Best Actor 1977: Results

5. Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl- Richard Dreyfuss is almost deathly annoying at the beginning, but he eventually gives a very good, and very charming performance as the film continues.

4. Woody Allen in Annie Hall- Woody Allen does his usual routine, but this is certainly one of his better variations, since the character fits his standard character more, and gives a little more depth to his persona that usual.

3. Richard Burton in Equus- Richard Burton does his best as he can without the very bad film he is in. He makes the monologues powerful despite the fact that the writing is so bad.

2. Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day-Mastroianni is very good here creating a fascinating portrait of a very much repressed man who, slowly breaks open. Mastroianni is terrific all the way through.

1. John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever- Travolta really is great in his star making performance. Travolta gives a strong charismatic performance. I will admit this year is incredibly close for me. It was incredibly hard for me to chose between these top two performances, since they are both strong in fairly different ways.

Deserving Performances:Art Carney in The Late Show
Paul Newman in Slap Shot

Best Actor 1977: Richard Burton in Equus

Richard Burton received his seventh and final Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Martin Dysart in Equus.

I did not find Equus to be much of a film. It tries to be very thoughtful, and create some true meaning, but it just came out as basically nonsense.

Richard Burton plays the psychiatrist who must try to help a disturbed boy Alan Strang (Peter Firth) who blinded several horses. Richard Burton's performance is not of a reactionary character to the boy, but Dysart examines his whole life and psyche throughout the film. Throughout the film there are many scenes in which he looks directly at the screen and examines himself in a several long monologues. I must say this use of monologues is something that seems far more written for a play than a film, and I think could have very easily stopped the film completely but are not because of Richard Burton.

First of all his voice is outstanding, and completely perfect for these scenes, because his voice is able to always hold ones attention due to the incredible strength of it. Burton though not only speaks well in these monologues but also acts just as well. He suggests a man really at the end of edge of his life. He is unable to fully comprehend what he has done, or has now known. He makes these scenes very strong, even though some of what he is saying sometimes seems smart, but is written rather poorly actually. Burton though still gives these scenes as much strength as he can, simply because of the haunting nature of his performance, which I will admit is probably unfortunately added by his real life physical deterioration from his alcoholism.

Richard Burton certainly was a very interesting actor though because of his ability to be both a loud actor, but somehow a subtle actor at the same time. He is able to give his very obviously dramatic speeches, and reactions but somehow he does always add more to his performance through simpler suggestions through his face. He can gives loud speeches, but quiet talks both just as well, and he somehow interweaves both styles somehow so it works.

I will say that Dysart is a problematic character since the film wants us to know him yet it does not actually take enough time for us to truly understand the man. It did not need to give a biography of the character but the character was most certainly missing something to fully realize him, but the film instead chooses to tell almost there is to tell about Alan Strang. Burton though still tries his best to get around this and still does his best to create a man, and his best to make him understood. Burton though is incredible interesting despite his role being in thankless in a whole lot of ways. Such as he is reduced mostly to small reactions to his scenes with Peter Firth. Still despite the fact that Burton still stays interesting in these scenes and never becomes overshadowed by Firth even in these scenes, which is a great accomplishments on Burton's part. He is actually capable of making this film watchable due to his performance, which I think could have been more of a failure, after all imagine the long monologues with a lesser actor.

Best Actor 1977: Woody Allen in Annie Hall

Woody Allen received his only acting Oscar nomination for portraying Alvy Singer in Annie Hall.

Annie Hall I find is a fine yet very much overrated Woody Allen comedy. It certainly has some very good moments but I think overall it is not quite as special as some make it out to be.

Does Woody Allen exactly act in the usual sense, well not exactly. I have not watched any of his directed film where he has taken on a character and really become them. I always feel he plays character in these films that are a variation of sorts on himself. He always keeps his mannerisms, and his style of joke making for these performances. Some of them might have another facet that is added or made more extreme such as he is obsessed with death in Hannah and Her Sisters, but he is does not exactly not care about it in this film. Due to this he never does create a fully original character in his films. He did the very first time he played a part like this but never once after this.

I must say though that this particular variation works better than some for a few reasons. The number reasons is it is very similar to himself, therefore he does not even to attempt to act like he is a different character. Since Alvy is just seems to be a slightly less successful version of Allen, Allen's performance works better than if he was suppose to be someone else. His usual routine does work well for the film, and his usual shtick is better here than it is in some of his films. I think Alvy as a character does work out better for Allen and although I still believe it is completely his usual persona he does invest much more in Alvy than many of the other slight variations on this character.

He and Diane Keaton do work well to make an interesting relationship, and he never makes it so his personality overwhelms any of the true heart from the relationship. They do work well to make an interesting and different relationship which is helped along by Allen's particular creative flourishes throughout the film. I think Allen does a better job here working with his wise cracks to add to his character, rather than let them simply control his character as they do in many of his other films. Now his performance is not really original, since Alvy is not an original character, but this is probably Allen best version of this character, since his jokes are a bit funnier, his jokes work better with this character since he is suppose to be a comedian and he does adds a little more depth to this version of the character do to the relationship between Alvy and Annie.

Best Actor 1977: Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day

Marcello Mastroianni received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Gabriele in A Special Day.

A Special Day is an interesting Italian film set during the fascist reign of Mussolini. A fascinating and simple tale of an anti-fascist homosexual, and a lonely housewife from a Fascist household.

 Marcello Mastroianni first appears as a rather mysterious neighbor Gabriele to the lonely housewife Antonietta(Sophia Loren). She initially comes to her house to gather her families pet bird who had flown away from its cage. Mastroianni as with his performance in Divorce Italian Style, his creation character is instantly apparent as he as on screen and has not said even a single word. He shows a man who is unassuming at first but shows that the man clearly is hiding something, not only his full personality, but also he clearly hiding a pain of sorts that is fully apparent in Mastroianni faces but somehow never is obvious which is rather spectacular. His first scene with Loren is very strong, since he tries to be welcoming and charming, he tries to interest her in a book of his, and show her a dance step, but Mastroianni always suggests a very haunting element in his character that is very effective.

The character is slowly revealed carefully, by Mastroianni. I particularly thought when he talks on the phone immediately when Loren first leaves is just about outstanding. He shows Gabriele certainly has far more troubles than he originally lets on, his nervousness, combined with sadness and anger is absolutely brilliantly shown by Mastroianni. He mixes all these emotions incredibly well, and he does not just show in his voice, or his face, but he shows this throughout his body. Mastroianni fully utilizes his entire being to suggest Gabriele troubles, but he never seems to be forcing his performance at all, and this makes his performance all the more effecting.

He later again meets Antoneitta with the in an attempt to have some sort of friendship before his eventual fate. He and Loren really create at fascinating relationship between these two rather different in some ways but also similar people. Mastroianni really builds his character well as he talks to her, because he shows the man to trying to have life, well his life will shortly be changed very much. He tries to make the woman happy with his little jokes here, and there with his fairly gentle charm. But he is unable to fully hide his sadness, and Mastroianni always keeps this even when he is smiling. He also slowly shows his very angry and sad feelings toward the nature of Italy and its fascism. Also toward the housewife's support of the current regime. He never lets an overtly but subtly shows his pains over the matter.

He though does finally breaks open completely, in a moment of absolute brilliance on Mastroianni's part, as he slowly shows his inability to repress himself and he conveys Gabriele's problems which become harder and harder to hide. Though what really breaks him wide open is when Antoneitta tries to advance sexually toward him but she is surprised by his lack of emotion from her advances. Her partial disgust from when she finally realizes that he is homosexual causes Gabriele finally to make an outburst. He finally shows his utter hatred loud and clear of being mistreated and hated by people. Mastroianni really hits the right nerve in this scene and reached it perfectly along his earlier suggestions of these feelings. It is incredibly powerful and striking scene which is all due to Mastroianni.

Later after his outburst they sort of make up in a way, as Gabriele quietly opens up about his troubles, and she opens up about hers. He shows a truly authentic man who has had to lie, and poignantly opens up to her in a very moving scene. She and He than in a very different scene have sex, in one of the most essential sex scenes in a movie. She sort of forces herself on him, he reacts in a way of a pained face, and inability to really respond properly, yet he still tries to respond to her, knowing that it seems to be something that he needs even though he cannot exactly respond. This scene is not at all exploitative and possibly that is because Mastroianni is so absolutely stunning in his emotional power all without saying anything. In end the two become acquainted and develop a relationship with true poignancy. The script certainly helps their final moments to be so powerful, as does Loren, but I believe Mastroianni is the one who is absolutely essential for this with his incredible performance.

Best Actor 1977: John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

John Travolta received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever.

Saturday Night Fever actually is a very good film if a bit uneven that paints a very interesting portrait of a specific time and place.

Here is a film and a performance that I certainly sort of watched many times, but it is funny because this seems to be the first time I really honestly watched it, and perhaps the first time I watched the R rated version which is rather different. I never thought overly highly of it when I barely watched it but I finally really saw it and it really is something. I felt somewhat the same way about Travolta's performance, I never really though all that much about it my semi watching, but this time I finally saw what his performance really is.

This is quite clearly a true star making performance from John Travolta, now that I really watched it I had no trouble knowing why he became a star after this film. He really has all the proper charisma, and energy to make this a star performance. He is instantly watchable as soon as he struts down that sidewalk in the opening film. Travolta performance though really is even more than that which could have already been enough, but he actually creates a rather interesting and deep character with Tony, than you might expect. He makes Tony a fairly likable if sometimes slow Italian kid from New York City. Travolta is always believable and absolutely authentic throughout the film. I think he did a good job by keeping Tony realistic, but adding a right amount of humor along with it. Such as I making Tony's sometimes dimwitted nature amusing without seeming odd or incorrect, even when the thing he most complains about being hit by his father is that he touched his hair.

He shows something very interesting about this working class young man. He is a guy who is not exactly not confidant, but still rather simple in his life. He is never all that imposing, being very calm and grateful for even a small raise at his hardware store job. His life usually is that of just a simply guy never that imposing. He does though try to model himself into to something else always thinking of looks of other people, and trying to match them. His dreams and wants are well shown but carefully shown by Travolta. He shows that he clearly has a good amount of ambition, but that he sort of keeps it to himself except for when he is on the dance floor. I really like how he becomes not another person but one that seems to be bigger than himself. He shows the right confidence and strength on the dance floor. Travolta really is strong because he shows that this is part of Manero's expression and his chance to really be noticed.

These scenes are great but perhaps are the strongest in which Tony has to deal with his every day relationships, with his friends, his girl friends, and his family. First his family, as I said Travolta fits perfectly in as the authentic family, but he powerfully shows that he feels somewhat slighted by his family for their sometimes lack of affection, and their fairly lowly view of him. He really is especially great when he tells off his mother saying that all her children at bad basically, then though his sudden change in sadness since he does love his mother, and did not want to hurt her is really honestly portrayed, and very powerful.

He also is equally strong in his moments involving his relationships with his two love interests. He again always conveys the right emotions in his frustrations due to expectations of others, and that he really wants to do the more honest thing than the popular thing with first Annette. I really though he played spot on first trying to love her, than being frustrated by her sexual demands of him and sometimes her treatment of her. He shows that Tony is not always right, but really is a confused young man who tries to do what he can but that even he can be sometimes cruel, such as Travolta, is almost chillingly cold, when he shows Tony's disgust about Annette after she had been dated raped by his friends. Travolta though shows that Tony is a decent if not good guy but even a descent guy can sometimes can sometimes be cruel if pushed into the circumstances.

Travolta is equally good in Tony's relationship with Stephanie, who he clearly loves, but is too rough with and he himself tries to force himself on her. Again he does not make himself a bad person, but just a normal man, these scenes could have been portrayed all wrong but Travolta always handles them the right way. Finally Travolta is simply excellent in the final scenes where he grieves of his dead friend he feels somewhat responsible for, and tires to make up his behavior with Stephanie. Travolta ends his performance just about perfectly in his final scene, in showing how Tony has changed and honestly wants to make up for his wrongs, and his final apology is just perfect ending to this very strong performance.

Best Actor 1977: Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl

Richard Dreyfuss won an Oscar from his first nomination for portraying Elliot Garfield in The Goodbye Girl.

The Goodbye Girl is a fine but fairly standard romantic comedy. It has some nice moments, but it also has some very annoying ones too. 

Dreyfuss must have one of the most obnoxious introductions for a character ever. I find when he first shows up bothering Paula (Marsha Mason) I was just as annoyed as she was. I really cannot stand his performance at all when he first shows up, for me it is like fingernails on a chalk board. I suppose he is suppose to be annoying in a funny way here, but I just felt he was annoying in an annoying way. Everything he did just bugged the heck out of me that really made it hard for to watch these early scenes, his performance just was that caustic. Now an actor can be a little annoying but he simply went to far for me.

Now Dreyfuss' is initial obnoxiousness does not entirely go away for me but it severely tones down after these first scenes. After this very rough beginning though I really thought he did improve greatly. His manner kept slightly similar but as the film wore on he founds other aspects of Elliot that were not only not annoying but actually charming in some ways. After his initial overload of obnoxiousness I eventually could find a character inside of all that could actually be liked. I actually found myself caring about his story and his troubles as an actor. I honestly felt sorry for his troubles because Dreyfuss did eventually make him sympathetic. I thought he was particularly effective with his face which really conveyed a lot after his troublesome first performance. Also he really is honestly charming with Marsha Mason, later on, and with Quin Cummings as Paula Daughter.  He gives a very honest and earnest portrayal which I felt had the just the right amount of heart.

Richard Dreyfuss here is a performance I would say I certainly did not think very highly of the first time I watched it placing him as the second worst winner. Now the first time I watched the performance was for the ranking, and perhaps I expected him to be bad. Well I felt he did fit my expectations so well for the first part of the film that it perhaps clouded my judgment a bit for the rest of the film. Since now that I have watched it again, he is not nearly as bad as I originally thought, although that certainly does not make it a great performance it certainly is a descent one after all. In fact if he had not had his opening scenes I would say it might have been completely deserving with this very good romantic lead performance.

Best Actor 1977

And the Nominees Were:

Richard Burton in Equus

Woody Allen in Annie Hall

Richard Dreyfuss in The Goodbye Girl

John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever

Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day   

I won't make any potential jokes about certain actors playing themselves, and just ask who do you pick who do you predict?