in the more earnest moments that slowly feel more traditional romantic comedy with Martin as the hapless romantic, though still with that undercurrent of the poet at times. It's a fun performance, even a delightful one at times. It however isn't even Martin's best performance from 1987 with his straight man turn in Planes, Trains and Automobiles leaving a greater impression.

Alternate Best Actor 1987

And the Nominees Were Not:

Cary Elwes in The Princess Bride

Joe Mantegna in House of Games

Richard E. Grant in Withnail and I

Steve Martin in Roxanne

Gaspard Manesse in Au Revoir Les Enfants

Predict those five, these five or both.

Mickey Rourke in Angel Heart

Terry O'Quinn in The Stepfather

Klaus Kinski in Cobra Verde

Martin Short in Innerspace

Christian Bale in Empire of the Sun

Alternate Best Actor 1988: Michael Caine and Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Michael Caine did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying Lawrence Jamieson and Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Freddy Benson in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is an enjoyable film about two rather different con men making a wager of which one can extort a rich American woman.

For the film we get perhaps get a somewhat unusual team up between Michael Caine and Steve Martin, although actually it feels quite natural as the two often play some form of scoundrel to begin with so here we get to see both fully embrace that side of their onscreen persona. Both are well cast in their respective roles and in creating their respective types as con men. Caine emphasizing very much his most suave English qualities at his disposal and offers the proper sort of grace for the character. That grace of course being this dignified method of conning women out of their cash by pretending to be a Prince in need of funds. Caine exudes such an upbringing so well though with that little glint in his eyes that always reminds of his true intentions. This is against Martin he is a bit less subtle since he's a far less subtle conman, going for the small gains, but in a big way. Martin is a terrific other side of the coin by presenting the completely unabashed style going big in the right way as his Freddy isn't afraid to look utterly pathetic in order to steal meal. Although these two both setup their differing characters well what makes this film work is cramming the two unlike pairs together.

The two's dynamic is a delight given how well their atypical chemistry comes together through their very different styles. Caine, who actually can go rather overt when he wants to as well, wisely keeps his Lawrence the far more subdued of the two, which works quite well against Martin's portrayal of Freddy's fairly bombastic approach to conning. The two are initially quite enjoyable by delivering this extreme clash as the two try to outsmart the other in a more general sense. Caine bringing almost cutthroat sort of deviousness with everyone of his knowing smiles, against Martin who just plays so well into the outrageous behavior of Freddy. Martin goes about taking every moment in bringing not a hint of modesty particularly in a scene where we see Freddy almost parading around in some of his ill-gotten games, and Martin is hilarious by being as coarse as Caine is refined. The two clash so well and I especially enjoy just the initial reactions to each other with Caine conveying a low key disgust against Martin's intrigue and a bit of confusion at his upper class rival.

When the two initially seem to come together, although it is in fact just a ploy by Lawrence to get rid of Freddy, we are granted the great dynamic the two share for much of the film. As we get Caine playing very much the straight man, well to a certain degree as he always captures that duplicitous nature of Lawrence even when he's working with Freddy, against Martin's performance. Martin often actually will often play the straight man himself and this a great example of him doing anything but. This is particularly seen in the series of scenes where Freddy helps Lawrence rid himself of some of his conned women by posing as the Prince's stunted brother. Both Caine and Martin are so enjoyable in these scenes by how well they make them work. Martin is very much off the deep end with his strange twangy accent, and the ridiculousness of his apelike physical performance, which is made all the funnier by the way Caine reacts to it. Caine giving this sincere affection with only the occasional respectful correction towards Martin in these moments is what makes them truly work. Martin goes off to sea, but Caine offers the right anchor in every moment.

Thankfully this continues though in an altered way as the two men make a bet to outfox the other in trying to con the seemingly rich and naive American Janet (Glenne Headly) out of her money. Each taking up a different approach with a Caine going the quieter route, though quieter in that he is a quietly manipulative German psychiatrist, against Martin's more overtly manipulative crippled navy man though only crippled due to a mental trauma. Each are just splendid in their own ways with Caine having such a striking undercurrent of deviousness at everyone of his concerned deliveries about Martin's Freddy though with that sinister intention in his eyes, and the always joyous grins to set him up for failure. Martin meanwhile is comic gold in being such an overt sad sack in every regard. I especially love his reactions of hidden pain when Caine sadistically tests his "injury" or his hilarious wailing when he sees Lawrence dance with Janet, since dancing "caused" Freddy's "injury". The two make so much out of every single setup. Now there is a bit of a divide though as Martin stays wholly vapid, though purposefully so even as Freddy tries to seduce Janet, while Caine slowly portrays a concern for her when it is revealed she is in fact poor. Again this isn't given too much focus however Caine makes the transition work for just a few moments, plus importantly does not drop the comedic nature of his scenes with Martin. The two are simply wonderful to watch together and let us in on the fun they seem to be having in portraying Lawrence and Freddy getting ahead of each other, then eventually both of them meeting a mutual failure.

Alternate Best Actor 1988

And the Nominees Were Not:

John Neville in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

Michael Keaton in Clean and Sober

Willem Dafoe in The Last Temptation of Christ

Daniel Day-Lewis in The Unbearable Lightness of Being 

Michael Caine in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

Steve Martin in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

For Prediction Purposes:

Caine out of the Scoundrels

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1986: Results

5. Raul Julia in The Morning After- Julia is going against a terrible film, but he does rise enough above it to give some depth to a role.

Best Scene: The Revelation.

4. Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors- Martin may peak with his song, but that is one entertaining peak to reach.

Best Scene: "Dentist!"

3. Brian Cox in Manhunter- Cox gives us his own Hannibal that emphasizing the intelligence once again, but with with a very effective more down to earth style.

Best Scene: Hannibal's introduction.

2. Daniel Day-Lewis in A Room With A View- Day-Lewis gives a brilliant portrayal of the ultimate Edwardian man which he makes amusing in the extremity yet completely natural to his character.

Best Scene: Lucy breaks off the engagement with Cecil.

1. Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet- Good Predictions Psifonian, Lezlie, Maciej, RatedRStar,  and Michael McCarthy. Despite this year having several strong strong supporting performances I have no hesitations in rewarding Hopper the win here. He is absolutely amazing with his searing and completely unforgettable depiction of the twisted Frank Booth.

Best Scene: "In Dreams" 

Overall Rank

1. Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet
2. Tom Berenger in Platoon
3. Daniel Day-Lewis in A Room With A View
4. Alan Ruck in Ferris Bueller's Day Off 
5. John Goodman in True Stories
6. Willem Dafoe in Platoon
7. Dean Stockwell in Blue Velvet
8. Ray Liotta in Something Wild
9. John C. McGinley in Platoon 
10. Michael Caine in Hannah and Her Sisters
11. Tom Noonan in Manhunter
12. Brian Cox in Manhunter
13. Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors
14. Michael Caine in Mona Lisa
15. Levi Stubbs in Little Shop of Horrors
16. Vincent Price in The Great Mouse Detective
17. Forest Whitaker in The Color of Money 
18. Raul Julia in The Morning After
19. Lance Henriksen in Aliens
20. Dennis Hopper in Hoosiers
21. Allan Edwall in The Sacrifice 
22. Corey Feldman in Stand By Me
23. Woody Allen in Hannah and Her Sisters 
24. Michael Biehn in Aliens
25. Jerry O'Connell in Stand By Me
26. Chow Yun-Fat in A Better Tomorrow
27. John Glover in 52 Pick Up
28. Denholm Elliott in Defence of the Realm
29. Robbie Coltrane in Mona Lisa
30. Paul Reiser in Aliens
31. Clancy Brown in Highlander
32. Bill Paxton in Aliens
33. Ted Sorel in From Beyond
34. Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher
35. Jeffrey Jones in Ferris Bueller's Day Off
36. Pops Staples in True Stories
37. John Kraaijkamp in The Assault
38. Michael Hordern in Lady Jane
39. James Hong in Big Trouble in Little China 
40. Max von Sydow in Hannah and Her Sisters
41. Bill Murray in Little Shop of Horrors
42. Helmut Qualtinger in The Name of the Rose 
43. Vincent Gardenia in Little Shop of Horrors
44. Spalding Gray in True Stories
45. Clarence Williams III in 52 Pick Up
46. George Dickerson in Blue Velvet
47. Sven Wollter in The Sacrifice
48. Dennis Farina in Manhunter
49. John Ingles in True Stories
50. Kiefer Sutherland in Stand By Me
51. Forest Whitaker in Platoon
52. Dennis Dun in Big Trouble in Little China
53. Keith David in Platoon
54. William Hope in Aliens
55. Michel Piccoli in Mauvais Sang
56. Robert Loggia in That's Life
57. Conrad Roberts in The Mosquito Coast
58. Carey Elwes in Lady Jane
59. Ray McNally in The Mission
60. Victory Wong in Big Trouble in Little China
61. Kevin Dillon in Platoon
62. Ken Foree in From Beyond
63. F. Murray Abraham in The Name of the Rose
64. Francesco Quinn in Platoon
65. Val Bettin in The Great Mouse Detective
66. Liam Neeson in The Mission
67. Val Kilmer in Top Gun 
68. Sean Connery in Highlander
69. Anthony Edwards in Top Gun
70. David Bowie in Labyrinth  
71. Stephen Lang in Manhunter
72. Chris Penn in At Close Range
73. Denholm Elliot in A Room With A View
74. Ron Perlman in The Name of the Rose
75. Charles Dance in The Golden Child
76. Simon Callow in A Room With A View
77. Barry Miller in Peggy Sue Got Married
78. Philip Bosco in Children of a Lesser God
79. Brad Dourif in Blue Velvet
80. Tom Skerritt in Top Gun
81. Leonard Nimoy in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
82. Bill Pullman in Ruthless People
83. Michael Lonsdale in The Name of the Rose
84. DeForest Kelley in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home
85. Victor Wong in The Golden Child
86. Patrick Stewart in Lady Jane
87. Rupert Graves in A Room With A View
88. John Turturro in The Color of Money
89. Michael Ironside in Top Gun
90. Kevin O'Connor in Peggy Sue Got Married
91. Reni Santoni in Cobra
92. Jim Belushi in Salvador
93. Hippolyte Girardot in Manon des Sources
94. Yuj Okumoto in The Karate Kid Part II
95. Martin Scorsese in 'Round Midnight
96. Alan Young in The Great Mouse Detective
97. James Hong in The Golden Child 
98. Danny Kamekona in The Karate Kid Part II
99. John Savage in Salvador
100. Alfonso Arau in The Three Amigos
101. David Byrne in True Stories
102. John Getz in The Fly
103. Nicolas Cage in Peggy Sue Got Married
104. Mario Van Peebles in Heartbreak Ridge
105. Mark Blum in Crocodile Dundee
106. David Kagen in Friday the 13th Part VI
107. Andre Gregory in The Mosquito Coast
108. Andrew Schofield in Sid and Nancy
109. Austin Pendleton in Short Circuit
110. Fisher Stevens in Short Circuit
111. Tom Fridley in Friday the 13th Part VI
112. Brian Thompson in Cobra

Next Year: 2009 lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1986: Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors

Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Orin Scrivello, DDS, in Little Shop of Horrors.

Little Shop of Horrors is a very enjoyable musical comedy about a sad sack Seymour (Ric Moranis) who discovers a most unusual plant that offers him fame and fortune but it wants human blood in return. I should note I actually prefer the good ending found in the theatrical cut. This is for several reasons. Firstly stage and screen are not the same and tonally things do not always transfer perfectly so changes need to be. Secondly having the lead be Moranis makes it so the happy end is the best because he is just so darn likable, even when he is making Faustian deals you can help but feel for him. Thirdly the whole "Don't Feed the Plants" scene may be impressive to look at, but it just goes on for way too long.

Steve Martin plays the abusive boyfriend of Seymour's love interest Audrey (Ellen Greene), that's not the important part of his character. The important part is that being a sadistic dentist which is portrayed in a hilarious song number as he describes his reasons for his profession which is simply because of his love of causing things pain. Martin is usually best known for his dead pan comedic performances but this one is a broadly comic portrayal which was probably unavoidable considering it involves a song sequence. Anyway Martin plays the role as basically a twisted Elvis impersonator as he tries to inflict as much pain as possible to other around which is best shown in his first and best scene his song.

Martin's performance is completely hilarious in the song as he delivers with the song particularly brilliantly. He changes from one moment to the next with whether it is emphasizing the impersonation, or at times kind of the big singing known in the fancier type of romantic musicals, and other times with a psychotically intense voice. Each switch is perfectly place to accentuate the hilarity of the sequence. To only add on top of that his physical performance is also comedic gold as he wields his arms almost as weapons of death constantly threatening all humans who may be nearby him. Martin pulls out every single possible ounce of humor in the scene and he successfully makes the whole dentist song scene one of the strongest in the film. 

Martin other great scene is when he has a patient played by Bill Murray who unfortunately for him is a masochist. The two comedians play off each perfectly with with Martin going as intense as possible in his the pleasure he gets out of his vicious attempts to cause the man discomfort, and Murray playing off it by showing the man to love every single moment of it to well an orgasmic extent. The best moment of the scene though easily comes when Martin's character throws him out and it is ridiculously funny just how much disgust Martin displays in the dentist, as it is quite obvious that the dentist only likes it when he is the one having fun. That also is a great scene, and Martin is only in about four scenes to begin with.

Well the other two are a little less funny, but then again that is a bit hard to match considering the quality of the other two. Don't get me wrong he is still quite enjoyable in these two other scenes particularly his expression when he realizes he's going to die from his laughing gas machine. They are not nearly as entertaining as the other two but that is far less Martin and much more caused by the limitations presented to him. Nevertheless Martin proves himself quite capable in the broader style of comedy and is still one of the best parts of the film. Although he's merely good in two of his scenes opposed to being great like he is in his other two scenes, but I suppose that's good enough.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1986

And the Nominees Were Not:

Daniel Day-Lewis in A Room With A View

Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet

Brian Cox in Manhunter

Steve Martin in Little Shop of Horrors

Raul Julia in The Morning After

Alternate Best Actor 1984: Results

5. Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop- Murphy is funny in his funny scene but quite lacking in his dramatic scenes.

Best Scene: Any one of his purely comic scenes. 

4. Steve Martin in All of Me- Martin gives an enjoyable performance as at first a straight man, than later very entertainingly as a man with another person sharing his body.

Best Scene: Edwina tries to act like a man when Roger falls asleep in court. 

3. Robert De Niro in Once Upon a Time in America- De Niro carries this epic by powerfully portraying both the violent youth, and the haunted age of a career criminal.

Best Scene: Noodles meets Secretary Bailey.

2. Philip Baker Hall in Secret Honor- Hall shows how one should portray Nixon in his effective performance that makes for an outstanding one man show.

Best Scene: The whole film since it is one long scene.

1. Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas- Harry Dean Stanton gives a great subtle performance as a man trying to rebuild himself. It is a quiet but deeply moving performance that shows his abilities as an actor goes far beyond the usual small parts he is given.

Best Scene: Travis tells his story to his wife.

Overall Rank:

1. F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus
2. Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas
3. Haing S. Ngor in The Killing Fields
4. Tom Hulce in Amadeus
5. John Hurt in The Hit
6. Philip Baker Hall in Secret Honor
7. John Hurt in 1984
8. Terence Stamp in The Hit
9. Mickey Rourke in The Pope of Greenwich Village
10. John Hurt in Champions
11. Robert De Niro in Once Upon a Time in America
12. John Lone in The Iceman
13. Bill Murray in Ghostbusters
14. Mel Gibson in Mrs. Soffel
15. Steve Martin in All of Me 
16. Tsutomu Yamazaki in The Funeral
17. Albert Finney in Under the Volcano 
18. Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom  
19. Sam Waterston in The Killing Fields
20. Matthew Modine in Birdy
    
21. Clint Eastwood in Tightrope 
22. Keith Carradine in Choose Me
23. John Lynch in Cal
24. Michael Douglas in Romancing the Stone
25. Christopher Guest in This is Spinal Tap 
26. Victor Banerjee in A Passage to India
27. Anthony Hopkins in The Bounty 
28. Jack Lemmon in Mass Appeal
29. Michael McKean in This is Spinal Tap 
30. Michael Palin in A Private Function
31. Sam Shepard in Country
32. Mel Gibson in The Bounty 
33. Ralph Macchio in The Karate Kid 
34. Francisco Rabal in Los Santos Innocentes 
    
35. Michael Biehn in The Terminator
36. Woody Allen in Broadway Danny Rose 
37. Dudley Moore in Micki & Maude
38. Matt Dillon in The Flamingo Kid 
39. Nicolas Cage in Birdy
    
40. Craig Wasson in Body Double
41. Ryan O'Neal in Irreconcilable Differences
42. Michel Piccoli in Dangerous Moves
43. John Lurie in Stranger Than Paradise 
44. John Cassavetes in Love Streams
45. Alexandre Arbatt in Dangerous Moves
46. Alfredo Landa in Los Santos Innocentes
47. Arnold Schwarzenegger in The Terminator  
48. Emilio Estevez in Repo Man 
49. Patrick Swayze in Red Dawn 
50. Robert Redford in The Natural
51. Gregory Hines in The Cotton Club
52. Kevin Bacon in Footloose
53. Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop
54. Howard E. Rollins in A Soldier's Story
55. Timothy Hutton in The Iceman 
56. Lance Guest in The Last Starfigher 
57. William Shatner in Star Trek III  
58. Mel Gibson in The River
59. Christopher Lambert in Greystoke 
60. Zach Galligan in Gremlins  
61. Kyle MacLachlan in Dune
62. Noah Hathaway in The Neverending Story 
63. Zeljko Ivanek in Mass Appeal
64. Jeff Bridges in Star Man 
65. Eric Roberts in The Pope of Greenwich Village
66. Christopher Reeve in The Bostonians
67. Tom Hanks in Splash
68. Richard Gere in The Cotton Club
69. Barret Oliver in The Neverending Story
70. Steven Guttenberg in Police Academy 
71. Anthony Perkins in Crimes of Passion
72. John Laughlin in Crimes of Passion

Next Year: 1960

Alternate Best Actor 1984: Steve Martin in All of Me

Steve Martin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Roger Cobb in All of Me.

All of Me is an enjoyable comedy about a lawyer Roger Cobb who finds suddenly that he is sharing his body with the soul of a deceased heiress and former client Edwina Cutwater (Lily Tomlin).

I decided to review Steve Martin in his role here not only because Martin is an actor who has been consistently ignored by the Academy but as well because Martin actually won both the NSFC and the NYFCC for Best Actor. This means that he was given the award over F. Murray Abraham in Amadeus, which he means he must obviously have given a better performance than Abraham, well obviously not, but it is interesting that both critics groups awarded Martin for his almost entirely comedic performance with only really rather slight dramatic moments that are still comedic to a degree.

Steve Martin at the beginning of the film is very much a straight man at the beginning of his film. He is the lawyer Roger Cobb who acts a facilitator for Edwina's will to a young woman Terry Hoskins (Victoria Tennant) which she is making believing that after he impending death she will transfer her soul into Terry's body. Martin gives a very enjoyable performance here early on pretty much giving what would be any normal person's reaction to hearing the plans of these people. Technically speaking setting up the parts of the plot could have moved slowly, but it moves quiet quickly though through Martin's hilarious reactions to the absurdity of the situation.

Martin though gets into less of a straight man part when accidentally Edwina's soul goes into Cobb's body rather than the intended and must share his body with her. Cobb controlling one side Edwina controlling the other side. Martin antics with this body problem does make up most of the film, and most of his performance so it is a good thing that Martin makes the most of the idea. An important reason perhaps that Martin's portrayal of this works so well is that he does still play it straight technically speaking. Yes he is being controlled at times by a woman, but Martin still does always portray Cobb's reactions very much those of a down to earth person in this ridiculous situation.

Martin effectively portrays Cobb's bizarre situation both physically and really psychologically. His strange walk of the combination of the feminine side and the masculine side is both believably, as believably as it can be anyway, played as well as extremely amusing as well. All of the mannerisms he does to portray the tendencies half of his body develops from Edwina's control are all very funny becuase of Martin's portrayal. He has a wonderful combination here though of the more flamboyant moments in portraying her control, as well as straighter moments of Roger's frustrations of being in the situation. Always whatever aspect of Roger's predicament Martin turns into comedic gold here.

I suppose though what might of helped Martin secure those to prodigious critic awards though is the fact that Martin does manage to make the more dramatic aspects of his character come to life as well. These are mostly small moments mainly in portraying Roger standing up for his beliefs as well as slowly coming to like Edwina after awhile and wanting to help. Martin manages to portray this aspect naturally with the constant laughs that go along with the rest of his performance. He does actually make genuinely warm relationship develop with Tomlin's character which is pretty amazing considering most of the time he talks to her he is talking to himself.

This is a very good comedic performance by Martin as he never once fails to bring life to this odd role. Frankly this could have been a performance that could have easily been way too over the top, and frankly just obnoxious. Martin though is consistently strong in the role never going to far with character driven approach with his performance. He not only succeeds in bringing laughs from scene to scene through his portrayal, but as well is able to be as about a realities as one could be in this role while the film still being a comedy.

Alternate Best Actor 1984

And The Nominees Were Not:

Steve Martin in All of Me

Eddie Murphy in Beverly Hills Cop

Harry Dean Stanton in Paris, Texas

Robert De Niro in Once Upon a Time in America

Philip Baker Hall in Secret Honor