Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
James Stewart in Call Northside 777
Van Heflin in Act of Violence
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Showing posts with label 1948. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1948. Show all posts
Best Actor 1948
Humphrey Bogart in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
James Stewart in Call Northside 777
Van Heflin in Act of Violence
Best Actor 1948: Montgomery Clift in The Search
Montgomery Clift received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Ralph "Steve" Stevenson in The Search.
The Search tells the story of orphaned children in Europe after World War II, it also tells a specific case of one boy Karel Malik (Ivan Jandl) who runs away from a U.S. camp for children but is befriended and helped by an army engineer.
Maybe I spoke to soon when I said Lew Ayres' character was the nicest ever to be nominated, because boy oh boy Steve the army engineer played by Clift is pretty darn nice as well. Clift actually does not appear until about thirty minutes into the film, and when he shows up all he wants to do is help the runaway and troubled Karel as much as he can.
It is rather interesting to see Clift in an entirely nice guy sort of role not being troubled by his past, or his future prospects, as in his other nominated performances. Clift instead here plays a pretty at ease with himself sort of guy, who only really wants to be a good guy.
Steve's only real struggle in the film is to first convince that he is honestly trying to help Karel, and than to try to ensure that Karel is able to have a good life later on. Clift actually is quite good as the entirely descent guy, he plays him as just an entirely average guy in the situation.
Clit portrays the part in a nice enough fashion, he does not make him boring despite the fact the character is rather simple in terms of his action. Clift never portrays Steve in a one dimensional fashion, rather he is just honestly portraying Steve in a realistic fashion all the way through which works well for the film.
The most important part of his performance though is his chemistry with Karel. It at first is a bit of struggle, and Clift is good in showing how Steve honestly wants Karel to understand he is not trying to hurt him. They slowly develop a friendly relationship, that is quite warm and honestly portrayed by Clift.
Clift has some really nice, scenes with Ivan Jandl, they are movingly and effectively portrayed by Clift, because Clift always shows how earnestly and passionately that Steve really just wants to help the boy, there is not a false moment in all of Clift's performance. Clift's entire performance works because of that reason, sure it is not a complicated characterization by any means but it is an effective one.
Maybe I spoke to soon when I said Lew Ayres' character was the nicest ever to be nominated, because boy oh boy Steve the army engineer played by Clift is pretty darn nice as well. Clift actually does not appear until about thirty minutes into the film, and when he shows up all he wants to do is help the runaway and troubled Karel as much as he can.
It is rather interesting to see Clift in an entirely nice guy sort of role not being troubled by his past, or his future prospects, as in his other nominated performances. Clift instead here plays a pretty at ease with himself sort of guy, who only really wants to be a good guy.
Steve's only real struggle in the film is to first convince that he is honestly trying to help Karel, and than to try to ensure that Karel is able to have a good life later on. Clift actually is quite good as the entirely descent guy, he plays him as just an entirely average guy in the situation.
Clit portrays the part in a nice enough fashion, he does not make him boring despite the fact the character is rather simple in terms of his action. Clift never portrays Steve in a one dimensional fashion, rather he is just honestly portraying Steve in a realistic fashion all the way through which works well for the film.
The most important part of his performance though is his chemistry with Karel. It at first is a bit of struggle, and Clift is good in showing how Steve honestly wants Karel to understand he is not trying to hurt him. They slowly develop a friendly relationship, that is quite warm and honestly portrayed by Clift.
Clift has some really nice, scenes with Ivan Jandl, they are movingly and effectively portrayed by Clift, because Clift always shows how earnestly and passionately that Steve really just wants to help the boy, there is not a false moment in all of Clift's performance. Clift's entire performance works because of that reason, sure it is not a complicated characterization by any means but it is an effective one.
Best Actor 1948: Dan Dailey in When My Baby Smiles At Me
Dan Dailey received his only Oscar nomination for portraying 'Skid' Johnson in When My Baby Smiles At Me.
When My Baby Smiles At Me is a not very special musical about two vaudevillians Dailey and Betty Grable who start having problems due to one of them being an alcoholic.
Dan Dailey is an actor I can't say I have seen very much of but apparently he made a whole lot of film with Betty Grable, and this one only seems to have any special distinction among their collaborations other than the fact than Dailey was nominated for this performance.
Dan Dailey plays a comic who also has a drinking problem, and is married to his partner Bonny. Together Grable and Dailey, really never seem all that special, I guess they are fine technically but nothing to make see why they made so many films together.
Dailey for about half of a film give a pretty light weight slightly comedic, musical and romantic performance. He has a little bit of a charm, but not overwhelming so. He is never that funny, that romantic, or that charismatic in this performance. He is not bad, but just not really special.
About half way through though his character's self destructive behavior comes to the forefront. He loses his wife because he goes out with other women and his alcoholism. Dailey is required to make a rather extreme change from happy go lucky fellow to on his last line one.
I really can't say he makes this transition as he would need to. In fact his big breakdown scene where he goes crazy over the fact that his wife is getting remarried. It is just overacted by Dailey, and it is the type of drunken breakdown one might find in a bad melodrama.
Dailey is better in his later scenes involving the alcohols toll, becuase he really does not overact so much, showing rather a slightly more subtly the effect drinking has on him. He still is not particularly good, just better. This is not an entirely bad performance, but it certianly has one really bad scenes, and never one great scene to make up for it either.
Dan Dailey is an actor I can't say I have seen very much of but apparently he made a whole lot of film with Betty Grable, and this one only seems to have any special distinction among their collaborations other than the fact than Dailey was nominated for this performance.
Dan Dailey plays a comic who also has a drinking problem, and is married to his partner Bonny. Together Grable and Dailey, really never seem all that special, I guess they are fine technically but nothing to make see why they made so many films together.
Dailey for about half of a film give a pretty light weight slightly comedic, musical and romantic performance. He has a little bit of a charm, but not overwhelming so. He is never that funny, that romantic, or that charismatic in this performance. He is not bad, but just not really special.
About half way through though his character's self destructive behavior comes to the forefront. He loses his wife because he goes out with other women and his alcoholism. Dailey is required to make a rather extreme change from happy go lucky fellow to on his last line one.
I really can't say he makes this transition as he would need to. In fact his big breakdown scene where he goes crazy over the fact that his wife is getting remarried. It is just overacted by Dailey, and it is the type of drunken breakdown one might find in a bad melodrama.
Dailey is better in his later scenes involving the alcohols toll, becuase he really does not overact so much, showing rather a slightly more subtly the effect drinking has on him. He still is not particularly good, just better. This is not an entirely bad performance, but it certianly has one really bad scenes, and never one great scene to make up for it either.
Best Actor 1948: Lew Ayres in Johnny Belinda
Lew Ayres received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Doctor Robert Richardson in Johnny Belinda.
Johnny Belinda is a film about a young deaf mute Belinda (Jane Wyman) who is taught to communicate by a kind doctor, but is threatened by a cruel local, and as well as the gossip of the locals.
Lew Ayres may play the nicest character ever to be nominated for this award. I really cannot think of any direct competition off hand. Robert Richardson is kind, nice, likable, and even when others are acting cruelly to him he still behaves in a polite manner to them. I guess one could say Richardson is one all around swell guy.
Due to this fact though, it can't really be said that Ayres gives a particularly complex performance. He does not have to though, as the requirements of his part are really to be the supportive man to Belinda, to help her in the world, not much more than that.
There is not really much more to his performance, the only two problems with his character one could possibly see is that he is still nice, when he probably should not be, and also that some of his selfless plans are not always fully thought out such as his plan to marry Belinda even though he does not truly love her.
Ayres does a good job though I think in the simplicity of his character, he plays the part with a nice pleasant ease. I never felt he was forcing his kindness, but rather it was actually the nature of his character simply to be this kind. Ayres also I felt avoided being dull despite the part being the way it is, he still brought the right joy into his performance that makes being around the doctor a wholly pleasant experience.
Ayres never really has all that much to do as he said, he is either being very nice to Belinda, or helping her learn, or defending her quite calmly from the forces against her. He really barely even raises his voice, even at the end of the film where he passionately defends Belinda. His defense though still is restrained, which I did not mind because I felt that his character was honestly just a soft spoken fellow.
This really is an entirely fulfilling performance I think. He is suppose to be really nice, and he is. He is never bad, and keeps a consistent character, that he would have really undermined it if he tried to show any darker side of the character. He was meant to be nice and supportive, and he is nice and supportive. I simply cannot say anything bad about his performance, it is performance that entirely serves its purpose.
Lew Ayres may play the nicest character ever to be nominated for this award. I really cannot think of any direct competition off hand. Robert Richardson is kind, nice, likable, and even when others are acting cruelly to him he still behaves in a polite manner to them. I guess one could say Richardson is one all around swell guy.
Due to this fact though, it can't really be said that Ayres gives a particularly complex performance. He does not have to though, as the requirements of his part are really to be the supportive man to Belinda, to help her in the world, not much more than that.
There is not really much more to his performance, the only two problems with his character one could possibly see is that he is still nice, when he probably should not be, and also that some of his selfless plans are not always fully thought out such as his plan to marry Belinda even though he does not truly love her.
Ayres does a good job though I think in the simplicity of his character, he plays the part with a nice pleasant ease. I never felt he was forcing his kindness, but rather it was actually the nature of his character simply to be this kind. Ayres also I felt avoided being dull despite the part being the way it is, he still brought the right joy into his performance that makes being around the doctor a wholly pleasant experience.
Ayres never really has all that much to do as he said, he is either being very nice to Belinda, or helping her learn, or defending her quite calmly from the forces against her. He really barely even raises his voice, even at the end of the film where he passionately defends Belinda. His defense though still is restrained, which I did not mind because I felt that his character was honestly just a soft spoken fellow.
This really is an entirely fulfilling performance I think. He is suppose to be really nice, and he is. He is never bad, and keeps a consistent character, that he would have really undermined it if he tried to show any darker side of the character. He was meant to be nice and supportive, and he is nice and supportive. I simply cannot say anything bad about his performance, it is performance that entirely serves its purpose.
Best Actor 1948: Clifton Webb in Sitting Pretty
Clifton Webb received his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Lynn Belvedere in Sitting Pretty.
Sitting pretty tells the story about a husband and wife (Robert Young, Maureen O'Hara) who have trouble with their three rowdy kids. No one will be a nanny until they find one Belvedere, and it turns out he's a man, oh boy hi jinks ought to ensue especially with the gossipy town they live in.
Clifton Webb plays the male nanny Lynn Belvedere who only takes the job because he sees it as a challenge, and he is up for it being professional genius after all. It turns out Belvedere is the perfect nanny whipping those children into shape just about as soon as he gets there.
Webb's performance is technically one note, a one note of a complete deadpan performance. And I will say I most certainly liked his performance because he stuck to his note so well. Webb never lets up with Belvedere always portraying as a none too modest fellow, who takes joy in the fact that he is a genius and no one else in town is.
Webb's performance is really thoroughly enjoyable and I got a kick out of several moments of his performance. This came mostly from some his reactions and eye gestures, with his bemusement over the more panicky attitudes of everyone else in town.
I like the fact that Webb never lets up with his characterization, having Belvedere always look down upon everyone else, and having the perfect restrained delight well doing it. I never got bored, or annoyed by characterization, but instead I felt Webb really managed the a bit too into himself way of Belvedere in just the right fashion.
I can't say this is all that complicated performance, since it is a dead pan performance. I think it was the perfect way to play the character though, in showing that Belvedere stays exactly the same no matter what. Certainly not an amazing piece of acting but an appropriately enjoyable one.
Clifton Webb plays the male nanny Lynn Belvedere who only takes the job because he sees it as a challenge, and he is up for it being professional genius after all. It turns out Belvedere is the perfect nanny whipping those children into shape just about as soon as he gets there.
Webb's performance is technically one note, a one note of a complete deadpan performance. And I will say I most certainly liked his performance because he stuck to his note so well. Webb never lets up with Belvedere always portraying as a none too modest fellow, who takes joy in the fact that he is a genius and no one else in town is.
Webb's performance is really thoroughly enjoyable and I got a kick out of several moments of his performance. This came mostly from some his reactions and eye gestures, with his bemusement over the more panicky attitudes of everyone else in town.
I like the fact that Webb never lets up with his characterization, having Belvedere always look down upon everyone else, and having the perfect restrained delight well doing it. I never got bored, or annoyed by characterization, but instead I felt Webb really managed the a bit too into himself way of Belvedere in just the right fashion.
I can't say this is all that complicated performance, since it is a dead pan performance. I think it was the perfect way to play the character though, in showing that Belvedere stays exactly the same no matter what. Certainly not an amazing piece of acting but an appropriately enjoyable one.
Best Actor 1948: Laurence Olivier in Hamlet
Laurence Olivier won his only acting Oscar from his fourth acting nomination for portraying Hamlet the Prince of Denmark in Hamlet.
Hamlet is Olivier's second film of Shakespeare trilogy, I would say it is his weakest effort, as I view the other two as quite strong. I think it is a bit of a mixed film, with some moments of tedium, but still there are several very strong scenes.
It should be noted that Laurence Olivier actually portrays two roles in the film. In addition to Hamlet he also portrays the voice of the ghost of Hamlet's father. His voice is darkly brooding, and haunting, and fits the part quite well. This portion of his performance unlikely got him any votes from the academy though.
Olivier as Hamlet shows once again his command of the Shakespearean language. If you have read my other reviews of Olivier's Shakespearean performances you might find this repetitive, but it most certainly deserves repetition. Olivier just always shows that he knows the words by heart, and brings the words a natural life they desperately need.
The language of Shakespearean is only part of the challenge of Hamlet though, since Hamlet is a notoriously complex character. He is strange seeming noble in some ways, brash, aggressive, almost bipolar as well, his actions are diverse in the play, from his main drive for revenge, which he is never sure of to his cruel treatment of Ophelia. Hamlet most certainly is not a character that can played on one note, or two notes for that matter.
Olivier though is up to this challenge, despite it being a large one indeed. Each soliloquy by Hamlet, Olivier turns into a masterpiece moment. Olivier knows how exactly to film himself, and these scenes are brilliantly handled, in the way they change from his haunted voice over, from his more expressive at the moment reactions, it is astounding.
Olivier's face conveys Hamlet's deep psychological struggle without fault. To merely say the words is not good enough, and Olivier never leaves it to the word. He punctuates every moment with true authentic emotion. It is the perfect combination of director and actor really, Olivier always knows when to stay on his face, and when to move, it really is amazing.
A great challenge of Hamlet is his interactions with the other characters in the play, since they are as diverse as Hamlet's own psychology. In his moments with Claudius, as well as with Polonius Olivier has the proper restrained discontent, and hatred presented as well as a certain degree of sardonic humor which works splendidly.
Olivier greater challenges, I think, come from his relationship with his mother Gertrude, and Ophelia. His moments with his Mother, are strange indeed, in that they seem to suggest almost an incestuous relationship, which Olivier utilizes well actually to more thoroughly present that Hamlet feels truly betrayed by Gertrude, displaying the greater destruction to his psyche. Olivier though mixes in Hamlet's feelings his betrayal, as well as love for her carefully and effectively.
Olivier contrasts this relationship brilliantly though with his treatment of Ophelia. He again mixes in emotions, but in more of oddity that deeply confuses and harms Ophelia. He suggests he loves with tenderness at moments, but Olivier is able to properly portray his coldness and cruelty overarching his behavior, which makes Ophelia's downfall believable.
This is a great Shakespearean performance by Olivier. He is able to bring alive the psychological complexities, and emotional complexities without fault. He simply has stunning moments in his performance in his ability to convey all of what Hamlet is through his use of film. I never felt Olivier overacted or underacted this most difficult of parts, instead giving one of his best performance, which to me is saying a quite a lot.
It should be noted that Laurence Olivier actually portrays two roles in the film. In addition to Hamlet he also portrays the voice of the ghost of Hamlet's father. His voice is darkly brooding, and haunting, and fits the part quite well. This portion of his performance unlikely got him any votes from the academy though.
Olivier as Hamlet shows once again his command of the Shakespearean language. If you have read my other reviews of Olivier's Shakespearean performances you might find this repetitive, but it most certainly deserves repetition. Olivier just always shows that he knows the words by heart, and brings the words a natural life they desperately need.
The language of Shakespearean is only part of the challenge of Hamlet though, since Hamlet is a notoriously complex character. He is strange seeming noble in some ways, brash, aggressive, almost bipolar as well, his actions are diverse in the play, from his main drive for revenge, which he is never sure of to his cruel treatment of Ophelia. Hamlet most certainly is not a character that can played on one note, or two notes for that matter.
Olivier though is up to this challenge, despite it being a large one indeed. Each soliloquy by Hamlet, Olivier turns into a masterpiece moment. Olivier knows how exactly to film himself, and these scenes are brilliantly handled, in the way they change from his haunted voice over, from his more expressive at the moment reactions, it is astounding.
Olivier's face conveys Hamlet's deep psychological struggle without fault. To merely say the words is not good enough, and Olivier never leaves it to the word. He punctuates every moment with true authentic emotion. It is the perfect combination of director and actor really, Olivier always knows when to stay on his face, and when to move, it really is amazing.
A great challenge of Hamlet is his interactions with the other characters in the play, since they are as diverse as Hamlet's own psychology. In his moments with Claudius, as well as with Polonius Olivier has the proper restrained discontent, and hatred presented as well as a certain degree of sardonic humor which works splendidly.
Olivier greater challenges, I think, come from his relationship with his mother Gertrude, and Ophelia. His moments with his Mother, are strange indeed, in that they seem to suggest almost an incestuous relationship, which Olivier utilizes well actually to more thoroughly present that Hamlet feels truly betrayed by Gertrude, displaying the greater destruction to his psyche. Olivier though mixes in Hamlet's feelings his betrayal, as well as love for her carefully and effectively.
Olivier contrasts this relationship brilliantly though with his treatment of Ophelia. He again mixes in emotions, but in more of oddity that deeply confuses and harms Ophelia. He suggests he loves with tenderness at moments, but Olivier is able to properly portray his coldness and cruelty overarching his behavior, which makes Ophelia's downfall believable.
This is a great Shakespearean performance by Olivier. He is able to bring alive the psychological complexities, and emotional complexities without fault. He simply has stunning moments in his performance in his ability to convey all of what Hamlet is through his use of film. I never felt Olivier overacted or underacted this most difficult of parts, instead giving one of his best performance, which to me is saying a quite a lot.
Best Actor 1948
Lew Ayres in Johnny Belinda
Montgomery Clift in The Search
Laurence Olivier in Hamlet
Clifton Webb in Sitting Pretty
Dan Dailey in When My Baby Smiles At Me
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