Best Scene: Speech.
Best Scene: Needing a new key.
Best Scene: Visiting his mother.
Best Scene: The shout.
Best Scene: Explaining his compromise.
Next Year: 1978 Supporting (found a lineup)
Showing posts with label Steve McQueen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Steve McQueen. Show all posts
Monday, 13 April 2020
Alternate Best Actor 1978: Results
Best Scene: Speech.
Best Scene: Needing a new key.
Best Scene: Visiting his mother.
Best Scene: The shout.
Best Scene: Explaining his compromise.
Next Year: 1978 Supporting (found a lineup)
Friday, 3 April 2020
Alternate Best Actor 1978: Steve McQueen in An Enemy of the People
Steve McQueen did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Thomas Stockmann in An Enemy of the People.
An Enemy of the People isn't a terrible, but rather a largely inert drama that unfortunately cannot live beyond its allegory.
This role is a major departure for the king of cool at the tail end of his unfortunately all too brief career, given he plays a period role that is alien compared to the majority of his roles. Although we've seen McQueen play period before, typically westerns, this is a very different role for him as there isn't the slightest sense of playing within the idea of cool, but rather attempting to wholly disappear inside a very different role for himself. This evidently was a passion project for McQueen, in a self-described attempt to prove to people that he could act. Well he perhaps should've just referred them to his career best work in Papillon, that which used his presence in part, however showed a far greater emotional range than he had ever showed before. Honestly that is where McQueen excelled as an actor, and perhaps where he should've explored more of as a performer. For example, he was the intended lead for William Friedkin's Sorcerer, where he would've been an ideal lead, in a role that again would've utilized his best qualities as an onscreen while also tasking him to "act", by delivering more within that presence. I bring this up as this role is a somewhat mistaken attempt to wholly erase one's understanding of McQueen as a performer. This is pretty obvious right from the outset as his long hair, beard and glasses, all seem to say "this is not the McQueen you know".
Well in this sense, the performance is not a failure as McQueen does successfully not fall upon his typical presence. He becomes believable enough within the role as this more seasoned intellectual doctor, by not calling upon one ounce of his typical king of cool presence. I'll say I didn't even find it jarring to see McQueen as such, as he wholly gives himself to the performance and clearly gives a devoted turn. The role, despite the dramatic intentions of the piece, is limited. This as we see this doctor who must do what he believes is right, which is call out the town's local water supply that is poisonous, despite the town's top brass, including his brother, wanting to silence this as any removal of the water supply will slow down the progress of the town. So we have the set-up then of the character, of this man with conviction and the family man. The latter element brief as his interactions with any of his family are as to the point as possible. This as even his relationship with Bibi Andersson as the doctor's wife, is barely even touched upon even with the unlikely pairing of performers. The two I'll give credit don't exactly lack chemistry, they just also don't really have the moments to realize any. The same goes for the whole idea of the doctor and the family. We never get a real sense of them as people, before getting into the dramatic situation they are in, making it so they are more figures to voice the message of the story, rather than living as people who also speak the message.
I think the greatest failure in this is in the characters of the doctor and his brother Peter (Charles Durning) who are at opposite ends of one another. We are granted no real history between the two, and you'd never even guess they were brothers. I guess I can take this one from the performers a bit in this instance as neither McQueen or Durning really grant the sense of any sibling familiarity even that of a distant relationship. The screenplay does not help them at all in this regard, as their scenes together are only of an argument of the same points with Peter yelling at the doctor, and the doctor looking solemn. This is much of McQueen's work here honestly, that of just keeping a slightly disturbed, annoyed but still determined expression as others threat and berate him. McQueen to his credit does this with enough of the sense of the state of the doctor but little more than that. The rest of the time McQueen largely is looking dignified as this man of importance, the town's good doctor. Well again, McQueen delivers this with that different presence than was typically expected from him, however I won't say even this makes that much of an impact. McQueen finally gets a bit more to do as the doctor gets to plead his case among the collective people, fighting for his beliefs and against the idea of mob mentality. Well McQueen delivers this speech with a decisive passion and strength of conviction in his voice and eyes. We see the same soon after when the man refuses an offer to join the corruption delivering a earnest rejection of the values with the sense of the weight of the decision on his brow and just exasperation in his voice. McQueen doesn't compeltely fail to reinvent himself here, but this role isn't ideal for that reinvention. It is a limited role that McQueen only can do so much with, and I will say does falter a bit with in certain elements of it, namely the central relationships. I think that it is as much of a problem within the material as McQueen work however, McQueen doesn't overcome it. This performance is not a revelation, but it is a decent curiosity of an attempt by McQueen to expand his repertoire, though sadly at a time in his career where he would not be able to ever make a second attempt later on.
An Enemy of the People isn't a terrible, but rather a largely inert drama that unfortunately cannot live beyond its allegory. This role is a major departure for the king of cool at the tail end of his unfortunately all too brief career, given he plays a period role that is alien compared to the majority of his roles. Although we've seen McQueen play period before, typically westerns, this is a very different role for him as there isn't the slightest sense of playing within the idea of cool, but rather attempting to wholly disappear inside a very different role for himself. This evidently was a passion project for McQueen, in a self-described attempt to prove to people that he could act. Well he perhaps should've just referred them to his career best work in Papillon, that which used his presence in part, however showed a far greater emotional range than he had ever showed before. Honestly that is where McQueen excelled as an actor, and perhaps where he should've explored more of as a performer. For example, he was the intended lead for William Friedkin's Sorcerer, where he would've been an ideal lead, in a role that again would've utilized his best qualities as an onscreen while also tasking him to "act", by delivering more within that presence. I bring this up as this role is a somewhat mistaken attempt to wholly erase one's understanding of McQueen as a performer. This is pretty obvious right from the outset as his long hair, beard and glasses, all seem to say "this is not the McQueen you know".
Well in this sense, the performance is not a failure as McQueen does successfully not fall upon his typical presence. He becomes believable enough within the role as this more seasoned intellectual doctor, by not calling upon one ounce of his typical king of cool presence. I'll say I didn't even find it jarring to see McQueen as such, as he wholly gives himself to the performance and clearly gives a devoted turn. The role, despite the dramatic intentions of the piece, is limited. This as we see this doctor who must do what he believes is right, which is call out the town's local water supply that is poisonous, despite the town's top brass, including his brother, wanting to silence this as any removal of the water supply will slow down the progress of the town. So we have the set-up then of the character, of this man with conviction and the family man. The latter element brief as his interactions with any of his family are as to the point as possible. This as even his relationship with Bibi Andersson as the doctor's wife, is barely even touched upon even with the unlikely pairing of performers. The two I'll give credit don't exactly lack chemistry, they just also don't really have the moments to realize any. The same goes for the whole idea of the doctor and the family. We never get a real sense of them as people, before getting into the dramatic situation they are in, making it so they are more figures to voice the message of the story, rather than living as people who also speak the message.
I think the greatest failure in this is in the characters of the doctor and his brother Peter (Charles Durning) who are at opposite ends of one another. We are granted no real history between the two, and you'd never even guess they were brothers. I guess I can take this one from the performers a bit in this instance as neither McQueen or Durning really grant the sense of any sibling familiarity even that of a distant relationship. The screenplay does not help them at all in this regard, as their scenes together are only of an argument of the same points with Peter yelling at the doctor, and the doctor looking solemn. This is much of McQueen's work here honestly, that of just keeping a slightly disturbed, annoyed but still determined expression as others threat and berate him. McQueen to his credit does this with enough of the sense of the state of the doctor but little more than that. The rest of the time McQueen largely is looking dignified as this man of importance, the town's good doctor. Well again, McQueen delivers this with that different presence than was typically expected from him, however I won't say even this makes that much of an impact. McQueen finally gets a bit more to do as the doctor gets to plead his case among the collective people, fighting for his beliefs and against the idea of mob mentality. Well McQueen delivers this speech with a decisive passion and strength of conviction in his voice and eyes. We see the same soon after when the man refuses an offer to join the corruption delivering a earnest rejection of the values with the sense of the weight of the decision on his brow and just exasperation in his voice. McQueen doesn't compeltely fail to reinvent himself here, but this role isn't ideal for that reinvention. It is a limited role that McQueen only can do so much with, and I will say does falter a bit with in certain elements of it, namely the central relationships. I think that it is as much of a problem within the material as McQueen work however, McQueen doesn't overcome it. This performance is not a revelation, but it is a decent curiosity of an attempt by McQueen to expand his repertoire, though sadly at a time in his career where he would not be able to ever make a second attempt later on.
Thursday, 2 April 2020
Alternate Best Actor 1978
Harvey Keitel in Fingers
Richard Pryor in Blue Collar
Alan Bates in The Shout
Elliott Gould in The Silent Partner
Steve McQueen in An Enemy of the People
Friday, 2 August 2019
Alternate Best Actor 1963: Results
Best Scene: Asking about the murder.
Best Scene: Seeing the abortionist.
Best Scene: Confession.
Best Scene: Final party.
Best Scene: Finally breaking.
Best Scene: Final speech.
Best Scene: Telling his truth.
Best Scene: His story.
Best Scene: The official trial.
Best Scene: Alone during the party.
Next Year: 1963 Supporting
Wednesday, 10 July 2019
Alternate Best Actor 1963: Steve McQueen in Love With the Proper Stranger
Steve McQueen did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying Rocky Papasano in Love With the Proper Stranger.
Love With The Proper Stranger is a decent enough semi-comic drama about a relationship that almost accidentally develops due to a one night stand.
The film itself can be noted as an example of a straight drama featuring Steve McQueen in a leading role. McQueen being more typically associated with epics, spectacles and war films. This is a much lower key affair even by "dramatic" McQueen standards, as even his more noted dramatic turns, later on, were typically in film with some sort of grander scale to them. McQueen's just a basic layabout musician looking for a job as we open the film and is a bit befuddled as he runs into a young woman paging him. She's Angie (Natalie Wood), whose not paging for a job but rather finding him to let him know she needs him to find an abortionist after their one night stand. Not a great meeting point for either of them, as Rocky's initial reaction is trying figure out who the woman is before confusion of the sudden bit of responsibility that has fallen upon him. This initial reaction seems to inform McQueen's whole performance which I suppose you might say is a bit of an antithesis of the typical McQueen, in that he makes Rocky decidedly uncool. This might seem a grievous waste of the King of Cool, however it does offer an interesting alternative as he takes a decidedly atypical approach from his usual screen presence.
McQueen usually is someone who owns the screen without trying, and that is typically just a given with him on screen. That is not the case here, as he does not make Rocky some hip cool musician, but rather almost a bit of a doofus. This approach actually is more fitting than expected, as the guy asks another lady friend to try to find an abortionist for Angie, and is obviously not exactly the sharpest tool within any shed. McQueen then very much"tries" more than usual in giving what in some ways feels like a more "active" performance from him. This is as he makes Rocky almost look out of place in a given scene, of trying to play the part of the pseudo respectable romantic. This right down to McQueen's physicality which is bereft of his typical ease, to this cumbersome manner of a non too bright man. Instead of owning a given scene, McQueen awkwardly exists within them, which again actually works in creating a character outside of his typical oeuvre. It is a different sight from McQueen as he comes off as almost petulant, which is quite different from the ultimate man's man that typically defined the McQueen presence.
Steve McQueen's dash outside of his comfort zone is a tad limited here, only as the film does favor Angie more in the narrative, with his only major scenes coming when he directly shares the screen with Wood. McQueen actually doesn't have amazing chemistry with Wood, which I'll again say actually fits the role of Rocky once again. The two are not suppose to be a dream couple by any measure, in fact the first real bonding we see of them as they wait together before being able to see an abortionist. McQueen however is effective in cultivating the certain connection in these moments of interaction. This with this slightly humorous awkwardness as physically he still keeps the same distance, however McQueen uses his eyes towards an understanding and an eventual warmth. Again, it never becomes this rapturous love affair, but rather this slow growth of feeling really between the two. McQueen's performance realizes the difficulty of the situation in every moment, while also slowly finding any ease within the interactions. He's then effective in the moment of going to the abortionist, who is even shadier than originally expected, to where Rocky, concerned for Angie's safety insists they leave. This is an important moment in McQueen's work as he does not fall into tough McQueen, which would be dishonest to the character. He instead remains consistent in even this more heroic act, he delivers it with a hesitant voice, and without physical command. It is still of a fairly hapless man, but one who finds a better self in the moment. The film after this moment becomes a bit rushed as Rocky is willing to marry Angie, however she rejects his proposal as dishonest. The rest of the film is this dance, with Rocky gradually proving his sincerity. These scenes honestly are a little strangely paced, however McQueen does prove his measure in them. The two have a date of sorts where Rocky's compliments towards Angie come off as insults, unintentionally and in this McQueen finds a genuine charm in each delivery of Rocky's messy earnestness. This along with in his eyes finally conveying a want for her, rather than just a bit of responsibility. This all gets rushed a bit more as the film smashes towards the big romantic gesture of Rocky's that comes off as almost an afterthought in the film's bizarrely handled climax. McQueen's slightly befuddled face though again is rather enjoyable, as we see him present himself with a banjo and bells, with a sincere offer to marry. This isn't extraordinary work by McQueen by any measure, however it is an interesting side to him as a performer. Although limited by the part, McQueen does use it to show off a bit of range outside of his typically dominating presence as the King of Cool.
The film itself can be noted as an example of a straight drama featuring Steve McQueen in a leading role. McQueen being more typically associated with epics, spectacles and war films. This is a much lower key affair even by "dramatic" McQueen standards, as even his more noted dramatic turns, later on, were typically in film with some sort of grander scale to them. McQueen's just a basic layabout musician looking for a job as we open the film and is a bit befuddled as he runs into a young woman paging him. She's Angie (Natalie Wood), whose not paging for a job but rather finding him to let him know she needs him to find an abortionist after their one night stand. Not a great meeting point for either of them, as Rocky's initial reaction is trying figure out who the woman is before confusion of the sudden bit of responsibility that has fallen upon him. This initial reaction seems to inform McQueen's whole performance which I suppose you might say is a bit of an antithesis of the typical McQueen, in that he makes Rocky decidedly uncool. This might seem a grievous waste of the King of Cool, however it does offer an interesting alternative as he takes a decidedly atypical approach from his usual screen presence.
McQueen usually is someone who owns the screen without trying, and that is typically just a given with him on screen. That is not the case here, as he does not make Rocky some hip cool musician, but rather almost a bit of a doofus. This approach actually is more fitting than expected, as the guy asks another lady friend to try to find an abortionist for Angie, and is obviously not exactly the sharpest tool within any shed. McQueen then very much"tries" more than usual in giving what in some ways feels like a more "active" performance from him. This is as he makes Rocky almost look out of place in a given scene, of trying to play the part of the pseudo respectable romantic. This right down to McQueen's physicality which is bereft of his typical ease, to this cumbersome manner of a non too bright man. Instead of owning a given scene, McQueen awkwardly exists within them, which again actually works in creating a character outside of his typical oeuvre. It is a different sight from McQueen as he comes off as almost petulant, which is quite different from the ultimate man's man that typically defined the McQueen presence.
Steve McQueen's dash outside of his comfort zone is a tad limited here, only as the film does favor Angie more in the narrative, with his only major scenes coming when he directly shares the screen with Wood. McQueen actually doesn't have amazing chemistry with Wood, which I'll again say actually fits the role of Rocky once again. The two are not suppose to be a dream couple by any measure, in fact the first real bonding we see of them as they wait together before being able to see an abortionist. McQueen however is effective in cultivating the certain connection in these moments of interaction. This with this slightly humorous awkwardness as physically he still keeps the same distance, however McQueen uses his eyes towards an understanding and an eventual warmth. Again, it never becomes this rapturous love affair, but rather this slow growth of feeling really between the two. McQueen's performance realizes the difficulty of the situation in every moment, while also slowly finding any ease within the interactions. He's then effective in the moment of going to the abortionist, who is even shadier than originally expected, to where Rocky, concerned for Angie's safety insists they leave. This is an important moment in McQueen's work as he does not fall into tough McQueen, which would be dishonest to the character. He instead remains consistent in even this more heroic act, he delivers it with a hesitant voice, and without physical command. It is still of a fairly hapless man, but one who finds a better self in the moment. The film after this moment becomes a bit rushed as Rocky is willing to marry Angie, however she rejects his proposal as dishonest. The rest of the film is this dance, with Rocky gradually proving his sincerity. These scenes honestly are a little strangely paced, however McQueen does prove his measure in them. The two have a date of sorts where Rocky's compliments towards Angie come off as insults, unintentionally and in this McQueen finds a genuine charm in each delivery of Rocky's messy earnestness. This along with in his eyes finally conveying a want for her, rather than just a bit of responsibility. This all gets rushed a bit more as the film smashes towards the big romantic gesture of Rocky's that comes off as almost an afterthought in the film's bizarrely handled climax. McQueen's slightly befuddled face though again is rather enjoyable, as we see him present himself with a banjo and bells, with a sincere offer to marry. This isn't extraordinary work by McQueen by any measure, however it is an interesting side to him as a performer. Although limited by the part, McQueen does use it to show off a bit of range outside of his typically dominating presence as the King of Cool.
Monday, 10 June 2019
Alternate Best Actor 1963
Michael Redgrave in Uncle Vanya
Laurence Olivier in Uncle Vanya
Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias The Scarecrow
Gunnar Björnstrand in Winter Light
Peter Breck in Shock Corridor
Alberto Sordi in Il Diavolo
Predict those five (Redgrave from Vanya for prediction purpose), these five (Shaw from The Caretake for Prediction Purposes) or both
Robert Shaw in The Caretaker
Donald Pleasence in The Caretaker
Steve McQueen in Love With a Proper Stranger
Burt Lancaster in The Leopard
Maurice Ronet in The Fire Within
Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer
Monday, 3 June 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1963: Results
Best Scene: Guido speaks with his wife.
Best Scene: Hilts goes to retrieve his ball.
Best Scene: Billy tries to speak with his mother after his grandmother's death.
Best Scene: The Sevant reveals his true nature to his employer.
Best Scene: King Gondo makes his final decision on the ransom.
- Paul Newman in Hud
- Toshiro Mifune in High and Low
- Richard Harris in This Sporting Life
- Burt Lancaster in The Leopard
- Dirk Bogarde in The Servant
- Tom Courtenay in Billy Liar
- Patrick McGoohan in Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow
- Sean Connery in From Russia With Love
- Gunnar Björnstrand in Winter Light
- Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
- Richard Attenborough in The Great Escape
- Sidney Poitier in Lilies of the Field
- Albert Finney in Tom Jones
- Cary Grant in Charade
- Kazuo Hasegawa in An Actor’s Revenge
- Laurence Olivier in Uncle Vanya
- Marcello Mastroianni in The Organizer
- Michael Redgrave in Uncle Vanya
- Maurice Ronet in The Fire Within
- Patrick McGoohan in The Three Lives of Thomasina
- Marcello Mastroianni in Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
- Alberto Sordi in Il Diavolo
- Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2
- Raizo Ichikawa in The Third Shadow Warrior
- James Fox in The Servant
- Charlton Heston in 55 Days At Peking
- Gregory Peck in Captain Newman M.D.
- Steve McQueen in Love With a Proper Stranger
- John Wayne in Donovan's Reef
- Rod Taylor in The Birds
- Jean-Paul Belmondo in Magnet of Doom
- Jackie Gleason in Soldier in the Rain
- Nino Manfredi in The Executioner
- Jerry Lewis in The Nutty Professor
- Burt Lancaster in A Child is Waiting
- Oliver Reed in Paranoiac
- Dick Van Dyke in Bye Bye Birdie
- Jack Lemmon in Irma La Douce
- Jean-Pierrie Kerien in Muriel
- John Wayne in McLintock!
- Alexander Davion in Paranoiac
- Jackie Gleason in Papa's Delicate Condition
- James Garner in Move Over Darling
- Michel Piccoli in Contempt
- Steve McQueen in Soldier in the Rain
- Stathis Giallelis in America America
- James Aubrey in Lord of the Flies
- Fred MacMurray in Son of Flubber
- Todd Armstrong in Jason and the Argonauts
- Peter Breck in Shock Corridor
- Tom Tryon in The Cardinal
- Richard Chamberlain in Twilight of Honor
- Richard Burton in The V.I.P.s
- Claude Mann in Bay of Angels
- David Niven in The Pink Panther
- Channing Pollock in Judex
- Richard Burton in Cleopatra
- Rex Harrison in Cleopatra
Saturday, 1 June 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1963: Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
Steve McQueen did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain Virgil Hilts USAAF "The Cooler King" in The Great Escape.
The Great Escape is a very entertaining thriller about a group of allied pows who decide to launch a giant escape plan from a Nazi prison.
The last time I reviewed a McQueen performance it was probably his most character driven work in Papillon. His performance here though is probably one of his most star style ones. His character is fairly simple in this case. He is a hot shot pilot who now is a hot shot escape artist. A man who will keep trying to escape no matter how many times the guards throw him into solitary confinement "the cooler" for his repeated tries to allude them. There is not much more to him besides that except maybe that Hilts has a very small little conflict in himself over his own want to escape and the needs of all of the prisoners inside of the prisoner of war prison.
McQueen clearly knows that his part is not all that complex so why bother making assumptions that it is. This performance is all about his moniker which is the "King of Cool" of course and well that is exactly what he is gonna be here cool. McQueen pretty much shows off just how cool he can be here and this time is all about his screen presence which is just fine. It technically works perfectly for his character since McQueen's style is definitely fitting for the hot shot pilot and the constant escapee. He has an incredible confidence in his performance that just fits the confidence of the Cooler King. McQueen is able to go all the why as the King of cool since that's how Hilts should be.
Since Hilts fits the part this can pretty easily be just a no holds barred Steve McQueen doing what he does best. McQueen with his sly smile and how casual manner does something quite special here. McQueen seems absolutely at ease with his portrayal as Hilts yet he never seems uncaring either. He makes it breezy and almost relaxed at times yet McQueen somehow is able to convey a certain passion as well. It definitely is a great trick that McQueen pulls in that it is pretty obvious that he is having a great time in the role all the time yet he is never out of place in the situation too. Although everything he would seem like a man who does not care, but McQueen never once comes off that way.
McQueen honestly is just great to watch here. His fun never is kept to himself and we can have the fun right along with him. Whether he is playing catch with the wall of the cooler, smartly talking himself in and out of various situations with the Nazis, or just the way he rides his motorcycle at the end there is just something so compelling about what he does. The way he is able to be just as entertaining and well cool well never seeming out of place either. There never is any disconnection here as McQueen can just go all the way with his charm and particular attitude that is all his own.
This performance is not an overly complex one just like the role, but I suppose I should mention the more dramatic meat of his performance. This is mainly in just a few brief moments most of them consisting with his interactions with another escapist who is rather to crack, and the other being when he has to sacrifice his own plans for the greater good of the men as a whole. There is not a lot to either of these scenes really and they are fairly simplistic still, but McQueen still handles them well. They are not that important to his character in the long run but McQueen still gives every line the right conviction and does exactly what he needs to.
Of course those moments are not what you come for when watching this performance. You come to see McQueen being McQueen. That is exactly what this performance is not much more than that but certainly not less. It is a performance though that could have only ever been delivered by Steve McQueen of course and it is a great show case for what exactly made him such a star. It is only made better that McQueen signature style never feels out of place with his character. This is definitely not the powerhouse performance of his in Papillon but nor was it meant to be. This is just a case of an exceptionally entertaining performance that adds to the film just like a star performance should.
The last time I reviewed a McQueen performance it was probably his most character driven work in Papillon. His performance here though is probably one of his most star style ones. His character is fairly simple in this case. He is a hot shot pilot who now is a hot shot escape artist. A man who will keep trying to escape no matter how many times the guards throw him into solitary confinement "the cooler" for his repeated tries to allude them. There is not much more to him besides that except maybe that Hilts has a very small little conflict in himself over his own want to escape and the needs of all of the prisoners inside of the prisoner of war prison.
McQueen clearly knows that his part is not all that complex so why bother making assumptions that it is. This performance is all about his moniker which is the "King of Cool" of course and well that is exactly what he is gonna be here cool. McQueen pretty much shows off just how cool he can be here and this time is all about his screen presence which is just fine. It technically works perfectly for his character since McQueen's style is definitely fitting for the hot shot pilot and the constant escapee. He has an incredible confidence in his performance that just fits the confidence of the Cooler King. McQueen is able to go all the why as the King of cool since that's how Hilts should be.
Since Hilts fits the part this can pretty easily be just a no holds barred Steve McQueen doing what he does best. McQueen with his sly smile and how casual manner does something quite special here. McQueen seems absolutely at ease with his portrayal as Hilts yet he never seems uncaring either. He makes it breezy and almost relaxed at times yet McQueen somehow is able to convey a certain passion as well. It definitely is a great trick that McQueen pulls in that it is pretty obvious that he is having a great time in the role all the time yet he is never out of place in the situation too. Although everything he would seem like a man who does not care, but McQueen never once comes off that way.
McQueen honestly is just great to watch here. His fun never is kept to himself and we can have the fun right along with him. Whether he is playing catch with the wall of the cooler, smartly talking himself in and out of various situations with the Nazis, or just the way he rides his motorcycle at the end there is just something so compelling about what he does. The way he is able to be just as entertaining and well cool well never seeming out of place either. There never is any disconnection here as McQueen can just go all the way with his charm and particular attitude that is all his own.
This performance is not an overly complex one just like the role, but I suppose I should mention the more dramatic meat of his performance. This is mainly in just a few brief moments most of them consisting with his interactions with another escapist who is rather to crack, and the other being when he has to sacrifice his own plans for the greater good of the men as a whole. There is not a lot to either of these scenes really and they are fairly simplistic still, but McQueen still handles them well. They are not that important to his character in the long run but McQueen still gives every line the right conviction and does exactly what he needs to.
Of course those moments are not what you come for when watching this performance. You come to see McQueen being McQueen. That is exactly what this performance is not much more than that but certainly not less. It is a performance though that could have only ever been delivered by Steve McQueen of course and it is a great show case for what exactly made him such a star. It is only made better that McQueen signature style never feels out of place with his character. This is definitely not the powerhouse performance of his in Papillon but nor was it meant to be. This is just a case of an exceptionally entertaining performance that adds to the film just like a star performance should.
Sunday, 26 May 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1963
Toshiro Mifune in High and Low
Dirk Bogarde in The Servant
Steve McQueen in The Great Escape
Tom Courtenay in Billy Liar
Marcello Mastroianni in 8 1/2
Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1973: Results
Best Scene: Garrett kills the Kid.
Best Scene: The Jackal makes love to and kills a woman.
Best Scene: Papillon stands "trial"
Best Scene: Kit's press conference.
Best Scene: Max tries to snap Lionel out of it.
- Jack Lemmon in Save the Tiger
- Edward Woodward in The Wicker Man
- Elliott Gould in The Long Goodbye
- Gene Hackman in Scarecrow
- Al Pacino in Scarecrow
- Robert Mitchum in The Friends of Eddie Coyle
- Carl Anderson in Jesus Christ Superstar
- Donald Sutherland in Don't Look Now
- Jason Miller in The Exorcist
- Jack Nicholson in The Last Detail
- Vincent Price in Theater of Blood
- Steve McQueen in Papillon
- Robert Shaw in The Hireling
- Edward Fox in The Day of the Jackal
- Sean Connery in The Offence
- Ian Holm in The Homecoming
- James Coburn in Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid
- Robert Blake in Electra Glide in Blue
- Giancarlo Giannini in Love & Anarchy
- Anthony Hopkins in A Doll's House
- Helmut Berger in Ludwig
- Warren Oates in Dillinger
- Malcolm McDowell in O Lucky Man!
- Harvey Keitel in Mean Streets
- Ted Neeley in Jesus Christ Superstar
- Walter Matthau in Charley Varrick
- Paul Rogers in The Homecoming
- Ryan O'Neal in Paper Moon
- Alec Guinness in Hitler The Last Ten Days
- Clint Eastwood in High Plains Drifter
- James Caan in Cinderella Liberty
- Lee Marvin in Emperor of the North Pole
- Ben Johnson in Dillinger
- Clint Eastwood in Magnum Force
- Bruce Dern in The Laughing Policeman
- Marcello Mastroianni in Massacre in Rome
- Dustin Hoffman in Papillon
- Kris Kristofferson in Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid
- Al Pacino in Serpico
- Keith Carradine in Emperor of the North Pole
- Robert Redford in The Sting
- Fernando Fernan Gomez in The Spirit of the Beehive
- Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon
- Walter Matthau in The Laughing Policeman
- Ian Hendry in Theatre of Blood
- Robert Redford in The Way We Were
- Michael Moriarty in Bang the Drum Slowly
- Charlton Heston in Soylent Green
- Brian Bedford in Robin Hood
- George Segal in A Touch of Class
- Roy Scheider in The Seven Ups
- Richard Burton in Massacre in Rome
- Alejandro Jodorowky in The Holy Mountain
- Paul Newman in The Mackintosh Man
- Timothy Bottoms in The Paper Chase
- Richard Benjamin in West World
- Roger Moore in Live and Let Die
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1973: Steve McQueen in Papillon
Steve McQueen did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a Golden Globe, for portraying Henri 'Papillon' Charriere in Papillon.
Papillon is an effective film, if somewhat overlong, about a man attempting to escape from the infamous prison Devil's Island.
Steve McQueen is an actor known for his screen presence that makes him well the King of Cool for a reason. McQueen certainly has many examples of getting through a film very well through simply through his coolness. Papillon though is most certainly a very different story for McQueen who probably gives his most character driven performance here as Papillon a small time crook who is wrongly convicted of murder that leads him to life imprisonment in the seemingly inescapable Devil's Island.
This is not to see McQueen usual screen presence is still used here is most certainly is, and that is important at the beginning of the film as he quickly must makes sympathize with his plight as Papillon thinks of escape from the time he in the boat taking him to the island in the first place. McQueen takes command of the screen in his usual effortless fashion bringing us into sympathy with Papillon with an incredible ease even though we never do see clearly that he did not murder the man, but McQueen has the right conviction to show us it that it is the truth.
Early on the film McQueen is a very quiet and effective in conveying the strength within Papillon that makes it clear that Papillon he will try to find anyway he can to escape the island. McQueen is excellent in conveying the underlying passion in Papillon that is always something there within him through the entire film that pushes him forward to keep trying to find ways to escape. McQueen has such a great power in the role that establishes Papillon as a intelligent hero who will adapt to find a way out of his troubling predicament.
Papillon attempts his way out by offering protection to a rich fellow prisoner Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Although Papillon only treats Dega as a tool to be used, much as how Dega treats Papillon the two due to their mutual predicament do become friends. McQueen and Hoffman really have some great chemistry here, and although very different types of actors in style they work together wonderfully well. The two ease into the friendship in a believable fashion that works well, there are not scenes devoted to it but the two create the friendship as the film goes along well.
The two's dynamic works well as Hoffman expresses the situations with the right fear, sickness, as a man inexperienced individual. McQueen is strong though as he shows Papillon who is more accustom to the harsh life, and even acts as a bit of a calming presence to Dega. What is fascinating though is the way McQueen technically has the less expressive role at first still manages to honestly be the more compelling performance here. He does incredibly well by bringing us into Papillon's struggle, as even as Papillon is able to handle the horrors McQueen still powerfully portrays more subtle reactions to them.
The extreme understated way of his performance though does change in a way after Papillon finds himself in solitary confinement after a botched escape attempt. Really here is probably a place where honestly the film could have been trimmed, but McQueen performance here is so good I'm glad it was not. McQueen is outstanding in his portrayal of Papillon's physical and psychological degradation in the series of scene. He is so brutally painful here in how uncompromising his depiction of it all. It is a sad disheartening portrayal of how the extreme nature of the punishment can even damage the strong willed Papillon.
After finally being released though McQueen is good in showing that Papillon is not finished by any measure, and McQueen makes this entirely convincing showing that Papillon's will is powerful enough to push forward in another escape attempt. McQueen brings right along with him in his next attempt and is able to do so well in bringing to life every emotion to each situation. Whether it is his anger in yet another double cross, the pleasure of finding some brief happiness with a group natives, or bringing the weight to the moment in which Papillon sees he still will not be a free man once again. McQueen never fails to pulls us right into Papillon's struggle in every scene.
Papillon after being caught one more time is put through five years of solitary and finally being sent out to a secluded and calmer part of the prison. McQueen is excellent in these final scenes of the film as we see Papillon almost broke physically. McQueen shows Papillon as a tired man barely able to even effectively call out to his old friend Dega. Importantly though McQueen poignantly still portrays the glimmer of the passion in Papillon left to push him to try at least one more time to escape.
The final moments of the film is made especially moving by McQueen and it shows what is so great about his performance. In his performance he truthfully creates an honest depiction of the perseverance of human spirit, that is something that can seem very forced in so many instances, but McQueen does it beautifully here. This is a great performance that creates the compelling character of Papillon authentically and this may be his very best performance. This tremendous work by McQueen not only puts on display once again McQueen unique screen presence, but here he also is able to show how powerful of an actor he really could be.
Steve McQueen is an actor known for his screen presence that makes him well the King of Cool for a reason. McQueen certainly has many examples of getting through a film very well through simply through his coolness. Papillon though is most certainly a very different story for McQueen who probably gives his most character driven performance here as Papillon a small time crook who is wrongly convicted of murder that leads him to life imprisonment in the seemingly inescapable Devil's Island.
This is not to see McQueen usual screen presence is still used here is most certainly is, and that is important at the beginning of the film as he quickly must makes sympathize with his plight as Papillon thinks of escape from the time he in the boat taking him to the island in the first place. McQueen takes command of the screen in his usual effortless fashion bringing us into sympathy with Papillon with an incredible ease even though we never do see clearly that he did not murder the man, but McQueen has the right conviction to show us it that it is the truth.
Early on the film McQueen is a very quiet and effective in conveying the strength within Papillon that makes it clear that Papillon he will try to find anyway he can to escape the island. McQueen is excellent in conveying the underlying passion in Papillon that is always something there within him through the entire film that pushes him forward to keep trying to find ways to escape. McQueen has such a great power in the role that establishes Papillon as a intelligent hero who will adapt to find a way out of his troubling predicament.
Papillon attempts his way out by offering protection to a rich fellow prisoner Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman). Although Papillon only treats Dega as a tool to be used, much as how Dega treats Papillon the two due to their mutual predicament do become friends. McQueen and Hoffman really have some great chemistry here, and although very different types of actors in style they work together wonderfully well. The two ease into the friendship in a believable fashion that works well, there are not scenes devoted to it but the two create the friendship as the film goes along well.
The two's dynamic works well as Hoffman expresses the situations with the right fear, sickness, as a man inexperienced individual. McQueen is strong though as he shows Papillon who is more accustom to the harsh life, and even acts as a bit of a calming presence to Dega. What is fascinating though is the way McQueen technically has the less expressive role at first still manages to honestly be the more compelling performance here. He does incredibly well by bringing us into Papillon's struggle, as even as Papillon is able to handle the horrors McQueen still powerfully portrays more subtle reactions to them.
The extreme understated way of his performance though does change in a way after Papillon finds himself in solitary confinement after a botched escape attempt. Really here is probably a place where honestly the film could have been trimmed, but McQueen performance here is so good I'm glad it was not. McQueen is outstanding in his portrayal of Papillon's physical and psychological degradation in the series of scene. He is so brutally painful here in how uncompromising his depiction of it all. It is a sad disheartening portrayal of how the extreme nature of the punishment can even damage the strong willed Papillon.
After finally being released though McQueen is good in showing that Papillon is not finished by any measure, and McQueen makes this entirely convincing showing that Papillon's will is powerful enough to push forward in another escape attempt. McQueen brings right along with him in his next attempt and is able to do so well in bringing to life every emotion to each situation. Whether it is his anger in yet another double cross, the pleasure of finding some brief happiness with a group natives, or bringing the weight to the moment in which Papillon sees he still will not be a free man once again. McQueen never fails to pulls us right into Papillon's struggle in every scene.
Papillon after being caught one more time is put through five years of solitary and finally being sent out to a secluded and calmer part of the prison. McQueen is excellent in these final scenes of the film as we see Papillon almost broke physically. McQueen shows Papillon as a tired man barely able to even effectively call out to his old friend Dega. Importantly though McQueen poignantly still portrays the glimmer of the passion in Papillon left to push him to try at least one more time to escape.
The final moments of the film is made especially moving by McQueen and it shows what is so great about his performance. In his performance he truthfully creates an honest depiction of the perseverance of human spirit, that is something that can seem very forced in so many instances, but McQueen does it beautifully here. This is a great performance that creates the compelling character of Papillon authentically and this may be his very best performance. This tremendous work by McQueen not only puts on display once again McQueen unique screen presence, but here he also is able to show how powerful of an actor he really could be.
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Alternate Best Actor 1973
Edward Fox in The Day of the Jackal
Steve McQueen in Papillon
Martin Sheen in Badlands
Gene Hackman in Scarecrow
James Coburn in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid
I'll apologize in advance for leaving so many out as this year simply was packed.
Friday, 2 September 2011
Best Actor 1966: Results
Eli Wallach in The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Best Actor 1966: Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles
Steve McQueen received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Jake Holman in The Sand Pebbles.
The Sand Pebbles tells the story of a U.S. gun ship's troubles during its time in the troubled 1920's China.
Steve McQueen received this as his only Oscar nomination, which is rarely ever considered to be his greatest or most notable role. It is also a rather different kind of character for McQueen because here he is considerably less in utter command of his situation as with many of his characters. With the character of Holman McQueen is required a far less of a character who is able to control his fate.
McQueen to me is a rather strange actor who sometime puts in odds tics, and mannerisms for absolutely no reason in his performances. In this performance he does not use these tics but there are still oddities to his performance, such as almost randomly through odd line readings that seem out of place with the rest of his performance.
I will say that the stilted line readings, or weird ones tend to come from two places in his performances one being early on when Holman is required to say things in a derogatory fashion about various Chinese, as well as his romantic scenes with Candice Bergen a school teacher at a missionary. McQueen never seems to have his heart in any of these moments leaving them quite empty.
This is not to say all of McQueen does is bad in this performance at all, in fact it is quite the contrary. McQueen although strange sometimes as one is still an actor I like for some reason, a reason I cannot exactly explain why, but I just do. I certianly liked a good deal of what he did here as well, he is very easy to watch having a strong presence on screen almost throughout.
He also in his scenes with just he other men on the ship, and his scenes with the ship's captain (Richard Crenna) he has the right rebellious strength in his performance. McQueen manages to channel this attitude of Holman's well in a sort of quiet discontent and hatred of certian things, but with a certain bit of repression since Holman still does follow the majority of his orders.
These moments McQueen has the perfect rather quiet simple strength in his performance, in most of the scenes on the ship, or the scenes in the club where he helps another fellow crewman Frenchy (Richard Attenborough). McQueen in these moments where Holman is in charge in his own ways is quite effective, and strong showing Holman's resolve, even if a somewhat cynical resolve.
McQueen is never quite great, but he has moments of near greatness such as the difficult moment where Holman must mercy kill his friend. McQueen is very good in this moment realistically portraying Holman's rather heartbreaking struggle in this short scene almost silently. Scenes like that one, are not common in his performance, but they are there, but so are his strange moments as well. It is a mixed performance in many ways, and I would say in the end it does serve its purpose most of the time, sometimes it does far less, but sometimes it does more.
Steve McQueen received this as his only Oscar nomination, which is rarely ever considered to be his greatest or most notable role. It is also a rather different kind of character for McQueen because here he is considerably less in utter command of his situation as with many of his characters. With the character of Holman McQueen is required a far less of a character who is able to control his fate.
McQueen to me is a rather strange actor who sometime puts in odds tics, and mannerisms for absolutely no reason in his performances. In this performance he does not use these tics but there are still oddities to his performance, such as almost randomly through odd line readings that seem out of place with the rest of his performance.
I will say that the stilted line readings, or weird ones tend to come from two places in his performances one being early on when Holman is required to say things in a derogatory fashion about various Chinese, as well as his romantic scenes with Candice Bergen a school teacher at a missionary. McQueen never seems to have his heart in any of these moments leaving them quite empty.
This is not to say all of McQueen does is bad in this performance at all, in fact it is quite the contrary. McQueen although strange sometimes as one is still an actor I like for some reason, a reason I cannot exactly explain why, but I just do. I certianly liked a good deal of what he did here as well, he is very easy to watch having a strong presence on screen almost throughout.
He also in his scenes with just he other men on the ship, and his scenes with the ship's captain (Richard Crenna) he has the right rebellious strength in his performance. McQueen manages to channel this attitude of Holman's well in a sort of quiet discontent and hatred of certian things, but with a certain bit of repression since Holman still does follow the majority of his orders.
These moments McQueen has the perfect rather quiet simple strength in his performance, in most of the scenes on the ship, or the scenes in the club where he helps another fellow crewman Frenchy (Richard Attenborough). McQueen in these moments where Holman is in charge in his own ways is quite effective, and strong showing Holman's resolve, even if a somewhat cynical resolve.
McQueen is never quite great, but he has moments of near greatness such as the difficult moment where Holman must mercy kill his friend. McQueen is very good in this moment realistically portraying Holman's rather heartbreaking struggle in this short scene almost silently. Scenes like that one, are not common in his performance, but they are there, but so are his strange moments as well. It is a mixed performance in many ways, and I would say in the end it does serve its purpose most of the time, sometimes it does far less, but sometimes it does more.
Friday, 26 August 2011
Best Actor 1966
Well here it is, finally the last year of my Best Actor reviews (well until this year's nominees anyway).
And the Nominees Were:
Michael Caine in Alfie
Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Paul Scofield in A Man for All Seasons
Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles
Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming
Michael Caine in Alfie
Richard Burton in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
Paul Scofield in A Man for All Seasons
Steve McQueen in The Sand Pebbles
Alan Arkin in The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)