Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936: Frank Morgan in The Great Ziegfeld

Frank Morgan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jack Billings in The Great Ziegfeld.

The Great Ziegfeld is an overblown biographical film about Florenz Ziegfeld (William Powell) the producer of various stage shows.

The first third of The Great Ziegfeld works considerably better than much of the film as it tightens its focus on the actual character of Florenz Ziegfield, mostly through rivalry with Jack Billings played by Morgan. The film opens with the two of them hosting rival shows at the World's Fair, and acting directly against each other as they each try to hype their shows to the public, with Billings being the more successful initially. Morgan works well as an opponent for Powell here. Firstly he, like Powell, is certainly good at being the showman trying to get his crowd to watch his show over the other. He works with Powell well because they have a similar style in terms of their screen presence. Both often carry this certain jovial quality about themselves yet with a certain acerbic twinge, although Powell's is perhaps a bit stronger in that regard. Morgan though stands his own with Powell and the two are rather enjoyable together in creating the rivalry between the two. Their similar manner actually works particularly well in creating the friendly rivalry as they both project a certain charm whenever they interact though at the same time they do carry a certain deviousness.

As the film progresses it is often Ziegfeld getting the better of Billings one way or another, and eventually he kinda defeats Billings so to speak when Billings has to settle for a lower position than the Great Ziegfeld. Morgan though still makes his appearances as for whatever reason Ziegfeld is always running by a new idea with Billings in the room. Morgan continues to be entertaining in portraying basically the exasperation of Billings with every defeat, but does well to eventually transform it to more of a bemusement as he just knows what Ziegfeld is up to even when it does not even concern him personally. Now the film's problems come in the form of its endless musical numbers which loses too often the story of Ziegfeld himself. A good comparison is Yankee Doodle Dandy, which is isn't a perfect itself, but it did not stretch the numbers out to three hours, and more importantly the central character was actually part of it. Here Ziegfeld is lost in his own movie oddly, forgetting his rivalry with Billings almost entirely and does not really regain his footing until he's about to die. The film reverts back to Billings and Ziegfeld in the final scene of the film. Morgan and Powell are both rather moving in the last scene as they look upon the rivalry with nostalgia. Morgan is especially heartwarming as he tries to cheer Ziegfeld up by saying they should do one more show. It works because Morgan manages to create the friendship with Powell, even if the film did its best to diminish it by losing the personal touch. Morgan gives a good performance which frankly helps to illustrate what was wrong with the movie.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936: Peter Lorre in Secret Agent

Peter Lorre did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying General Pompellio Montezuma De La Vilia De Conde De La Rue in Secret Agent.

Secret Agent is considerable step below from some of Hitchcock's other work from the 30's such as the 39 Steps or The Lady Vanishes, but it is a decent enough thriller about three British agents looking to assassinate a German spy.

Lorre plays one of the agents who calls himself  General Pompellio Montezuma De La Vilia De Conde De La Rue a ridiculously long name leaving him to be known mostly as the General but he's also known by the "Hairless Mexican". His lack of hair, and the fact that he does not seem to actually be a general, or probably even Mexican leaves the General as the most peculiar of characters in the film. Although if you want a character's eccentricity to stand out all the more I suppose one would cast Peter Lorre in the part, as he's certainly no stranger for that sort. Lorre might as well be the film as he's very much needed for the film to come to life as he plays the sidekick, of sorts, to John Gielgud's more straitlaced Captain Edgar Brodie. It is abundantly clear that this will be a particularly expressive performance by Lorre to say the least, which is all the better. His well rather assuming performance is rather necessary because one simply could not look like his character in this film, or behave like the character does without it seeming quite a bit off. Lorre embraces the idea with his work here and the film is all the better for it, since any scene with Lorre in it belongs to Lorre.

Lorre is terrific in playing into essentially an extravagance of the character as though the General is aware of his own absurdity and plays into to perhaps hide his actual intention. It does not make a great deal of sense for a spy to be so obvious yet Lorre gives sense to by making the General such a weird creature that perhaps he is a harmless one. Lorre does this well in that in interactions with most he brings this courteous quality as well as pride though as he announces his ridiculous name, which probably is not even real, to anyone he might meet. Lorre effectively builds a front of making the General this weird foreigner from wherever he might be from, but he's amusing in his own way so one would not need to suspect him of anything. Well other than attempting to be a devil with the ladies and again Lorre plays this up in an interesting fashion as though the General is perhaps fulfilling the role of the latin lover. Lorre is very entertaining as he shows the General strange way of trying to woo any pretty woman he might come in contact with. There seems to be an insanity to his enthusiasm, but it would appear as though it is all in good fun, or is it?

Well there are two members of the team with the leader of the group Edgar, Elsa (Madeleine Carroll) who's there to provide Edgar with a stronger cover by pretending to be his wife, but the General is there for one reason, which is killing the target as selected by Edgar. Lorre plays this side of the General equally well and is especially efficient in the way he reveals this to be behind the rest of his whole routine. Lorre's enjoyably grim though in the moments where he speaks about an eventual murder, often by indicating a throat slitting, or when he admires an assassination well done. Lorre is terrific in making the General so callous in the discussions involving death as though for him it is merely a profession and that a job well done should be recognized as such. Even when the General finds out that a man he killed was not the target, Lorre presents the reaction as a crazed laughter, as though it's merely one of those things that can happen on the job. Now when the General is actually killing though, Lorre brings the professional quality of the kill as most important, as in the moment he brings a particularly chilling determination, although not without perhaps a hint of joy as well. 

Lorre is easily the best part of this film, with Robert Young being the second best as another duplicitous individual, as the two of them are allowed to embrace the murky waters involved in the world of the film. This is actually a film where the leads get a bit too bogged down with being overly moral leaving them to unfortunately become somewhat boring characters. Where the fun is to be had is found in Lorre's depiction of the government endorsed murderer who has no qualms with his duties. Lorre even manages to give any sense to the ridiculous fate of his character. This is where the General decides to offer a drink to the dying German spy they were after, and Lorre actually makes some sense of this by stressing the General's professionalism and he's merely giving curtsey to another man in the same profession. It's still a bit much that the General would put his gun in reach of the man allowing the man to fatally shoot the General. Again Lorre does his absolute best to save the scene though as the General one last time announces his name, and Lorre is surprisingly moving as he seems to resign himself to his fate, finally dropping the facade as though there was no longer a point. Lorre does some very good work here that really manages to elevate the film which without him would be a bit forgettable.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936: Humphrey Bogart in The Petrified Forest

Humphrey Bogart did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Duke Mantee in The Petrified Forest.

The Petrified Forest is about a group of different people being held up by a bank robber in a lonely service station in the desert.

Humphrey Bogart plays the bank robber and made his first break out with this film. This break out  did not make him a leading man, but rather propelled him to a prominent supporting player. Apparently it was Leslie Howard who insisted Bogart reprise his stage role as Duke Mantee, a role that is well built up by the film until his appearance in the last act of the film. His first appearance though is not excessively dramatic as he and his gang make hijack a car, but at least it builds up to his far more dramatic entrance into the diner. Well Bogart is indeed a natural fit for the criminal type and does match exactly what it is described about Duke especially well. Bogart's good at bringing that sort of needed rough command to the character as well brings the violent nature of the man in his eyes as he enters the diner. The Duke comes in and technically speaking takes over the film even though he does not really have that many lines of dialogue with much of his time being spent watching the other people in the diner complain about their lives.

Bogart though carries a strong menace with his mere presence while being able to bring a great deal of intention to himself merely in the way he watches over the people, while Duke waits for the rest of gang to appear including his girlfriend. The film already gives the description of the killer as basically a sunken man and Bogart matches this rather well in his physical expression of Duke's face. Bogart is able to keep a certain tension through his performance, even though the film kinda wastes it a bit with it's decision to perhaps make the civilians and the gang a little too chummy. After all even when one of the guys in the diner tries to take down the gangster they seem to try their best not to hurt him for it. Bogart though meets the demands as the hard man who is both feared and oddly looked up to because of notoriety. Bogart is able to project himself with that slightly larger life anti-ego in a way. Bogart is very good in the way he has Duke's manner to be modest in that he is not technically speaking really a flamboyant sort. Bogart though makes it impossible not to notice him as there is something striking about his explosive personality even though he's keeping it under control for the moment.

The most remarkable element of Bogart's performance though is that he does not portray Duke as a particularly happy man even in his escape. There is a certain sorrow and anguish that Bogart effectively brings in the man as though he is well aware that he probably won't make it out of the night alive. Bogart though is particularly good in his moments where he interacts with the failed author and current drifter Alan (Howard) who wishes for Duke to kill him that way he can give his life insurance money to someone he cares about. They technically are both men starring into a void, but Bogart expresses well the difference in Duke over Alan, as the Duke seems wholly confused over Alan's willingness to die. Now I do have to admit I do have a few reservations towards Bogart's performance here as there is a bit of unneeded theatricality such as the way he holds his arms when walking around which does not quite work, and leaves his performance here not nearly as assured as some of his later work. Also his whole character is wrapped up in a way that feels a bit unsatisfying although that is hardly Bogart's fault. Nevertheless this is still a strong portrayal and it is easy to see why it became his first major break through as an actor.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936: James Stewart in After the Thin Man

James Stewart did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying David Graham in After the Thin Man.

After the Thin Man is the very enjoyable film that continues the adventures of the sleuthing husband and wife team of Nick (William Powell) and Nora (Myrna Loy).

With every Thin Man film there is a group of supporting players, often regulated to only a single film, who are in some way associated with the soon to be deceased figure who's murder the two N's will need to solve. James Stewart plays David the man who's actually in love with a woman Selma whose philandering husband who seems to be just setting himself up as the man to be murdered. This is one of Stewart's earliest performances but he's already got the aw shucks down to a t. Stewart brings his usual likability to this role even and does make David seem to be such a charming man, and it seems to become so obvious that Selma should be with him. After all Stewart's portrayal of sweetness just seems so genuine that it would take a great deal of effort not to believe him. Stewart even makes it so David seems to fit right in with hanging out with Nick and Nora as there is such a warm ease about his presence. To be honest you could not find someone better than James Stewart to instantly establish a trust with.

Of course there is technically speaking plenty to suspect David of even though his affections for Selma seem so honest, since he must deal with her husband who is of such low character he's willing to give up Selma, but only if he's paid off. Stewart is quite good here because he does not allow himself to be merely some throwaway character in the film, even though most the supporting players technically speaking are here in terms of what one really watches the film for, Stewart does do well though in the scenes where David deals with her husband. Again Stewart very honestly depicts the struggle of the man as he agrees to the odd ransom while being sickened by the whole thing. Of course Stewart does not overplay his hand actually as you believe he's simply paying the ransom but that certain discontent might merely not be about hating the husband. Well the husband is not long for the world anyways and he ends up dead being shot by an unknown assailant, just before his wife was going to shoot him. Luckily for her David, one again seeming quite honest as played by Stewart, tells her to run while he will dispose of the gun, even though it was not even used for the killing.

Well if you have not guessed who the killer is, I'll help you, the prime suspect is an obvious criminal type who's just so obviously guilty of something that you know he could not possibly be the killer in this film. Well that only suspect left that would make any sense would have to be David, but he's played by Jimmy Stewart, how could that be? Stewart helps things out in his favor some more by being so earnest in his confusion of any revelations and fear for what might happen to Selma, which means he could not possibly be the killer. Well after some usual deductions by Nick and watching for the inevitable minor slip up, involving the type of facial hair on a dead man, it is revealed that David did murder Selma's husband as well as few other people to keep covered up, and planned to see Selma hang for it due to having jilted him for her husband originally. Stewart's psychotic breakdown happens to be particularly disconcerting since not only does it work as a surprise to see that the aw shucks Stewart has only been a lie in the film, but also because Stewart can be quite intense when he wants to be. That's the case here as he effectively becomes a violent mess in just a matter of seconds, making the most out of the killer revealed moment. Stewart's role overall is not particularly substantial, as the Thin Man series is more noted for the interactions between Nick and Nora than the mysteries themselves, but he makes the most of it.

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936: Louis Jouvet in The Lower Depths

Louis Jouvet did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the Baron in The Lower Depths.

Louis Jouvet's character of the baron is an addition of this adaptation, a character that is absent from the adaptation later made by Akira Kurosawa. Jouvet seems to be playing the richest man in a film about the poor as the baron who is the target of the night for thief Pepel (Jean Gabin). Before the night though we meet the Baron who we learn is deeply in debt and soon to be bankrupt. Jouvet takes the lighthearted approach that the director, Jean Renoir, takes for potentially depressing material. Although an idea in the story is how people can almost overlook their problematic position in life. Jouvet certainly takes this approach as he plays the early scenes as though the Baron is basically resigned in his fate. There is perhaps a hint of sadness about it but Jouvet's manner works rather well as he seems to suggest that the Baron had known this was coming for some time therefore he should be prepared for it. In his final moments in the public, enjoying the high life as much as he can given his circumstance. There is a certain disdain of the life that Jouvet effectively suggests as though the baron simply was never meant for the life.

Jouvet that night happens upon Pepel trying to make off with the baron's valuables. Jouvet is very enjoyable as he changes upon Pepel, as he expresses a bemusement above else since the baron has already lost everything due to debt collectors, and simply is not the type of man ideal to be robbed by the thief. The thief is forced to agree and instead of any conflict they just kinda hit it off. Jouvet and Gabin are great together as they create such an ease between the two creating the friendship in a surprisingly natural fashion. They happen to go even a step further as the two are just endearing together and it becomes rather fun to see them interact with one another. There is an abundance of warmth as the two actors brings such life to their time together. One of my favorite moments is when the baron allows Pepel to have his pick of a souvenir from his home, since he's lose it anyway, as Jouvet so well realizes this guy who just can't help but go with the flow despite it being so much against him.

After this point the baron loses most of his possessions leaving him to go to the same slum which Pepel hails from. Jouvet is again quite in realizing the oddly optimistic manner of baron as he goes to the Lower Depths almost eagerly despite having come from the upper crust. Jouvet in the lower depths presents the baron in an interesting fashion. He plays his scenes of entering the world almost a student of this life. He's not clearly as part of the scenery like so many of the other denizens, not far from Pepel actually although for different reasons, as he creates a certain distance. Jouvet does not play this as though the baron is above them or trying to be above them, rather he presents it as the baron is trying to learn the ropes of the life. Jouvet gives the baron an eagerness as he tries to make his place in his new world. Jouvet in his progressing scenes slowly portrays the gradual way Jouvet seems comfortable. What is perhaps most remarkable about it though is the way that he slowly loses a bit of his joyful personality just as he begins to becomes a man of the lower depths. This is not to say he becomes a wholly tragic, but Jouvet effectively displays how a man must change in his new environment. This is a good performance by Jouvet as his presence adds a nice bit of character essential for a film like this. 

Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1936

And the Nominees Were Not:

Peter Lorre in Secret Agent

James Stewart in After the Thin Man

Humphrey Bogart in The Petrified Forest

Louis Jouvet in The Lower Depths

Frank Morgan in The Great Ziegfeld

Alternate Best Actor 1936: Results

5. Spencer Tracy in Fury - Tracy is charming and moving in his depiction of a man wrongly facing death, but he plays the second half too much like a villain.

Best Scene: Embracing Rainbow.

4. Jean Gabin in The Lower Depths - Gabin gives an enjoyable portrayal of a charismatic thief which effectively matches the tone of this version of the story.

Best Scene: His first meeting with the Baron.

3. Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times - Chaplin gives a very entertaining and rather wonderful sendoff to his most famous creation.

Best Scene: The Ending.

2. Charles Laughton in Rembrandt - Even with the film's rather swift pace Laughton gives a remarkable portrayal of the famous painter throughout his life's journey. 

Best Scene: Rembrandt attempts to paint his wife one last time.

1. Edward Arnold in Come And Get It - Good Predictions RatedRStar, Michael McCarthy and Luke. The underrated Edward Arnold is given the chance to depict the origins of one of his rich and powerful men, and does not waste that chance. He gives a heartbreaking performance that realizes what such a man might sacrifice to earn that power.

Best Scene:  The Ending.

Overall Rank:

1. Edward Arnold in Come And Get It 
2. Charles Laughton in Rembrandt
3. Charlie Chaplin in Modern Times
4. Walter Huston in Dodsworth 
5. William Powell in After The Thin Man
6. Jean Gabin in The Lower Depths 
7. William Powell in My Man Godfrey
8. William Powell in The Great Ziegfeld
9. Leslie Howard in The Petrified Forest
10. Clark Gable in San Francisco
11. Warner Baxter in The Prisoner of Shark Island
12. Errol Flynn in The Charge of the Light Brigade
13. Gary Cooper in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
14. James Cagney in Great Guy
15. Boris Karloff in The Invisible Ray
16. C. Aubrey Smith in Little Lord Fauntleroy
17. Oskar Homolka in Sabotage
18. Fred Astaire in Swing Time
19. Freddie Bartholomew in Little Lord Fauntleroy
20. Fred Astaire in Follow the Fleet
21. Paul Muni in The Story of Louis Pasteur 
22. John Gielgud in Secret Agent
23. Roland Young in The Man Who Could Work Miracles
24. Gary Cooper in The General Died At Dawn
25. Fred MacMurray in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
26. Spencer Tracy in Fury
27. Jack Hayley in Pigskin Parade
28. Henry Fonda in The Trail of the Lonesome Pine
29. Fredric March in Anthony Adverse
30. Robert Taylor in Camille 
31. John Loder in Sabotage
32. Leslie Howard in Romeo and Juliet
33. Kenneth Craig in Reefer Madness

Next Year: 1936 Supporting