Best Supporting Actor 1950: Results

5. Jeff Chandler in Broken Arrow- Chandler is already miscast around actual Native Americans, and his dull performance never makes up for this problem.

4. Edmund Gwenn in Mister 880- Gwenn is properly sweet and charming in his part, but the part of the most benevolent of criminals is not much of one.

3. Erich von Stroheim in Sunset Blvd.- Stroheim is perfectly cast adding another layer to his character simply through his one background. He also is always proper in his role, but his performance never becomes that amazing for me. Max Meyerling is certianly an interesting character but still certianly a limited one.

2. Sam Jaffe in The Asphalt Jungle- In many years I sort of look forward to rarely talked about nominated performance which are ample in this category. I usually find out why they are rarely spoken of like Gwenn, and Chandler, but I was very pleasantly surprised to find Jaffe's incredibly strong work. Jaffe's performance is subtle even simple work at times, that is amazingly effective and very memorable.

1. George Sanders in All About Eve-Sanders simply could not be better in the role of Addison De Witt. He channels the snarky smug, yet incredibly intelligent and suave ways of the character. Sanders always makes his presence known with every single comment he makes, and to top it off he has one unforgettable scene that is just a magnificent piece of acting.

Deserving Performances:
Louis Calhern in The Asphalt Jungle
Alastair Sim in Stage Fright
Orson Welles in The Third Man (Since it was counted in the major category of Director, I guess I will include him here instead of 1949.)

Best Supporting Actor 1950: Erich von Stroheim in Sunset Blvd.

Erich von Stroheim received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Max von Meyerling in Sunset Blvd.

Now here is a performance and character I find that raises the interesting question of the difference between great casting, and a great performance. It must be said that it was quite brilliant to cast Erich von Stroheim as Norma Desmond's butler. The fact that Stroheim really was a famous director as Meyerling reveals himself to have been does add an extra layer. That Stroheim just like Meyerling had been reduced from once being a great director not quite to being a butler, but still being reduced to playing a butler. This casting just does add to whole underbelly of Hollywood feel to the film that works quite well in its favor.

Now his actual performance is a different story, since if you had no idea who Stroheim was his casting really would not have added an extra layer to the film. Stroheim early on just does a the butler duties of a butler role. He does them well with the right undercurrent of strangeness which goes well with the strangeness of the whole life of Norma Desmond. Stroheim is not given much to do, but he stays noticeable as a fixture of Norma Desmond's mansion. Stroheim does display the right odd devotion and caring of Meyerling to Desmond, and I do like his small way of revealing more of Max along the way, such as when he says not to look to closely at Norma Desmond's fan letters.

Meyerling is of course not just a butler but Desmond's ex-husband, and director. Stroheim does handle this reveal well, and did suggest it properly beforehand. He also is good at showing his inability to disappoint Norman when he is unable to tell her the truth about her popularity. Also Stroheim is good in the final scene showing Meyerling inner director come out at the end. I think Meyerling is a very interesting character far more so than he needed to be. Stroheim also does really portray the part as well as one could, his background does add to the film, but I do not think this is an amazing performance though. It is good Stroheim was perfectly cast, but I just cannot call this a great performance.

Best Supporting Actor 1950

And The Nominees Were:

Erich Von Stroheim in Sunset Blvd.

Edmund Gwenn in Mister 880

George Sanders in All About Eve

Jeff Chandler in Broken Arrow

Sam Jaffe in The Asphalt Jungle

Before I jump back to Best Actor and gain back my ability to relax as I review here is another Supporting year.