Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1938: Basil Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood, Pat O'Brien in Angels With Dirty Faces, Edward Arnold in You Can't Take It With You, and Results

Basil Rathbone did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sir Guy of Gisbourne in The Adventures of Robin Hood.

One must really question what the academy is thinking sometimes like in 1938 when they nominated Basil Rathbone for his performance in If I Were King instead of his performance in The Adventures of Robin Hood which was nominated for best picture. Rathbone's performance in If I Were King is a rather strange one playing the scheming King of the film like a kooky old man for some reason. Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood, as the main physical threat to Robin Hood, gives the much stronger performance then in his Oscar nominated turn.

Sir Guy actually is not the most complex of parts, as he is the bad guy who definitely wants to kill Robin Hood, and at least at first wishes to marry the Maid Marian for himself. There technically is not too much more of him so the rest is really left to Rathbone. Firstly Rathbone is the right physical presence for the role. When he fights he has that right menace to seem the appropriate threat to Robin Hood. More than that though Rathbone plays off Errol Flynn well by counteracting the pleasure Flynn shows in his role, with pleasure in Guy when he tries to kill Robin Hood, a different kind of pleasure though a sadistic pleasure.

Past the action scenes though Rathbone handles Guy well particularly in his relationship to Maid Marian. Although at first Rathbone shows an interest in her as more of for a prize more than anything else, but this soon changes to brief frustration then quickly suspicion when Robin Hood seems to be having a little too much help. Rathbone is very good in his portraying the cunning in Guy as he figures out what Marian is doing, and he does well to make Guy more than just the man who Robin constantly gets the upper hand on.

Rathbone plays the straight villain quite well here while leaving Claude Rains to play the much more flamboyant role of King John. Rathbone does well not to try to attempt to one up Rains in any way instead while Rains takes the high road Rathbone takes the low road. He allows Rains to be the villain who just loves being a villain while he acts the far more serious threat who actually attempts to figure out way to kill Robin Hood. Rathbone stands well within the film allowing Flynn and Rains to be the more lively presences, but all the while making his own impact as the real threat in the film.

Pat O'Brien did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Fr. Jerry Connolly in Angels With Dirty Faces.

Pat O'Brien plays the adults of one of two boys who committed small time crimes when they were young. There difference came in that Jerry was able to outrun the police whereas Rocky (James Cagney) was not able to get away. This created their paths in life with Rocky only becoming more hardened in prison, and slowly becoming a man deeper into the life of crime, whereas Jerry took a very different path becoming a priest who only wishes to do good to help his community particularly the neighborhood boys who could either take the right path or fall into crime as Rocky did.

O'Brien actually has a rather similar role to Spencer Tracy's Oscar winning role in Boys Town. O'Brien's performance and the role though are far more complex than Tracy's work though. One of the best parts of Angels with Dirty Faces is the fact that the good priest and the bad criminal are friends in the film. This might not have worked so well but O'Brien and Cagney, who were best friends in real life, have terrific chemistry together. They just have such a natural warmth to one another and both Cagney and O'Brien suggest the past with one another incredibly well, and O'Brien does well to suggest that Jerry does have a certain nostalgia for his days as a juvenile delinquent along with Rocky.

Jerry and Rocky due come into conflict due to Rocky still engaging in criminal activities well Jerry is trying to stop the criminal activity in the neighborhood. O'Brien is excellent in portraying the humble conviction in Jerry as he tries to stop Rocky from corrupting the boys who idolizes him. The reason O'Brien is so effective though is that within his strong passion for his cause he does as well express his friendship with Rocky. O'Brien suggests that to a certain extent that pressing Rocky in this way does pain Jerry. O'Brien is very genuine as he shows that although he hates what Rocky stands for, he cannot ever forget his strong friendship with him.

O'Brien by always being genuine in portraying how he feels about Rocky gives a true power to his character, and never for a moment does he make Jerry seem the least bit sanctimonious. Near the end of the film Jerry asks Rocky to swallow his pride and do something good with his final moments by pretending to yellow before he is executed that way the boys will not look up to Rocky. This is a difficult scene for O'Brien as Jerry is asking Rocky for a lot in what is his final moments. O'Brien though absolutely earns the moment though because O'Brien is able to express the heartbreak in the scene as it is not just anyone he is asking to go out like coward, its his best friend.

O'Brien performance is essential to the film as one could easily be distracted by all the gangster half of the picture, and actually forget about O'Brien part. O'Brien does not allow that instead he and Cagney make the dynamic between the lives of Jerry and Rocky the best part of the picture. O'Brien's Jerry acts as the perfect anchor to Cagney's Rocky, as he takes the high flying action of the mob dealings and takes it down with the true weight of what those actions bring. The very best moment of O'Brien's performance comes at the end when he asks to boys to pray for the boy who could not run as fast he could. O'Brien gives the line the true poignancy it deserves and makes the conclusion of the film truly heartbreaking.

Edward Arnold did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Anthony P. Kirby in You Can't Take it With You.

You Can't Take it With You is a nicely handled film by Frank Capra about the clash between a family of free spirits the Vanderhoffs and a rich stuffy family.

Edward Arnold plays the head of the rich family who is on the verge of a take over. Arnold is a bit of an underrated character actor of the period who often plays rich and powerful types. Arnold when given the opportunity could do more with his roles than just be commanding in his presence, even though he could be commanding with ease to. At the beginning of this film he plays mostly the rich man who does not seem to care too much about anything other than making more money even if that means walking over his colleagues or demolishing peoples homes if they interfere with his plans.

Arnold is always good at being the rich Scrooge type with his strong forceful personality. Where many actors might have been just only been the rich man, Arnold does bring some nice bits of humanity in the part. Importantly they are short rather subtle moments so no one would think he isn't a ruthless business man, but Arnold does bring these short little moments to establish that there is another man in there trying to get out. These short reactions are very well handled by Arnold such as when shows that Kirby does enjoy some of the antics of Vanderhoff family while his wife is completely appalled by their behavior.

Where every other character in the film is pretty much set in their various roles, Arnold has the one role that changes throughout the course of the film. The change is played out in Arnold's performance in an almost exclusively silent fashion. Arnold therefore has to carry most it himself and he does not disappoint in this regard. He conveys the internal struggle in Kirby in brief little moments that are very well handled. He shows so much in just the way Kirby looks as the harmonic he got from the Vanderhoff's home, and he expresses just how much Kirby honestly wishes to break out of his life.

When Kirby does have its turn around it not only is moving, but it is as well entirely believable because Arnold plants the seeds of the change earlier in the film. Arnold carefully does not go to far with the moments beforehand and does make Kirby the hard shell he should be as well. He earns this change in Kirby, and enables to to have the impact on the film it should. He is the one that makes the very last scene as heartwarming as it is because he only ever portrayed an honest transition from a man who only cares about money to a man who wants to enjoy life for all that it's worth.

Other Performances:

Claude Rains in The Adventures of Robin Hood- As I said in Rathbone review Rains gives the flamboyant villain turn in the film, and actually gives the performance Rathbone should have given in If I Were King. Rains is no stranger in playing evil characters, and Rains usually finds a one to make one evil baddie at least a little different from another. As Prince John Rains plays him as a man who was always a spoiled brat. He does this rather well and is quite good in showing his tyrannical behavior mostly comes from childlike selfish sensibility. Rains is very good in taking the limited role and making entertaining by adding this little eccentricity. It also adds much more to his character by showing why exactly Prince John would act the way he does. Prince John could have been a one note jerk. Rains does more than that though by playing him as a fancy boy, and giving a fairly entertaining performance.

Lew Ayres in Holiday- Lew Ayres plays Katherine Hepburn's brother Ned who is both a musician and a drunkard. Ayers basically does two things in this role saying cynical lines that refute his father's view of the world or cynical lines that support Cary Grant's character's views. Ayres does this rather well actually as always the somber, but not sober source of wisdom. There is not a whole lot for him to do, and unfortunately he doesn't really get to get on the more comedic moments of the film. He does fulfill his part of the story rather well though.

Overall Rank:

1. Pat O'Brien in Angels With Dirty Faces
2. Edward Arnold in You Can't Take It With You
3. Michel Simon in Port of Shadows
4. Basil Rathbone in The Adventures of Robin Hood
5. Claude Rains in The Adventures of Robin Hood
6. Walter Brennan in Kentucky
7. Erich von Stroheim in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
8. James Stewart in You Can't Take It With You 
9. Louis Jouvet in Hotel du Nord
10. Pierre Renoir in La Marseillaise
11. Michel Simon in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
12. Franchot Tone in Three Comrades
13. Pierre Brasseur in Port of Shadows 
14. Louis Jouvet in La Marseillaise
15. Robert Morley in Marie Antoinette
16. Lew Ayres in Holiday
17. Ralph Richardson in The Citadel 
18. Paul Lukas in The Lady Vanishes  
19. Armand Bernard in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
20. Humphrey Bogart in Angels With Dirty Faces 
21. Marcel Mouloudji in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
22. Ralph Richardson in The Divorce of Lady X 
23. Charles Coburn in Of Human Hearts
24. Basil Radford in The Lady Vanishes
25. John Carradine in Of Human Hearts
26. Robert Young in Three Comrades
27. David Niven in The Dawn Patrol
28. Edward Everett Horton in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
29. Gene Lockhart in A Christman Carol 
30. Benard Blier in Hotel du Nord
31. Naunton Wayne in The Lady Vanishes 
32. Wilfrid Lawson in Pygmalion 
33. Basil Rathbone in The Dawn Patrol
34. Billy Halop in Angels With Dirty Faces
35. Harry Davenport in You Can't Take It With You
36. Fernard Ledoux in The Human Beast 
37. Donald Crisp in The Dawn Patrol
38. Joseph Schildkraut in Marie Antoinette 
39. Ralph Bellamy in Carefree
40. Edward Everette Horton in Holiday 
41. Don Ameche in Alexander's Ragtime Band 
42. Allen Jenkins in A Slight Case of Murder
43. Walter Catlett in Bringing Up Baby
44. James Finlayson in Block-Heads
45. Cecil Parker in The Lady Vanishes 
46. Rex Harrison in The Citadel 
47. Aime Clariond in Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
48. Claude Rains in Four Daughters
49. Cecil Parker in The Citadel
50. Billy Gilbert in Block-Heads
51. Leo Gorcey in Angels With Dirty Faces 
52. Eugene Palette in The Adventures of Robin Hood 
53. Alan Mowbray in Merrily We Live
54. Misha Auer in You Can't Take It With You 
55. Humphrey Bogart in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
56. Nikolay Okhlopkov in Alexander Nevsky
57. Charles Ruggles in Bringing Up Baby
58. George Bancroft in Angels With Dirty Faces 
59. Barry Fitzgerald in Bringing Up Baby 
60. Chico Marx in Room Service
61. David Niven in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife 
62. Spencer Tracy in Test Pilot
63. Harpo Marx in Room Service
64. Robert Newton in The Beachcomber
65. Andrei Abrikosov in Alexander Nevsky 
66. Joseph Calleia in Algiers 
67. Rex Harrison Sidewalks of London 
68. Jean-Pierre Aumont in Hotel du Nord
69. Ian Hunter in The Adventures of Robin Hood 
70. Walter Brennan in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
71. Frank McHugh in Four Daughters
72. Gene Lockhart in Algiers
73. Donald Meek in You Can't Take It With You
74. Herbert Mundin in The Adventures of Robin Hood
75. Victor Jory in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
76. Samuel S. Hinds in You Can't Take It With You
77. Leo G. Carroll in A Christmas Carol 
78. Charles Coburn in Vivacious Lady
79. Melville Cooper in The Adventures of Robin Hood
80. Tom Brown in  Merrily We Live
81. Henry Kolker in Holiday
82. John Garfield in Four Daughters 
83. Tyrone Power in Marie Antoinette
84. Barry MacKay in A Christmas Carol
85. John Barrymore in Marie Antoinette
86. Basil Rathbone in If I Were King
87. Terry Kilburn in A Christmas Carol

Next Year: 1994 lead

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Results

5. Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky- Cherkasov gives a solid turn in his film, but is held back by his paper thin character.

Best Scene: Nevsky rides victoriously into the city.

4. Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood- Flynn is extremely charming in his role and makes this one fun adventure.

 Best Scene: The climatic fight.

3. Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes- Michael Redgrave gives a very enjoyable performance treading carefully as he stays humorous well never comprising the suspense of the film.

Best Scene: Gilbert and Iris play Holmes and Watson.

2. Cary Grant in Holiday- Grant gives an enjoyable performance that is funny but also conveys his character's personal desires well.

Best Scene: Johnny gives his fiancee an ultimatum.

1. Jean Gabin in The Human Beast- Gabin makes his character a ticking time bomb as a man who is gentle in his heart, but mad in his blood.

Best Scene: The beast comes out for a second time.

Overall Rank:

1. James Cagney in Angels With Dirty Faces
2. Jean Gabin in The Human Beast
3. Jean Gabin in Port of Shadows
4. Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby
5. Robert Donat in The Citadel
6. Leslie Howard in Pygmalion
7. Cary Grant in Holiday
8. Raimu in The Baker's Wife
9. Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes
10. Charles Laughton in Sidewalks of London 
11. Errol Flynn in The Dawn Patrol
12. Edward G. Robinson in A Slight Case of Murder
13. Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood
14. Lionel Barrymore in You Can't Take it With You
15. Ronald Colman in If I Were King 
16. Claude Rains in White Banners
17. Edward G. Robinson in The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse
18. Charles Laughton in The Beachcomber
19. Aleksei Lyarsky in The Childhood of Maxim Gorky
20. Stan Laurel in Block Heads
21. Oliver Hardy in Block Heads
22. Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky
23. James Stewart in Vivacious Lady 
24. Walter Huston in Of Human Hearts
25. Brian Aherne in Merrily We Live
26. Laurence Olivier in The Divorce of Lady X 
27. James Stewart in Of Human Hearts  
28. Clark Gable in Test Pilot
29. Charles Boyer in Algiers
30. Serge Grave in  Les Disparus de Saint-Agil
31. Fred Astaire in Carefree 
32. Mieko Takamine in The Masseurs and a Woman
33. Shin Tokudaiji in The Masseurs and a Woman
34. Gary Cooper in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife
35. Groucho Marx in Room Service 
36. Mickey Rooney in Love Finds Andy Hardy
37. Spencer Tracy in Boys Town
38. Henry Fonda in Jezebel
39. Jackie Cooper in White Banners
40. Reginald Owen in A Christmas Carol 
41. Tyrone Power in Alexander's Ragtime Band
42. Tommy Kelly in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
43. Mickey Rooney in Boys Town
44. Tyrone Power in In Old Chicago
45. Robert Taylor in Three Comrades
46. Richard Greene in Kentucky

Next Year: 1938 Supporting

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Cary Grant in Holiday and Bringing Up Baby

Cary Grant did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Johnny Case in Holiday or Dr. David Huxley in Bringing Up Baby.

Holiday is an enjoyable romantic comedy about a man who goes to meet his rich fiancee family, but some trouble arises when his views about life don't match those found by his fiancee or her father. 

Cary Grant actually found himself in two romantic comedies this year this film and the screwball film Bringing up Baby where he played a paleontologist who is rather nebbish sort. In both films he is paired with Katherine Hepburn. In Bringing Up Baby the film basically is one gag after another, which is just fine. Grant's performance in that film is all about his charm and comedic timing which is pretty much non stop in a similar vein to his performance in the Awful Truth. There is slight alteration though in that nerdish qualities Grant gives his character, which are mainly just to make some of his reactions all the funnier with his sometimes stuttering method of delivery which makes some of the punchlines to the jokes in that film all the better.

Grant is Holiday also is in a comedy, but not a screwball comedy. There is a certain Frank Capra style edge to the material that involves Grant's character Johnny who wants to go on a holiday early in his life then work later on. This does not mean the meat of the film is serious by any means, and there are plenty of comedic moments in this film again. Grant here again is very charming, although in that slightly more serious charming Grant sort of way. There is not that constant flamboyance found in his Baby performance and Grant gives a performance that mixes up some quieter serious moments with more energetic scenes, which actually does quite well although I do believe he is funnier in Baby.

His chemistry with Katherine Hepburn is also very different in both of the films as well. In Baby they pretty much are there to one up one another in terms of their comic energy. In that case they are very enjoyable together as Grant plays his part as someone who only increases in disbelief and their relationship is built on the insanity they get into that results in many mishaps, but by the end they love each other. They really do not have any romantic scenes other than their last one, but what they do works for the film. Holiday it is far more gentle and underplayed as it has to be as Hepburn plays the sister of Grant's fiancee in Holiday. They have great chemistry there to and develop the underlying connection between their characters in an effective fashion that work properly for the conclusion of the film. 

Both performances by Cary Grant are great examples of his on screen abilities whether it is his frantic and very humorous, or calmer and rather humorous. Grant in both cases gives a very charismatic turn that infuses life into each of his pictures with his expert comedic timing. In Holiday's case he handle the character's struggle to support one's own dream well with just a quiet but passionate determination. In terms of what performance I think it is better, well that's a little difficult. On one hand Holiday does require more range from Grant as he has to sell both the funny and the serious scenes which he does. Bringing Up Baby requires him just to be funny, which he is. Well the complexity of the role does not always mean the better performance though, and I do think I slightly prefer his just plain entertaining performance in Bringing Up Baby.

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood

Errol Flynn did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sir Robin of Locksley the titular character of the Adventures of Robin Hood.

The Adventures of Robin Hood is fun film about Robin Hood and his merry men who fight against the injustices of King John (Claude Rains) and his henchmen.

I last looked at Errol Flynn performance in Captain Blood which was his breakout role. I thought he gave a good performance, but one that had a few weak moments in it. Flynn returns once again to play the lead in an adventure movie this time as Robin Hood which is also Flynn's most famous role. There is a reason for this as Flynn seems to be the perfect person to play Robin Hood, unlike the actor who was originally cast in the role James Cagney who would very miscast unless the film heavily changed in terms of tone and style.

Robin Hood as a character here is not a terribly complex one. Robin is a fun loving man who enjoys his freedoms, and as well likes to fight for freedom against the tyrannical King John. There is not a whole lot more to him, but in the Adventures of Robin Hood there doesn't need to be. This is a performance almost wholly based on charm, and Flynn has plenty of it in this performance. Flynn pushes his charm front and center in just about every scene he is in, and even in more serious situations Flynn still deals with them in a playful fashion.

Flynn makes this approach totally work because he is charismatic enough in his performance, and he does this particularly well in the action scenes. Flynn does not just jump around the room fighting the kings men and shooting arrows all over the place. He turns it almost into a dance and Flynn makes all these scenes very enjoyable because of his style. He doesn't over do it to make it just a parody of itself, but there is such a joy in his performance that he makes these scenes a joy to watch.

Flynn knows how to be lightweight in the right way, and he makes it all work into every scene without being repetitive. He always brings an unbridled enthusiasm into every moment whether it is is one of the big battle scenes, one of the smaller comedic ones where he goes about recruiting a new man to his cause, or even the archery contest. The archery is great example of Flynn's strength in the role as he limits his physicality in the scene as Robin is hiding as a humble tinker, yet in just his quick smiles he still brightens the scene beautifully with his presence.

One major problem I had with Flynn's work in Captain Blood was a few of his scenes Olivia De Havilland Flynn seemed a bit out of his element. De Havilland is once again Flynn's love interest, but the relationship between Robin and Maid Marion is considerably stronger then the one found in Captain Blood. Flynn and De Havilland are very good together here. It is again quite feather weight romance, but a very well handled one. The two have a natural chemistry that sets up the romance quickly, quietly and quite effectively.

There technically are few dramatic moments that mostly involve when Robin makes speeches about how Richard should be King and not John. Honestly these are Flynn weakest scenes. There are not a lot of these moments, they are always short, and to be fair Flynn is not bad in these scenes rather he just is not as good as he is in the rest of the film. Those few moments really do not matter as they are but a splinter in Flynn's work here which is probably the best example of what made him a star. As a whole this is just a very entertaining performance that is the right type of performance to lead this very entertaining film.

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Jean Gabin in The Human Beast

Jean Gabin did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Jacques Lantier in The Human Beast.

The Human Beast is an effective psychological thriller about train engineer who finds himself entangled in a murder plot.

Jean Gabin plays the train engineer who we first meet just doing his job, and tries his best to run his train which he lovingly refers to it by name. Gabin in these early scenes gives a man who seems to just be doing his job, and enjoying it for the most part. The normalcy of this man seems to change though when we see Lantier away from his train and meeting with a woman. Gabin is outstanding in this scene as he opens it up showing Lantier as a genuine romantic, but something quite strange happens when instead of trying to kiss her he tries to strangle her instead revealing that there is something quite wrong with Lantier.

Lantier though is not a psychopath in the usual fashion rather he has bouts of madness caused by what he describes as bad blood. What makes the scene all the more disconcerting though is Gabin's portrayal of the madness. He is entirely genuine as he begins to romance the woman, but when the madness takes him Gabin shows it as something primeval. There is nothing of the normal unassuming Lantier when he tries to strangle but rather a beast that appears from. Gabin does well to not over do this moment instead he makes it feel entirely natural, which in a way makes it far more chilling. From this point on in the film it is hard to look at Lantier quite the same way.

Gabin understands the set up for the character and for the rest of the film presents Lantier as a ticking time bomb. Gabin is very effective in creating this fearful symmetry as he still plays Lantier as a mostly quiet man, who seems just not to want trouble more than anything, yet behind it we now there is something evil that can come from him. Gabin is very good in that he does threaten with the beast in the man, but he does create a certain intensity in his performance. It is not an intensity of a man repressing evil, but instead he suggests a man who always has a constant fear in his thoughts for the moment when the madness takes over which may come at any time for any reason. 

Lantier quickly finds himself in a difficult situation when he falls in love with a woman named Severine (Simone Simon) who has far too many affairs with far too many men which results in a murder. Only Lantier could connect her with the crime, but he does not do to his attraction. Gabin is again very authentic here as he portrays Lantier love for this woman, who is in fact very manipulative of him. Gabin does not put on a big show for this romance, but rather keeps Lantier properly as he always been which is a humble soul. Gabin is quite poignant because there is no false presumptions in his characterization of Lantier, the love is always something Lantier truly feels.

This love gets him nowhere though as Severine only encourages the madness when she tries to convince him to murder another one of her lovers. Gabin is again brilliant in his portrayal of the madness take hold although this time he does not have the power or the will to stop himself from doing something horrible. The murder scene is quite a brutal one. This is not due to what is being shown but rather seeing this usually fairly gentle man become this monster. That would mean nothing as well though if Gabin was not entirely convincing in this descent into insanity. His transformation is sudden but realized by Gabin as visceral attack from the man's second nature.

Gabin's performance does not really create an character arc in the traditional sense, but the is the genius of his performance. Lantier's tale of woe is made powerful by this dynamic that Gabin keeps to which is that of the entirely decent man, who can become a horrible creature not from his own will, but that of something beyond his control. Gabin even keeps to this even at the end as Lantier understands that he has murdered someone. His reactions is not of more madness, but rather Gabin showing Lantier returning to his humble self who unfortunately cannot bear the guilt and the grief involved with his actions. This is moving portrait of Gabin as he allows to really feel the painful struggle of this man whose own mind is his own worst enemy.

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes

Michael Redgrave did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Gilbert in The Lady Vanishes.

Although The Lady Vanishes takes a few minutes to hit its stride, but once it does it becomes a very entertaining thriller about a young woman Iris (Margaret Lockwood) who is sure that an old woman has disappeared from the train she is on, but no one will believe her.

Michael Redgrave's role here as Gilbert is in a similar vein to Robert Donat's in the 39 steps as they both are the male leads in Hitchcock thrillers. There are some differences though. The biggest being that Redgrave's role is technically secondary lead in that he does not get to be the one in the precarious situation. Instead Gilbert is the one who needs some convincing, and Redgrave never leads the film solely as Robert Donat had in the earlier film. Redgrave though definitely takes a similar approach to the material as Donat had though.

Before the thriller starts this movie is more of a lightweight comedy. Redgrave appears briefly in these scenes as another vacationer who likes to play his clarinet loudly in the hotel the vacationers are staying at, and after Iris bribes the hotel manager to kick him out he does not mind imposing on Irish until she has him reinstated. Redgrave's scenes are brief here and in these scenes he is almost entirely comedic in his style. Redgrave does this well, and plays Gilbert in a witty fashion that allows Gilbert's rather flamboyant actions play out in a fashion that never makes them too over the top.

When the thriller starts Iris chances upon Gilbert on the train they are taking back to England, and he decides to help her look for the missing old woman. Redgrave keeps a light touch in these scenes as well, but he is rather enjoyable in the tone he sets up for Gilbert. On one end he does add some nice bits of humor to the proceedings whenever he has a chance, and has some nice timing to add something humorous at just the right moment. At the same time though he never goes too far though to mess with the more serious moments, although Redgrave does appropriately leave Lockwood to bring the dramatic weight as Gilbert for a long time is not entirely convinced.

Redgrave does well to ease into a greater seriousness as the situation slowly becomes much more dire as they find themselves in the plot. Redgrave always keeps that lighter touch though even in the climax, but he does find the right tone and allows their predicament to be enjoyable as well as thrilling. Redgrave also does work well with Margaret Lockwood, and Redgrave handles the romantic angle particularly well. There is not too much focus given to it throughout the film. Redgrave is good in the brief moments where Gilbert suggests interest which are very much underplayed, but effectively so. When they do end up with each other it works out just fine.

Michael Redgrave gives a nicely handled performance here that serves this fun thriller well. I would say as Alfred Hitchcock leads of this kind I did prefer Robert Donat's work in the 39 Steps. That is not to say anything negative about Redgrave's performance though as I really liked Donat's performance in that earlier film I also quite liked Redgrave's performance as well. Honestly I found Redgrave's performance quite delightful the whole way through the adventure always bringing that nice comic touch, while being entirely convincing when it is necessary to adjust his performance for the more harrowing sequences.

Alternate Best Actor 1938: Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky

Nikolai Cherkasov did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying the titular character of Alexander Nevsky.

Alexander Nevsky is a decent attempt at an epic tale of Prince Nevsky fighting of the Germans I would say it is an inconsistent film particularly in its battle scenes which can go from awe inspiring to a bit pedestrian.

Cherkasov plays the Prince who must organize the Russian people to fight the Germans. This part had to be quite thin on paper as Nevsky's role is quite limited in the film as being the strong willed leader who leads the men to battle I will say Cherkasov to his credit does this very well. He suggests the powerful personality the great prince should have. He not only suggests a strength of the man, but as well there is a warmth that Cherkasov brings. He allows Nevsky not only to be a leader that one could easily follow into a battle, but as well a leader who could easily be liked as Cherkasov is very welcoming in his role.

This role is pretty simple and Cherkasov covers the main aspect of the role well which is being the powerful leader that Nevsky should be. Cherkasov does not leave his performance there, and does bring more to his part then what would have been required. When Nevsky calls out his decisions or turns down the request of a Mongol hoard, Cherkasov brings more to his character then just the strength of his resolve. There is a certain cunning that he suggests as well in his manner, and we see that Nevsky is not only a strong leader, but also a very intelligent one who understands how to achieve victory.

Cherkasov comes in and out of the film as the film also spends a great deal of time with a comic relief pair as well as in the middle of a battle scene. Cherkasov though does make an impact whenever he does appear on screen. One powerful moment in particular that belongs to Cherkasov is when Nevsky comes across a dying soldier. It is a scene that comes up quickly and ends even faster, but Cherkasov does make the scene appropriately poignant. He once again adds nuance to the character of Prince Nevsky by showing how the death of this one man is something that does affect even a great leader like the Prince.

Nikolai Cherkasov's portrayal of Prince Nevsky is a good performance. He makes the Prince the domineering yet charismatic leader he should be. He also does add more to his characterization through subtle moments with his performance which are always well handled, and give a wider portrait of the man. I can't quite say this is a great performance though. Although he brings more to the role than a lesser actor might have he still does not make Prince Nevsky's story the overpowering factor of the film, and he is sometimes overshadowed by the grandiose story around him.