Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1973 Results

5. Yul Brynner in Westworld -  Brynner is easily the highlight of his film giving a chilling portrayal of an unstoppable android.

Best Scene: The gunslinger wins. 

4. Sterling Hayden in The Long Goodbye - Hayden gives a terrific performance portraying the boisterous man attempting to love life, well in reality only hiding the sad man that hates it.

Best Scene: Wade has to pay a fee.

3. Christopher Lee in The Wicker Man - Lee grants the grandiose menace needed for his island leader of pagans, but adds subtle nuance to his character and film by showing the underlying motivations of the man as well.

Best Scene: Just before the sacrifice.

2. Cyril Cusack in The Homecoming - Cusack gives a quietly brilliant performance as seemingly the only non-miserable soul in a house through his realization of a sunny demeanor which alludes to a complex relationship with his family.

Best Scene: Words of warning.

1. Richard Jordan in The Friends of Eddie Coyle - Good Predictions Luke, Charles, Tahmeed, Michael Patison, Michael McCarthy, and Omar. Richard Jordan gives a fantastic performance by so cruelly realizing the tactics of his law officers which would be the style of a heroic cop in a different film.

Best Scene: Foley tells Eddie some bad news.

Updated Overall
Next Year: 1984 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1973: Yul Brynner in Westworld

Yul Brynner did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the Gunslinger in Westworld.

Westworld introduces the amusement parks populated by androids that let visitors do whatever they wish, and kind of calls it a day with the concept.

The film begins with that very interesting concept which is just used to tell a fairly simple story. Most of the time we just watch a few guests hanging around, with the staff being confused by a few malfunctions, with the main focus on two men Peter (Richard Benjamin) and John (James Brolin) on vacation. The highlight of the film without question is Yul Brynner as the aptly named Gunslinger. Brynner in a send up to his role in The Magnificent Seven, right down to almost the exact same costume, plays the constant antagonist for the park guests. Brynner, once again proving that playing villains was his true calling, is quite effective in the early scenes a less serious fiend though. His whole point is to pester the guests until they shoot him in response. Brynner in turn is quite the enjoyable troll as he attempts to mock the men into shooting them, though while doing so Brynner does carry himself with imposing enough to suggest you wouldn't want him as your real enemy. Of course this is only a warm up to the finale of the film when the robots reject all previous programming and are set loose upon the guests.

Brynner's best scenes in the film though are when he confronts the unsuspecting Peter and John, after the systems have gone haywire. Brynner has the Gunslinger take his usual style until he successfully outdraws John and kills him. The smile that Brynner brings to his face is absolutely chilling almost suggesting perhaps a bit of emotion in the Gunslinger's satisfaction in finally killing his target, which makes him quite menacing as he begins chasing down Peter. Brynner throughout the final sequence is  pioneering work as the unstoppable villain, apparently influencing Michael Myers and the Terminator. Brynner actually doesn't make it as simple as being a cold face killer. Again those hints of satisfaction in the machine are particularly unnerving, but he does more than that. Brynner also does more in his physical manner throughout the sequence because he actually walks with this very particular outlaw swagger, that is so exact in repetitive is rather off-putting in revealing the mechanical nature of the killer. The point of the performance is the consistency in this portion but there is one great moment in there when Peter hides from the Gunslinger's heat seeking vision by hiding below a torch. Brynner's good in portraying the unnatural switch in the Gunslinger since he does not portray a human confusion, but rather a computer's awkward attempt to break through a glitch. Brynner's work as the killing machine works as making a fierce villain, but he also allude to a bit more when given the chance. The film unfortunately doesn't allow him to explore any more, and does not make much use of what he brings through his performance. Brynner isn't only the best part of the film but his performance alludes towards a better film than the one he's in.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1973

And the Nominees Were Not:

Richard Jordan in The Friends of Eddie Coyle

Sterling Hayden in The Long Goodbye

Yul Brynner in Westworld

Christopher Lee in The Wicker Man

Cyril Cusack in The Homecoming

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1956: Results

5. Elisha Cook, Jr in The Killing -  Cook plays his usual role of the weak willed criminal, but this is particularly good example of it.

 Best Scene: George returns home after the shootout.

4. Ward Bond in The Searchers - Bond does some very fine work here delivery the best comic moments of the film as well as being one of the few supporting players who can stand their ground with John Wayne's searing performance.

Best Scene: Ethan finishes the job.

3. Edward G. Robinson in The Ten Commandments - Robinson gives an entertaining and appropriately devious portrayal of every phase of his character's ever changing form of villainy.

Best Scene: Dathan gives the deliverer to Rameses.

2. Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments - Brynner gives a very effective performance by bringing both the needed command and ego fitting for a villain such as Rameses.

Best Scene: "Moses Moses Moses"

1. Eli Wallach in Baby Doll - Good Predictions Luke, mcofra7, Michael Patison, and RatedRStar. Eli Wallach gives a wonderful performance creating striking up some truly fiery chemistry with his female co-star, as well as being impeccable delivering both the dramatic and comedic moments in the material. It is my favorite of these five performances, but this really is a leading performance.

Best Scene: Silva and Baby Doll on the swing.

Overall Rank:

1. Ed Wynn in The Great Man
2. Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments
3. Anthony Quinn in Lust For Life
4. James Dean in Giant
5. Edward G. Robinson in The Ten Commandments
6. Ward Bond in The Searchers
7. Lee Marvin in Attack
8. Everett Sloane in Patterns 
9. Elisha Cook, Jr. in The Killing
10. Ed Begley in Patterns
11. Stephen Boyd in The Man Who Never Was
12. James Donald in Lust for Life 
13. Dennis Hopper in Giant
14. James Mason in Forever, Darling 
15. Walter Brennan in Good-Bye, My Lady
16. Anthony Perkins in Friendly Persuasion
17. Vincent Price in The Ten Commandments 
18. Timothy Carey in The Killing
19. Henry Jones in The Girl Can't Help It
20. Rod Steiger in The Harder They Fall
21. Keenan Wynn in The Great Man
22. Leo Genn in Moby Dick
23. Cedric Hardwicke in The Ten Commandments
24. Edmond O'Brien in The Girl Can't Help It
25. Henry Jones in The Bad Seed
26. Anthony Quayle in The Wrong Man
27. Walter Matthau in Bigger Than Life
28. Terry-Thomas in The Green Man
29. Fredric March in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
30. Sidney Poitier in Good-bye, My Lady
31. Robert Strauss in Attack
32. Ted de Corsia in The Killing
33. Richard Basehart in Moby Dick
34. Bernard Miles in The Man Who Knew Too Much
35. Jay C. Flippen in The Killing
36. Arthur O'Connell in Bus Stop
37. Orson Welles in Moby Dick
38. Lee J. Cobb in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
39. Louis Calhern in Forever, Darling
40. Cameron Prud'Homme in The Rainmaker
41. Keenan Wynn in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
42. Richard Jaeckel in Attack
43. Russ Morgan in The Great Man
44. Henry Brandon in The Searchers
45. Sal Mineo in Somebody Up There Likes Me
46. Minoru Chiaki in Samurai III: Duel At Ganryu Island
47. Leo McKern in X: The Unknown
48. Mickey Rooney in The Bold and the Brave
49. Dean Jagger in The Great Man
50. Joseph Sweeney in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
51. Robert Stack in Written on the Wind
52. James Edwards in The Killing
53. Everett Sloan in Somebody Up There Likes Me
54. John Carradine in The Ten Commandments
55. Robert Bray in Bus Stop
56. HB Warner The Ten Commandments
57. Robert Newton in Around the World in 80 Days
58. Louis Calhern in High Society
59. Trevor Howard in Around the World in 80 Days  
60. Raymond Huntley in The Green Man
61. Arthur O'Connell in The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit
62. Wendell Corey in The Rainmaker
63. Takashi Shimura in Samurai III: Duel at Ganryu Island
64. Akim Tamiroff in Anastasia
65. Louis Armstrong in High Society
66. Lloyd Bridges in The Rainmaker
67. Eddie Albert in Attack
68. Vince Edwards in The Killing
69. John Qualen in The Searchers
70. Felix Aylmer in Anastasia
71. John Derek in The Ten Commandments
72. Edward Chapman in X: The Unknown
73. Robert F. Simon in Bigger Than Life
74. Robert Keith in Written on the Wind
75. Paul Fix in The Bad Seed
76. Anthony Newley in X: The Unknown
77. Earl Holliman in The Rainmaker
78. Pedro Armendariz in The Conqueror
79. Friedrich von Ledebur in Moby Dick
80. John Hoyt in Forever, Darling
81. John Lund in High Society 
82. Richard Eyer in Friendly Persuasion
83. Lonny Chapman in Baby Doll
84. Harry Carey, Jr. in The Searchers
85. Martin Benson in The King and I
86. Ken Curtis in The Searchers
87. Thomas Gomez in The Conqueror 
88. Patrick Adiarte in The King and I
89. Ted de Corsia in The Conqueror 
90. Christopher Olsen in The Man Who Knew Too Much
91. Hank Worden in The Searchers
92. Christopher Olsen in Bigger Than Life

Next Year: 1972 Lead

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1956: Yul Brynner and Edward G. Robinson in The Ten Commandments

Yul Brynner did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Rameses II in The Ten Commandments.

The Ten Commandments is one of the better biblical epics from the era depicting the story of Moses from his time as an Egyptian Prince to the leader of the movement to free the Hebrew slaves.

Yul Brynner had a banner year in 1956 appearing in two best picture nominees The King and I, for which he won his Oscar,  and this film as well as appeared as the male lead in Anastasia which won Best Actress for Ingrid Bergman. Naturally Brynner won for the least of his efforts as the titular King of the King and I, although I guess everyone is just missing something considering how ridiculously successful his performance was for that character, rather than his decent enough work in Anastasia, or his performance here. Although his role as Rameses is supporting, in those days what mattered was whether one was considered a leading actor or a supporting actor though rather than the actual role you played. Brynner plays the chief villain of the film as the heir apparent to the Egyptian throne, although his birth right is being questioned by the other prince Moses (Charlton Heston). Now I'll admit Brynner can sometimes be bland actor, and the first challenge presented to him is being in a biblical epic which can often cause an amplified blandness when sometimes it seems like the actors let the flamboyant costumes to do the work for them.

Well Brynner avoids this though by very much embracing the grandeur of the film. Brynner better than anyone else in the film takes it upon himself to really sell perhaps the overly dramatic lines. Brynner though speaks with such a pride and booming voice very much needed for a future King. Brynner seems to particularly love to say Rameses's well catchphrase really "So it has been said so may it be written". Brynner brings such a confidence in this statement and successfully reflects Rameses character which simple foresees that everything shall go his way even before any of it has happened. Brynner does the pompous villain quite well because he never makes Rameses seem stupid, rather he presents him as a man who just merely quite well aware of his position. Brynner importantly does create in Rameses's eyes that desire for power as well. Brynner exudes this making it abundantly clear early on in the film that Rameses is well aware of Moses's threat, and is constantly looking for his chance to diminish the problem. Even some of Ramses's methods to besmirch Moses early on are rather weak, but Brynner still brings his palatable presence in the scenes in order not to weaken Rameses as a worthy antagonist.  

What I like most about Brynner's performance though is the fun he has with the role actually. One of my favorite moments relatively early on is Rameses scene with the next Pharaoh's bride to be, Nefretiri (Anne Baxter). The problem is though she is promised to the Pharaoh no matter what, whether it is Moses or Rameses. Where Moses is obviously a bit swept away by her charms there's no such problem for Rameses who knows she's the real cutthroat. Brynner manner towards her is perfection as he does express a desire, but along with it such a disdain towards her in the same moment. Brynner's performance shows that Rameses is not at all tricked by her. The best moment of their interaction though is when Nefretiri states that she'll never love Rameses. Brynner reaction is pure perfection as he seems to almost stop himself from bursting out laughing as he so callously states "Does that matter?" brilliantly portraying that Rameses hardly cares about such trivial things, being for more interested in the power represented by having her rather than actually having her as a loving wife.

Brynner is quite entertaining by being so unabashedly evil, although he does regulate this properly leaving the even more flamboyant evil to two other players. What Brynner does well though is create frankly the danger of the ego created by the man. Brynner is always paints Rameses well as the man well aware of his position and is quite enjoyable and menacing in playing this up. A great moment for him as when Moses returns after being found out and exiled by Rameses to convince Rameses to let the Hebrews go. Again Brynner has such a memorable reaction as he is so condescending as he shakes his head and just says "Moses Moses Moses" as though he somewhat enjoys Moses's resilience even if he in no way takes it seriously. Moses is determined though announcing the plagues against Egypt which slowly becomes worse. Brynner's whole performance technically has worked up to this point as Rameses's refusal to accept the power of God, despite the evidence shown to him, is made believable through the personality that he has established up to this point. As the plagues begin to grow worse though Brynner is effective in subtly conveying a certain weakness growing in Rameses's resolve. He actually never exactly breaks down or anything like that, which makes sense since it takes almost being killed by a risen sea to finally put an end to his opposition to Moses, but Brynner does well to express the wear each plague takes on Rameses's ego. Brynner gives very strong and particularly assured work here that turns Rameses into a remarkable villain fitting for such a grand epic.

Edward G. Robinson did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dathan in The Ten Commandments.

Edward G. Robinson is probably not the first name one would associate with a biblical epic, but after his first scene you'll see that he fits right in. Where Brynner might play the most powerful villain in the film Robinson perhaps plays the most devious. We first meet Dathan as he is a Hebrew slave who acts as basically the personal rat for the Egyptians particularly the master builder Baka played in a delightfully evil fashion by Vincent Price. Robinson almost refines himself to a single look for the first third of his performance or so. This might seem too simple, but Robinson's one look just happens to be so good. The turned away head, the squinting eyes, the way he seems to be always looking for something, and the way he has his mouth is not a smile yet Dathan seems to have an odd sense of self-satisfaction about him. Robinson's whole expression seems to be the perfect personification of a rat. Robinson makes an impact so that even though Dathan is technically a non-entity for sometime story wise, Robinson ensures that you know he is going to strike eventually.

Eventually Dathan does see the right thing when Moses kills Baka and reveals himself to be Hebrew. Dathan naturally sells this information to Rameses for the price of basically replacing Baka in every respect including inheriting his house, his wealth, as well as the Hebrew woman Lilia he desired. Dathan is given it all and Edward G. Robinson plays up the sleaze of Dathan beautifully. He loses that face of the rat switches to one of such self-satisfaction. Robinson delivers the unpleasantness that is Dathan with great aplomb. Robinson is very entertaining by playing into the despicable nature of Dathan. He's particularly good in the scene where Lilia begs for him to essentially allow her not to be his prostitute. Robinson does well to not even be actively cruel or anything. I mean he does not yell as Dathan or portray any sort of violent intention in the man. Robinson instead just shows simply how much Dathan enjoys his new position of power, which is unpleasant enough. Robinson does not hold back on the exuberance of an evil man essentially enjoying the spoils of his vile deeds.

After the Hebrews are given their freedom Dathan is also sent off his way because even though he was living as an Egyptian he was a Hebrew as well. Robinson makes it particularly satisfying when Dathan becomes a fearful fool since he made him just so smug before. That fall is well realized as he makes Dathan is clearly quite concerned when the people he must go with are the same people he lorded over and showed cruelty towards. For the rest of the film Dathan technically returns to his form as a rat although this time as loud squeaking rat rather than the quiet observer. Every time a problem seems to arise Dathan is always the first to chime in and blame Moses while suggesting they return immediately to Egypt. Here Robinson comes as sniveling pest in every moment just waiting to make his own speech which is always as passionate in its pessimism, as Moses's speeches are in terms of optimism. Finally after they've completely escaped Rameses's grasp and await word from God, Dathan immediately tries to take over telling the Hebrews to convert to paganism. Robinson becomes the grand slime here well expressing that grand vision in Dathan, and makes his level of persuasion somewhat convincing through his darkly impassioned speech. Robinson adds a nice bit character in every scene he is in and is entertaining in every phase of Dathan's villainy right until he goes out in quite the bang.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1956

And the Nominees Were Not:

Eli Wallach in Baby Doll

Elisha Cook, Jr. in The Killing

Ward Bond in The Searchers

Yul Brynner in The Ten Commandments

Edward G. Robinson in The Ten Commandments

Best Actor 1956: Results

5. Yul Brynner in The King and I- Brynner gives a odd performance that is strange in almost every aspect, his acting, his chemistry with Deborah Kerr, his singing, the only thing that is not strange is his dancing I guess.

4. Rock Hudson in Giant- Hudson gives a good performance throughout Giant. His character is a steadfast character, but Hudson is interesting to watch and makes himself interesting despite the simple nature of his  character sometimes.

3. James Dean in Giant- Dean is incredibly good in the first half of his performance making the most out of his character, in a compelling performance that only Dean could give. His second shorter half as the rich oil man, does not quite work for me. He was slimy I suppose but I was not convinced at all by the character later. Hudson and Taylor aged properly but I actually think Dean was incapable of really aging.

2. 1. Laurence Olivier in Richard III, and Kirk Douglas in Lust For Life- Good prediction Dinastzie These top two performers are both absolutely brilliant. They both take incredibly complicated and challenging characters and bring them to life brilliantly. They excel in everything facet of their performance, both use their whole physical presence to fully realize their character. Douglas's Van Gogh, and Olivier's Richard III are both perfect performance the two could not swap roles both are perfect for the roles and in the roles. I think both are equal roles, and performances, neither tops the other in any aspect they both brilliant, how could these two performances lose to Brynner is beyond me. If I was forced to vote for one I would go with Douglas because I have already voted for Olivier twice. But by strange Oscar logic I should get one best actor tie since there was one tie in the field.

Deserving Performances:
John Wayne in The Searchers

Best Actor 1956: Yul Brynner in The King and I

Yul Brynner won his Oscar from his only nomination for portraying the King Mongkut of Siam in The King and I.

The King and I is a weird musical to say the least, in both its story, and its odd pacing and tonal shifts. Especially involving the subplot about the King and one of his brides that gets rather dark at the end.

Brynner's performance as the King is an odd story of extreme success.  He won this Oscar and a Tony for his performance, and he portrayed the King over 4000 times on stage. I guess there must be something about his performance here that struck many people incredibly well even if in terms of normal acting it seems rather odd to me anyways. His performance is strange in his semi comic way of acting throughout the film. He tells people what to do with his snap, and his strange way of speaking in this movie, no I do not mean his accent. His whole style of speaking is strange, and I never say anything all that interesting about his performance it was just simply odd.

His chemistry with Deborah Kerr is odd, the way the King carries himself around his court is very odd. The way he talks with his children, his wives, or when he talks to Kerr is bizarre. I have no idea what he was doing in the performance, all I know is it does not work. He does not really have presence, or all that much charisma in his performance, nor does he make the King either interesting or entertaining. His singing is also very odd too, I suppose his dancing is not really odd but that is about it. I actually do like Brynner as an actor in other films besides this, but this film his performance oddly theatrical. I suppose he knew what he was doing though since he won an Oscar for it, but I think he was in fact much better in both Anastasia, and especially the Ten Commandments both from the same year.

Best Actor 1956

And The Nominees Were:

Rock Hudson in Giant

James Dean in Giant

Yul Brynner in The King and I

Kirk Douglas in Lust For Life

Laurence Olivier in Richard III

So who do you pick, and predict? The ranch owner turned oil man, the ranch hand turned oil man, the king who sings, the artist who screams, or the king who schemes.