Best Actor 1973: Al Pacino in Serpico

Al Pacino received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Frank Serpico in Serpico.

Serpico tells the story of Frank Serpico who refused to adhere to police corruption despite it being all around him.

Frank Serpico as a character is one of some repetition that is sure. It is a lot of him coming into a new part of the police in New York City seeing some sort of corruption and responding to it publicly in a low key fashion, although becoming more upset by it in more private settings. In between being upset by corruption he usually gets upset by his current wife, and yells at her, or responds quietly to her.

I don't know Pacino's performance here just never really amazes it me as it does seem to some. In the early scenes Pacino sets up how his character reacts with a quiet passion at first over the corruption he sees, and he keeps reacting in that same way throughout, thrown in with some angry disbelief over the ability of others to actually help him, and his feelings of danger by putting his neck out.

I don't know his whole plight never became as interesting as it seems it should have, because Pacino I feel should have done even more to show how the problems really stacked on Serpico in a better fashion, rather than just that tired face, along with the occasional scene of yelling. It always seemed to be less than Serpico really could have been in this film.

I think the whole incredible honesty of Serpico really needed to be better explored by both the film, and Pacino's performance. Was all what he did because of his nature, or because of of something else, I really felt Pacino really needed to more heavily develop what about Serpico made him want to be so honest, since it was not just to be a descent guy since frankly he does not seem to be always one.

Also another problem I had with his performance was his relationships with his two major wives. I will admit they are not helped by the two rather stilted performances by the actresses playing his wives, but Pacino himself does not create a very interesting relationship either. The relationships in the film feel rather cold, by the lack of energy Pacino puts in them, nor are they made into another type of relationship, like say mutual desperation or something like that, none of the three actors develops the relationship into anything the least bit interesting.

Pacino has yet anther problem I feel and that is Serpico whole odd policeman persona, when he slowly seems to become more and more unlike a cop as the film progresses with his growing beard, and continually more hippie like clothing. Why does Serpico do this other than for cover, and one would think it would be more than just for cover, never is realized, is it because he is really a hippie, or anti establishment or something, I don't know the film, and Pacino just do not develop it well enough.

Although I have been very negative I think up until this point, I do not think this is really a bad performance, but just a lacking one that could have been a lot more. Pacino certainly has good moments throughout, and he is believable as well as technically realistic, I just never felt what he did amounted to any sort of an interesting characterization or performance. 

Best Actor 1973

And the Nominees Were:

Marlon Brando in Last Tango in Paris

Al Pacino in Serpico

Jack Lemmon in Save the Tiger

Jack Nicholson in The Last Detail

Robert Redford in The Sting

Best Actor 1975: Results

5. James Whitmore in Give 'Em Hell Harry!- This simple truth about this performance is it should not have been nominated. This is not a performance for film, it was performed for an audience in the theater not for the the person watching the film. This abundantly clear throughout the film in his theatrical performance, that is completely unrelenting, and is rather awkward to watch.

4. Walter Matthau in The Sunshine Boys- Matthau performance is not all that funny to me in most of his scenes. In most scenes I found him rather annoying, but he makes up for it somewhat due to every scene with George Burns, because their scenes are wonderful.

3. Maximilian Schell in A Man in the Glass Booth- Schell whole performance really is nuts, but a glorious nuts. He is incredibly entertaining in his insanity, as well as does his very best to manage the concepts of his character.

2. Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest- Nicholson excels in every single moment of his performance here. It is a perfect role for Nicholson, and Nicholson knows. He gives an entertaining magnetic performance, that works wonders for his film.

1. Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon- As great as Nicholson is there is no doubt in my mind that Pacino gives the best performance this year. Pacino simply makes so many risks with this performance from his manic ways, to his voice he uses, to the extreme emotional range found in Sonny, and the thing is they all pay off completely, this is truly a perfect performance. There is not a false or boring moment, only powerful, effective, entertaining, and fascinating ones in this stunning portrait of a man.

Deserving Performances:
Michael Caine in The Man Who Would be King
Sean Connery in The Man Who Would be King

Best Actor 1975: Al Pacino in Dog Day of Afternoon

Al Pacino received his fourth Oscar nomination for portraying Sonny Wortzik in Dog Day Afternoon.

Dog Day Afternoon tells the story of two bank robbers who become hostage takers, and attempt somehow to get away.

I think what should be noted first about Pacino performance is the daring nature of it. Sonny is a completely original creation, that is not like any other performance he gave before this. Pacino does a very distinct higher voice, that is frankly a masterstroke in his performance. His voice just works so incredibly well for the film, and it as well really shows that Sonny is a very particular man with a rather particular history.

Al Pacino begins the entire film brilliantly and never stops being so for the entire film. His opening moments of his performance, are some of the best moments of any performance ever. Sonny begins is robbery quite incompetently, rushing too much, not even knowing that all his partners in crime are fully with him, or knowing that the right amount of money will actually be in the bank.

  Pacino through this whole first long scene is outstanding, as rushes through his effort, Pacino is perfect in Sonny's uneasiness as he tries to get the job right, but continually faces problem. Even just pulling his gun out of its box it was concealed in is troublesome for him, Pacino is great in just the simple act of Sonny messing up pulling the gun out of the box showing his inexperience, nervousness, haphazardness, as well as manic way of Sonny, in just this small action, and at the same time as well is able to be appropriately humorous in just the natural way of Sonny. 

Pacino through his whole process of failure is fascinating to watch, and it only gets better he truly fails as a bank robber when he gets trapped inside of the bank due to the police waiting on the outside. He is amazing in just his single moment of realization of his situation now, as he sits on the floor. Pacino clearly shows how much is going through Sonny's head at this single moment, and he may even up show his similar scene in the Godfather, which I find is about as high of praise as I possibly can give. 

In these whole early scenes, that are technically more action based than technically dramatic based, Pacino manages to already turn Sonny into a fully realized three dimensional character. Pacino shows that Sonny is a rather on his last straw sort of fellow, he wants to be organized, but fails to be, and but also suggests that Sonny is not sure of himself, or his claims of violent ability, a particularly strong moment is when his bank robber partner Sal (John Cazale), asks if Sonny really will be able to carry out his threat of throwing bodies at the door, Pacino is perfect in his reaction making properly clear that the situation is a bit over Sonny's head.

When Sonny finally faces the music, so to speak, and finally begins to challenge the police how well Pacino excels in a great variety of ways with his performance. When finally coming out Pacino is again incredible in the way he portrays the entire scene, and every scene of this type with the Police, especially the first one where he plays to the entire crowd. Pacino still shows that Sonny is no genius by any means but shows that Sonny due to being backed in the corner is trying to use every idea he has.

Pacino controls each of these scenes incredibly well. He does not do as some sort of commanding General, but a man who has never had any actual power, he is not at all that good at it, but he tries his best. Pacino is just great in how he shows Sonny is playing it extremely safe always being hesitant in some way, being afraid of being killed really, how he really always has to almost jump ahead of himself to cut off the police when they want to try to pull a fast one, it is amazing to watch, the Attica outburst, which plays to the rowdy civilian crowd, by Sonny is not some brilliant calculated move, but rather a small man using whatever he can do get out of his situation which is basically being between a rock and a hard place.

Now this would already be frankly by an incomparable achievement if the performance stayed the same through the rest of the film, but it doesn't as we learn more about Sonny, and as Sonny situation continues on. Sonny turns out to have a homosexual relationship with Leon (Chris Sarandon) a preoperative transsexual, their phone call together is a pivotal moment for Pacino's performance. It is an amazing moment, showing his history with Leon, that Pacino subtly suggests brings out another side of Sonny, that has almost a poignancy to it, a simply astonishing.

As his negotiation becomes more difficult, Pacino is brilliant in showing both Sonny's mental and physical disintegration. Physical in showing he is having a harder time, despite still working hard with every move by his opponents, as well as the fact of bearing the heat and the time of the day. Mentally by him facing the facts of his rather difficult life. His trouble with both of his wives that he has, as well as his problems with his mother, and just his entire present state. Pacino shows that everything is deeply weighing on Sonny.

 Pacino never stops being incredible with his heartfelt moment where he sees his possible fate at the end of the day, and attempt to dictate his will, well still comprehending his situation. Also his last moment, that truly shows where the day has brought him, and it is a stunning powerful silent moment as he sees what he has done has lead him. Pacino keeps his energy, as well as the tremendous power of his performance through the entire performance it never does end, Pacino never has a boring or a false moment. He is incredible throughout and in fact he always presents even more of Sonny, as well as holding every moment he is on screen. This is simply a truly great, and amazing performance that stands firmly as one of the best performance given by an actor, period.

Best Actor 1975

And the Nominees Were:

Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon

James Whitmore in Give 'Em Hell, Harry!

Jack Nicholson in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Maximilian Schell in The Man in the Glass Booth

Walter Matthau in The Sunshine Boys 

Best Actor 1992: Results

5. Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman- Pacino's performance creates a very mixed feeling, in a lot of moments I think he gives a very charming, and effective performance, but other times he goes too over the top, and his performance seems overly calculated.

4. Denzel Washington in Malcolm X- Washington performance is another mixed bag in my opinion. His early scenes he overplays, and his transformations are mostly done by the film, rather than his performance. He though is strong in many scenes, and has the right manner for Malcolm X in the speeches, and the right dread infused with still a passion the final scenes. It is just overall a mixes performance for me.

3. Stephen Rea in The Crying Game- Rea ranks third and above the other two of the bottom three because I feel his performance is always consistent, and basically believable as the descent Fergus, I just never felt he was that much more that believable though.

2. Robert Downey Jr. in Chaplin- Downey certainly is quite skillful in his ability to replicate Chaplin's physical comedy. He also has the right charm in the role, and is able to handle the aging requirements of Chaplin with grace, unfortuantely he is held back by a film that strangely enough perhaps does not delve enough into the mind of the man.

1. Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven- Eastwood performance in Unforgiven might be, or close to being his best performance. He knows exactly his range in this performance, as well the history of himself as an actor, and brilliantly uses both these aspects to create a very compelling portrait of a man's chilling degradation back into the viscous killer he once was.

Deserving Performances:
Jack Lemmon in Glengarry Glen Ross

Best Actor 1992: Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman

Al Pacino won his Oscar from his eighth nomination for portraying Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman.

Scent of a Woman is a film about a young prep school student Charley (Chris O'Donnell) who takes a job caring for a blind depressed and flamboyant soldier.

Al Pacino win he is one generally characterized as a make up win, and that certainly is a valid statement considering this is still is his last nomination at the moment, and he had last seven times previously including once the very same year. Pacino's performance here also seemed to have a detrimental effect on his performances from than on since many of his performances seemed to be some sort of a  variation on this performance.

This performance is not usually liked, and is many times mocked for being an Oscar grabbing sort of performance. There is perhaps truth to that second aspect, since after all he plays a blind man, who is going over some serious emotional troubles. Well the blindness part of his performance, in which he stares blankly at nothing, has been given both criticism as well as praise, I really can't say it matter too much either way, since he technically could have worn sunglasses, or the blindness causing contact lenses it is only really a small part of his performance that does not contribute much, nor take away from the overall effect of his performance.

This is actually a bit of a mixed performance for me in that there are many aspects of his performance that seem much too calculated. I think this is the most obvious when he has his big yelling scenes, particularly in his final speech at the end of the film. He uses this southern accent only some of the time, and it is rather random if he decides to use it or not, and I think most of the time he tends not to, and frankly he is better when he does not do the accent.

Pacino has plenty of the yelling scenes in fact most of the performance is him yelling, but the idea of yelling alone does not make a performance good nor bad, since some characters are suppose to yell and Frank Slade certainly is one of them. I think Pacino is really hit and miss in many of his yelling scenes, and I do think he is effectively entertaining some of the time when he properly finds the flow of his character, but other times he is overly calculated in his performance.

Pacino does have some quieter scenes, or at least as quiet as they can be for Frank Slade. I really do not think he always overacts, since I do think Pacino successfully shows that his constant yelling his basically his way to compensate for his blindness, although sometimes he does such as in his final speech where he seems to be reciting the lines in his head a little too much, but even in that scene I think goes back and forth in terms of the strength of his performance.

Pacino I do think succeeds with Slade some or even much of the time, in giving a charming performance, and although the crazy mentor character is possibly a bit much, I thought he did make him work in some scenes fairly well. I thought particularly in the big tango scene where he is properly magnetic and effective. Pacino though also I do think effectively shows the pathos of the character, and how his connection with Charley is something special to Slade, without forcing it too much.

This is a performance that was rather difficult for me to write to be honest, because I think it is an entirely inconsistent performance for me. Sometimes he does certainly go over the top, and is overdone in his "acting, but other moments I think he finds a way for his loud character to work rather well. So really this is a performance I do like, but I most certainly have many reservations about nonetheless.

Best Actor 1992

And the Nominees Were:

Robert Downey Jr. in Chaplin

Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven

Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman

Stephen Rea in The Crying Game

Denzel Washington in Malcolm X

Best Supporting Actor 1972: Results

5. Robert Duvall in The Godfather- Duvall is perfectly fine in the somewhat limited role of Tom Hagan. He is always exactly as Hagan should be, and does show more to him when he has the chance.

4. Eddie Albert in The Heartbreak Kid- Albert gives an enjoyable mostly reactive deadpan performance. He was not given that much to do, but I thoroughly enjoyed everything he did do.

3. Joel Grey in Cabaret- Grey's performance is a brilliant energetic performance, that creates an incredibly memorable character and makes for a very entertaining and interesting performance.

2. James Caan in The Godfather- Caan gives the best supporting performance in the Godfather, with his absolutely brilliant portrayal of Sonny handling every various aspect of Sonny from his particular charisma to his hair trigger trigger temper brilliantly.

1. Al Pacino in The Godfather- Al Pacino performance is lead, but he would have been deserving of that win as well for his astounding performance as Micheal Corleone. A true masterpiece of acting by Pacino that brilliantly shows an astounding transformation of a man that is amazing to behold due to Pacino.

Deserving Performances:
John Cazale in The Godfather

Best Supporting Actor 1972: Al Pacino in The Godfather

Al Pacino received his first Oscar nomination for portraying Micheal Corleone in The Godfather.

Al Pacino's performance is most certainly a leading performance in the Godfather. The film after all follows Micheal through his transition. Michael begins the film as coming home after serving in the marines. Pacino shows Micheal to be a nice charming man who certianly cares for his family, but does not wish to be part of their criminal empire.

In the early part Pacino shows Micheal just be a normal man who wishes to live just a normal life. Unfortunately he is called back into the family when his father Vito is  severely wounded by an assassination attempt. At this point in the film Pacino is someone we as the viewers can really empathize with as just a normal guy who cares for his father, and tries his best to help his family. His first time being called into to help his family is almost by accident as he goes to save his father from being killed. Pacino shows this as not yet wanting to be part of the family business, but rather being pulled into it by an unfortunate circumstance, and his genuine love for his family.

Micheal though is further pulled in though where he comes with a plan to rid the family of two rather key enemies. This transformation is somewhat sudden by necessitated by the situation. Micheal transformation here could have been made very wrong, but Pacino very carefully portrays the subtle changes of Micheal here, showing that he still is the man at the beginning of the film, but the situation has brought out perhaps something internally held by Micheal. Pacino also brilliantly suggests the cold calculating Micheal of later, but only little showing him to be more emotional here over the condition of his father, but still showing the change of Micheal beginning none the less.

The biggest scene I would say of Pacino's though is when he finally carries out his plan, which is simply an acting masterpiece by Pacino in this scene. This scene Pacino puts on the facade to the men he going to kill of being there just as a negotiator for the family. At the same time though Pacino incredibly subtle shows the incredibly tension and fear going through Micheal as he goes through this life changing night. I think the most incredible moment is just before he is going to perform the deed the camera fixes on Pacino, and he shows all of what is going through his mind simply brilliantly showing just with almost just his eyes the emotions Micheal is feeling and building up to the final decision he makes and acts upon.

His action shows that he has not fully transitioned yet and in his exile scenes Pacino shows an interesting middle of Micheal transition. He shows the beginning of his command over situations such as when he manipulates the father of the woman he plans to marry, but he still shows the older Micheal in the way he still seems charming and likable. After the tragic ends of his exile though Micheal transition goes even closer to his miserable end. He shows one more moment of his past in his final talk with his father. Both Pacino and Brando in this scene as they reflect on the time loss are brilliant as they show a father and son who have lost what they had or could have had, simply a terrific moment for both actors.

Any of good of Micheal leaves with Vito as he becomes completely on his own, and Pacino brings his brilliant subtle transition to an end. He reaches his end as a cruel cold man. Pacino is stunning in how calculating and chilling he shows Micheal is now. He always always shows Micheal examining his situation, and controlling all he wants with always the same cold demeanor. The most outstanding part is that Micheal started as a nice man, but is brought down to the worst kind of man. Pacino's entire transition is completely natural which makes the change in Micheal completely chilling as well as being especially disheartening. Pacino's performance simply is an amazing performance.

Best Supporting Actor 1972

And the Nominees Were:

Al Pacino in The Godfather

James Caan in The Godfather

Joel Grey in Cabaret

Robert Duvall in The Godfather

Eddie Albert in The Heartbreak Kid

Best Actor 1979: Results

5. Al Pacino in ...And Justice for All-Al Pacino gives a good performance, and remains a realistic and emotionally powerful presence in a rather stupid film. 

4. Roy Scheider in All That Jazz- Scheider has the right charm and right type of presence in this film, but I believe the self-indulgent film holds his performance back.

3. Jack Lemmon in The China Syndrome- Jack Lemmon gives a strong performance and shows his character emotional disintegration as his conscience grows on him.

2. Dustin Hoffman in Kramer vs. Kramer- Dustin Hoffman gives an authentic and very realistic performance. A strong performance which work incredibly well with the rest of the cast especially Justin Henry. 

1. Peter Sellers in Being There- Peter Sellers creates an incredibly memorable character through his finely attuned performance as Chance. He keeps his character consistent, and his whole creation of Chance is simply wonderful.

Deserving Performances:
Martin Sheen in Apocalypse Now

Best Actor 1979: Al Pacino in ...And Justice for All

Al Pacino received his fifth Oscar nomination for portraying lawyer Arthur Kirkland in ...And Justice For All.

...And Justice for All is a very stupid movie, which hammers in its point very heavily with a blunt point. It strangely wants to be a serious court room drama but with wacky court room antics, and a wacky suicidal judge, now wacky and suicidal usually do not go together except in maybe crazy comedies, but they do in this movie. Now the movie is definitely stupid, but I will admit I sort of enjoyed it, despite many one dimensional characters, constant cliches, and its serious tonal problems.

Al Pacino plays a real crusading lawyer one that might just be a super lawyer. He cares about the real justice, the search for truth for everyone. He does not like miscarriages of justice, he does not like mistreatment of prisoners, he does not like mean judges to the point of punching them, and he does not like moral law commissions which do not go after the real problems within the system. Pacino actually is fine even if his character is really written in a very unspectacular fashion at the beginning of the film. Pacino has his work cut out for him to not make his character seem like a really pretentious jerk Well Pacino can't stop him from being still far too pretentious, but he makes him somewhat likable pretentious guy.

Pacino is fine with his dealings of the wacky court dealings in the first half of the film, from his comedic law partner, to freaking out on a helicopter ride with the suicidal judge (Jack Warden), to romancing a woman on that law commission he dislikes so much. All of the court dealings, and the romance especially are contrived in someway, but Pacino does do a fine job in keeping at least some sort of reality no matter how unrealistic some of the scenes can be. Pacino is never really amazing here, but it is interesting to see Pacino be able to do more of a star leading man performance which a little unusual for Pacino especially portraying such just a super guy like Arthur Kirkland.

The second half of the film just about everything that could go wrong for Arthur does go wrong for him. The film really lets Pacino's character have it here, ruining basically everything he is trying to do, and trying to ruin the character's whole career. Pacino is good as he slowly becomes more and more stressed out, due to everything basically crumbling around him, he shows his character's passion and sadness well, and I gotta say his pretentiousness really started to be less annoying closer to the end. Anyways the film sort of haphazardly leads to a big dramatic opening statement by Pacino. Pacino delivers the big scene incredibly well, and makes it a satisfying ending, even if it is a stupidly written one. Overall Pacino gives a good performance in a dumb movie.

Best Actor 1979

And the Nominees Were:

Jack Lemmon in The China Syndrome

Peter Sellers in Being There

Dustin Hoffman in Kramer VS. Kramer

Roy Scheider  in All that Jazz

Al Pacino in ...And Justice For All