Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1946: Results

5. Finlay Currie in Great Expectations- Currie brings the right roughness and heart to the role but still never makes that much an impression.

Best Scene: Magwitch comes back.

4. William Bendix in The Blue Dahlia- Bendix, despite the writing messing up his ending, gives an affecting portrayal of a man driven to moments of insanity due to his war experiences.

Best Scene: Buzz is bothered by the music. 

3. Roger Livesey in A Matter of Life and Death- Livesey steals the film right out from David Niven and manages to give weight to the central romance of the film than the two performers portraying it do.

Best Scene: The doctor fights for Peter's life in the Heavenly court.

2. Henry Travers in It's A Wonderful Life- Travers gives a funny and quite wonderful realization of the pure goodness of his character.

Best Scene: George after visiting his mother.

1. Lionel Barrymore in It's a Wonderful Life- Good Predictions Kevin, Maciej, moviefilm, koook160, and  Jackiboyz. The year itself came down to one of my favorite depictions of a villain of all time against Claude Rains who manages to make the villain the most sympathetic character in his film. Both I think are equally good in their roles and I don't see how either could be better. In a way to cheat out of really choosing I'll just base it on their second films of the year. Rains was also great in Angel on my Shoulder whereas Barrymore was quite forgettable in Duel in the Sun.

Best Scene: George goes to Potter for help.

Overall Rank:

1. Claude Rains in Notorious
2. Lionel Barrymore in It's A Wonderful Life
3. Harold Russell in The Best Years of Our Lives
4. Henry Travers in It's A Wonderful Life
5. Roger Livesey in A Matter of Life and Death
6. Thomas Mitchell in It's A Wonderful Life 
7. Claude Rains in Angel on My Shoulder
8. William Bendix in The Blue Dahlia
9. Charles Coburn in The Green Years
10. Raymond Massey in A Matter of Life and Death
11. Samuel S. Hinds in It's A Wonderful Life
12. William Conrad in The Killers
13. Hume Cronyn in The Postman Always Rings Twice 
14. Finlay Currie in Great Expectations
15. Marius Goring in A Matter of Life and Death
16. Kirk Douglas in The Strange Love of Martha Ivers
17. Victor Mature in My Darling Clementine
18. Alec Guinness in Great Expectations
19. H.B. Warner in It's A Wonderful Life
20. Francis L. Sullivan in Great Expectations
21. Sheldon Leonard in It's A Wonderful Life
22. Richard Attenborough in A Matter of Life and Death
23. Walter Brennan in my Darling Clementine
24. Frank Faylen in It's A Wonderful Life
25. Roman Bohnen in The Best Years of Our Lives
26. Bobby Anderson in It's A Wonderful Life 
27. Bernard Miles in Great Expectations
28. Ward Bond in It's A Wonderful Life 
29. Walter Baldwin in The Best Years of Our Lives
30. Howard da Silva in The Blue Dahlia 
31. Robert Coote in A Matter of Life and Death
32. Elisha Cook Jr. in The Big Sleep
33. Nigel Bruce in Terror By Night
34. Albert Dekker in The Killers
35. William Edmunds in It's A Wonderful Life
36. Anthony Wager in Great Expectations
37. Henry Travers in The Yearling
38. Charles MacGraw in The Killers
39. Clifton Webb in The Razor's Edge
40. Marcel Andre in Beauty and the Beast
41. Hoagy Carmicheal in The Best Years of Our Lives
42. Walter Huston in Duel in the Sun
43. Reinhold Schunzel in Notorious
44. Hardie Albright in Angel on My Shoulder
45. Todd Karns in It's A Wonderful Life
46. Lionel Barrymore in Duel in the Sun
47. Will Wright in The Blue Dahlia
48. Richard Haydn in The Green Years
49. Herbert Marshall in The Razor's Edge
50. Michel Auclair in Beauty and the Beast
51. William Demarest in The Jolson Story
52. Ward Bond in My Darling Clementine
53. Louis Calhern in Notorious
54. Charles Waldron in The Big Sleep
55. Cecil Kellaway in The Postman Always Rings Twice
56. Jess Barker in The Time of Our Lives
57. Joseph Calleia in Gilda
58. John Payne in The Razor's Edge
59. Leon Ames in The Postman Always Rings Twice
60. Hume Cronyn in The Green Years
61. Philip Mervale in The Stranger
62. Hugh Beaumont in The Blue Dahlia 
63. Chill Wills in The Yearling
64. Richard Long in The Stranger
65. Philip Terry in To Each His Own
66. George Macready in Gilda
67. Bill Goodwin in To Each His Own
68. Edwin Maxwell in The Jolson Story
69. Bill Goodwin in The Jolson Story 
70. John Lund in To Each His Own

Next Year: 1932 Lead might as well suggest any Supporting ideas as well.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1946: William Bendix in The Blue Dahlia

William Bendix did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Buzz Wanchek in The Blue Dahlia.

The Blue Dahlia is a decent enough film noir about an ex-bomber pilot Johnny (Alan Ladd) who is accused of murdering his unfaithful wife.

William Bendix plays Buzz who is one of the two buddies who comes home along with Johnny. The other buddy is George who is as much as a straight arrow as one can be but what do you expect when he's played by Hugh Beaumont. William Bendix is one of the more underrated character actors from the period as I have yet to be disappointed by him, although I must admit that I have not seen the Babe Ruth Story. Bendix, like in his work in Lifeboat, carries an innate likability. There is such a genuine earnestness about his work that he manages to make Buzz a guy who is pretty easy to feel sorry for even though in his first scene it becomes clear that Buzz has a short fuse as he lashes out against a guy simply for playing music from a jukebox. The reason for his short fuse though is not because Buzz simply has a bad temper, but rather due to his experiences from the war which left a metal plate in his head.

Like in his performance in Lifeboat where he had the drunk scenes here he has those angry outburst which again could lead to some very over the top style of performance, but once again Bendix excels by not doing this. Bendix portrays Buzz's moments of losing his mind incredibly well as he portrays them as basically a nervous jolt of emotional desperation. Bendix is terrific because as he goes into the rather intense moments of Buzz he carefully always reinforces that it comes from his own pain, and that his outburst is Buzz's attempt to alleviate that even though it may be a bit futile. Bendix makes these moments all the more disconcerting because he does have such an endearing quality to his performance. He believably turns that gentle quality into a viciousness so effectively, and even though the film does not spend too much time on it, Bendix gives a fairly remarkable portrayal of his character's post traumatic stress disorder.

The film is about Ladd's characters attempt to find the real culprit to his wife's murder so it might seem obvious where Buzz fits into that when Johnny's wife invites Buzz over. Bendix is extremely effective in these rather brief scenes as brings a considerable poignancy to the moment where Johnny's wife talks to Buzz, even though she is only trying to manipulate him. Bendix makes it appropriately tragic though by honestly portraying how desperate Buzz is for a real tenderness which he will not be receiving from Johnny's wife. There major problem in regards to Bendix comes into play when the film reaching its conclusion and it turns out Buzz is at best a red herring and at worst a completely pointless to the plot. The film seems to be building to Buzz being the murderer caused by one of his moments of insanity then forgetting about it due to his moments of memory loss, that is not the case though. 

I was not surprised to say the least when I read that Buzz was the original murderer and it was changed and it does feel like a last minute change since the real conclusion is rather unsatisfactory. The reason this mattes in regards to Bendix though is the film fails to give him one last scene to show where it is Buzz is going in regards to his potential insanity as his story just kinda stops after Buzz is cleared of the charges. The reason this is a problem with the film is that Buzz is easily the most interesting character in the film and Bendix easily gives the best performance. I would much rather have had the more emotionally explosive ending involving Buzz rather than the overly simple one where a character no one cared about to begin with turned out to be the killer. The usage of Buzz only does harm to the film itself but not really Bendix's performance past denying one more potentially great scene. Bendix still manages to give a moving portrait of a man traumatized by war, even if film itself doesn't use it to its fullest potential.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1946

And the Nominees Were Not:

Henry Travers in It's A Wonderful Life

Lionel Barrymore in It's A Wonderful Life

Roger Livesey in A Matter of Life and Death

Finlay Currie in Great Expectations

William Bendix in The Blue Dahlia

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1944: Results

5. Sydney Greenstreet in The Mask of Dimitrios- Greenstreet does his master of exposition quite well here and does explore the little depth in his character well.

Best Scene: Mr. Peters searches Cornelius's room.

4. William Demarest in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek- Demarest gives a hilarious portrayal as the reactive face of exasperation at the absurd events during the film.

Best Scene: The constable tries to get Norval to escape from the jail.

3. Peter Lorre in Arsenic and Old Lace- Lorre gives a very funny comedic turn that steals his film in almost a weasel like fashion.

Best Scene: Dr. Einstein tries to warn Mortimer.

2. William Bendix in Lifeboat-William Bendix gives a heartbreaking portrayal of the degradation of his character in both body and soul.

Best Scene: Gus prepares for his amputation.

1. Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity- Good prediction Psifonian, Mark and koook160. Well this year was no contest for me and I love William Bendix's and Barry Fitzgerald's performances as well really like plenty of other performances this year too. There is just no question for me that Edward G. Robinson gives the best supporting performance of 1944. He is on every second he is on screen giving an extremely entertaining and even rather moving portrayal of a claims adjuster who can see everything except what is directly in front of him.

Best Scene: All of his scenes.

Overall Rank:

1. Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity
2. Barry Fitzgerald in Going My Way
3. William Bendix in Lifeboat
4. Peter Lorre in Arsenic and Old Lace
5. Clifton Webb in Laura
6. Hume Cronyn in The Seventh Cross
7. Heinrich Gretler in Marie-Louise
   
8. Sydney Greenstreet in The Mask of Dimitrios
9. Walter Slezak in Lifeboat
10. Vincent Price in Laura
11. William Demarest in Hail the Conquering Hero
12. Henry Hull in Lifeboat 
13. Monty Woolley in Since You Went Away
14. Stig Jarrel in Torment 
15. Franchot Tone in Phantom Lady
    
16. Eric Portman in A Canterbury Tale
17. Charles Laughton in The Canterville Ghost
    
18. Dan Duryea in Ministry of Fear
19. Walter Brennan in To Have and Have Not
20. Barry Fitzgerald in None but the Lonely Heart 
    
21. Thomas Mitchell in The Keys to the Kingdom 
22. Walter Slezak in Till We Meet Again 
23. Raymond Massey in Arsenic and Old Lace 
24. Harry Davenport in Meet Me in St. Louis 
25. Thomas Gomez in Phantom Lady
26. Donald Crisp in National Velvet
    
27. Otto Kruger in Murder, My Sweet
    
28. Donald Crisp in The Uninvited 
29. Emilio Cigoli in The Children Are Watching Us
    
30. Henry Travers in None Shall Escape
    
31. Dan Duryea in The Woman in the Window  
32. Mike Mazurki in Murder, My Sweet
    
33. Dan Seymour in To Have and Have Not
34. Frank McHugh in Going My Way
35. Joseph Cotten in Gaslight  
36. Leon Ames in Meet Me In St. Louis
    
37. Thomas Mitchell in Wilson
38. Hume Cronyn in Lifeboat
39. Robert Mitchum in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
40. John Hodiak in Lifeboat  
41. John Alexander in Arsenic and Old Lace 
42. Canada Lee in Lifeboat 
43. John Mills in This Happy Breed
    
44. Edward Everett Horton in Arsenic and Old Lace
45. Charles Coburn in Wilson 
46. Robert Walker in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
47. Alan Napier in The Uninvited
48. Spencer Tracy in Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
49. Robert Walker in Since You Went Away 
50. Erskine Sanford in Ministry of Fear
51. Porter Hall in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek 
52. Ray Collins in The Seventh Cross
53. William Frawley in Going My Way 
54. Joseph Cotten in Since You Went Away
55. Raymond Massey in The Woman in the Window
56. James Gleason in Arsenic and Old Lace
57. Alan Napier in Ministry of Fear
58. Vincent Price in The Keys to the Kingdom
59. Gene Lockhart in Going My Way
60. Felix Alymer in Henry V
61. Vincent Price in Wilson 
62. Elisha Cook Jr. in Phantom Lady
    
63. Porter Hall in Double Indemnity
64. Stanley Clements in Going My Way
65. Cedric Hardwicke in The Lodger
66. Porter Hall in Going My Way
67. Jack Carson in Arsenic and Old Lace
68. Hoagy Carmichael in To Have and Have Not 
69. Allan Curtis in Phantom Lady
    
70. Takashi Shimura in The Most Beautiful
    
71. Walter Abel in Mr. Skeffington 
72. Tom Powers in Double Indemnity
73. James Brown in Going My Way
74. Bill Edwards in Hail the Conquering Hero
75. Bryon Barr in Double Indemnity
76. Richard Waring in Mr. Skeffington

Next Year: 1971 Supporting

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1944: William Bendix in Lifeboat

William Bendix did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Gus Smith in Lifeboat.

Lifeboat is a very effective film about a group of survivors who take refuge on a life boat during world war two after the ships they were on were destroyed.

Lifeboat has a rather strong ensemble and I easily could have chosen Walter Slezak who gives a strong performance as a charismatic but still treacherous German. William Bendix though is the beating heart of the film as Gus who comes aboard the ship with a badly wounded leg. Bendix takes a remarkable approach to the part of Gus in that he plays him as an up beat sort of guy by nature who is fending off depression from his wounded leg and the whole predicament of being on the life boat. Bendix gives a wonderfully natural performance as Gus and every moment that brings him into focus Bendix brings a strong emotional impact.

Among the men and women of the crew Bendix stands outs through his performance as goodhearted Gus. He brings an innate likability and even his hatred of the Germans is shown by Bendix to come from a well meaning man. Bendix lightens the boat up in a most particular, and wonderful way through his presence. Even as Gus has to face the truth that he will probably lose his leg, and face the idea of losing his girlfriend whose favorite thing is dancing, Bendix still keeps a positive nature behind it all. The fears, the grief, and the pain is all there in Bendix's performance all the time, but he always keeps it within the context of Gus who in his heart is an optimistic man even if his current situation suggests he should be otherwise.

When Gus's leg needs to amputated Bendix has an amazing scene when Gus tries to prepare himself by drinking a bottle of whiskey. This probably could be used for one of the best drunk scenes ever given both on a technical and emotional level. On the technical level Bendix is extremely smart in the way he eases into Gus's is drunkenness when he drinks away the bottle. He doesn't skip a step in it and Bendix is believable the whole time. William Bendix is great as well on an emotional level as he shows a man reaching to have some final tender moments while he still has his leg. Bendix gives is outstanding through the simple emotional honesty he brings to Gus as he becomes inebriated.

William Bendix's after that spectacular scene takes his place in the boat as a rather quiet figure who just is slowly dying from thirst, starvation and his injury. Bendix's role is reduced but he is hardly forgotten. Every time the camera turn to Bendix, Bendix is quite moving in portraying the spirited Gus frankly slowly lose his spirit. Almost all of the actors are quite excellent in showing the exhaustion, but Bendix is the most effective because of how well he suggested the bright nature of Gus at the beginning of the film. Bendix's does not make Gus change his nature, he is always good-natured even to the very end of the film, he is far more heartbreaking by showing it though instead diminish in strength.

Bendix builds perfectly to the point in which Gus is at his rope end when he spots that the German has been hiding drinkable water the entire time. Bendix makes Gus's final scene a truly haunting end to his character as we see Gus, without any strength left as well as being disoriented, attempt to question the German's selfish actions. Bendix's performance is absolutely heartbreaking particularly with the final desperate cries for help as Gus meets his end. The fact that there is nothing especially notable about Gus's demise only adds to the sadness of the scene. Bendix does not have the most screen time in the film, and his character is far from the most flamboyant but Bendix stands out strongly among the ensemble by giving just a quiet genuine portrayal of the tragic story of a failed survivor.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1944

And the Nominees Were Not:

Peter Lorre in Arsenic and Old Lace

Sydney Greenstreet in The Mask of Dimitrios

Edward G. Robinson in Double Indemnity

William Bendix in Lifeboat

William Demarest in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek

Best Supporting Actor 1942: Results

5. Frank Morgan in Tortilla Flat- Morgan is by far the best part of a bad film bringing a lot of heart to his role of the dog lover.

4. Henry Travers in Mrs. Miniver- Travers portrays his usual nice old man role in his usual nice old man fashion. It is not a stretch for him, the part is very limited, but Travers does it well.

3. William Bendix in Wake Island- Bendix's whole point in the film is to be funny, he is funny enough, and he is perfectly fine.

2. Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy- Huston gives a good performance as the warm and wise father. He is convincing in the vaudeville scenes, but his role is a little too limited for Huston to really do anything  special in the role.

1. Van Heflin in Johnny Eager- Good prediction RatedRStar. Heflin very very easily wins this year. Heflin simply gives an outstanding performance. He absolutely steals the entire film, he brings genuine emotions, and an original character to a film that certainly needs it.

Deserving Performances:
Claude Rains in Now Voyager
Roddy McDowall in The Pied Piper

Best Supporting Actor 1942: William Bendix in Wake Island

William Bendix received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Pvt. Aloysius K. 'Smacksie' Randall in Wake Island.

Wake Island depicts the World War II battle of Wake Island in the pacific against the Japanese shortly after Pearl Harbor.

William Bendix portrays one of the men on Wake Island who is soon to be out of the service. Bendix basically is just there for comic relief as the man who is constantly bickering with another soldier as they comment on various aspects of their life on the island. Bendix does not stand out in the film, he comes in and out whenever the film wants a funny scene. He really does not have much of a character arc, there is a change in the middle of his character, but even that is not really a transition for the Smacksie, but rather a decision he had wanted to make the entire time anyways.

His whole point is really just to be a nice humorous presence during the film to help off set the dread of the impending attack. Bendix is actually humorous enough in the role of the gruff talking Smacksie. He does not over do it either which would have made it out of place when the film becomes the serious. It is not as if Bendix is hilarious by any means, but he is an enjoyable diversion in the film. Also his antagonistic friendship with Robert Preston as a fellow private is fairly enjoyable. It is not an unforgettable comedic team up by any measure, but the two have a chemistry together that works.

As I said his character does have a change, and that is for the first half of the film his character keeps bringing up that he is leaving, but about half way through he is finally out. Bendix actually again is entertaining enough as Smacksie who doesn't have any idea what to do with himself when he finally is not following orders. When Smacksie re-enters the service since he was just stalling not leaving it is not really a change as shown by Bendix. Bendix rather shows that Smacksie really does prefer being in the service than out of it since he really does not know of anything else.

This is not a complex depiction of this soldier, but Bendix does actually invest himself enough in the part that he is as believable in the serious scenes of war, as he is enjoyable in his scenes of humor. This is really a performance just serving a need of the film which is to add humor to the proceedings. Bendix does this effectively enough and deserves credit for doing so. He never is amazing in the part but I would say if someone did need to be recognized for this film, he was a fine choice.

Best Supporting Actor 1942

And the Nominees Were:

Frank Morgan in Tortilla Flat

Henry Travers in Mrs. Miniver

Van Heflin in Johnny Eager

William Bendix in Wake Island

Walter Huston in Yankee Doodle Dandy