Best Actor 1956: Results

5. Yul Brynner in The King and I- Brynner gives a odd performance that is strange in almost every aspect, his acting, his chemistry with Deborah Kerr, his singing, the only thing that is not strange is his dancing I guess.

4. Rock Hudson in Giant- Hudson gives a good performance throughout Giant. His character is a steadfast character, but Hudson is interesting to watch and makes himself interesting despite the simple nature of his  character sometimes.

3. James Dean in Giant- Dean is incredibly good in the first moment making the most out of his character, in a compelling performance that only Dean could give. His second shorter half as the rich oil man, does not quite work for me. He was slimy I suppose but I was not convinced at all by the character later. Hudson and Taylor aged properly but I actually think Dean was incapable of really aging.

2. 1. Laurence Olivier in Richard III, and Kirk Douglas in Lust For Life- Good prediction Dinastzie These top two performers are both absolutely brilliant. They both take incredibly complicated and challenging characters and bring them to life brilliantly. They excel in everything facet of their performance, both use their whole physical presence to fully realize their character. Douglas's Van Gogh, and Olivier's Richard III are both perfect performance the two could not swap roles both are perfect for the roles and in the roles. I think both are equal roles, and performances, neither tops the other in any aspect they both brilliant, how could these two performances lose to Brynner is beyond me. If I was forced to vote for one I would go with Douglas because I have already voted for Olivier twice. But by strange Oscar logic I should get one best actor tie since there was one tie in the field.

Deserving Performances:John Wayne in The Searchers

Best Actor 1956: James Dean in Giant

James Dean received his second and final posthumous Oscar nomination for portraying Jett Rink in Giant.

James Dean's is always a phenomenon considering he has only three films, and his acting style is so bizarre, yet he is a icon and his style is adored by many. Dean in Giant actually is a supporting player, and is not the lead. There are long passages where he is completely absent, and much of the time he is just the man slinking around in the background. Dean has his trademark mannerisms and looking at the ground constantly. He though has less I think than in East of Eden, and I do think he did utilize his mannerisms to create a character.

In East of Eden his mannerisms suggested a young man uncomfortable with just about everything. Here I feel he does properly use his mannerisms this time to convey himself as a loner in the early moments most assuredly well. He is uncomfortable with his surroundings and employer. He shows a hidden sense of hatred of his character, and his hidden motives quite well. I think he is actually interesting early on, and not distracting with his little slinking in the background always. He does convey everything and more for his character of Rink, and I think his intensity and style of his performance works perfectly early on.

Later though after he becomes rich his performance changes. I do like his one scene where he announces his soon to be riches in his fantastic style. His performance though becomes very limited in terms of screen time, occasionally popping in and out very quickly. I never really believed him at all as the older rich oil man. Dean's aging was not at all convincing even though Elizabeth Taylor's and Rock Hudson's were. I thought he was slimey enough but that was about it. He was suppose to have some sort of charm I think but he doesn't and I really did not believe Dean at all as the oil man. He was perfect for Rink at the beginning but by the end he seemed to become miscast. I do not know if any other actor could have been as interesting at the beginning  but I do think many could have been better than the second half of his performance.

Best Actor 1956

And The Nominees Were:

Rock Hudson in Giant

James Dean in Giant

Yul Brynner in The King and I

Kirk Douglas in Lust For Life

Laurence Olivier in Richard III

So who do you pick, and predict? The ranch owner turned oil man, the ranch hand turned oil man, the king who sings, the artist who screams, or the king who schemes.

Best Actor 1955: Results

5. Frank Sinatra in The Man with Golden Arm- Sinatra I will admit tries hard to do a good job here, but he never really succeeds. It is a challenging role which he does not meet the challenge.

4. James Cagney in Love Me or Leave- This is not a challenging role really, and Cagney plays it as well as possible. He is properly mean as the rather simple gangster, it is not much of a character but Cagney does a fine job with it.

3. James Dean in East of Eden- Mr. Mannerisms himself certainly has a lot of mannerism in his fairly over the top performance, now I probably would not let anyone else get away with a performance like this but something about Dean and the character of Cal make it work.

2. Spencer Tracy in A Bad Day at Black- Probably his best work, Tracy is brilliant here in a completely understated role. He has a magnetic presence in this film, and somehow controls the scenes even though he only ever raises his voice once.

1. Ernest Borgnine in Marty- Borgnine is just brilliant as Marty. He gives a very realistic and heartfelt of performance. He is brilliant at showing all of who Marty his from his frustrations, to the real joy he has when he finally finds love. Simply a great performance.

Deserving Performances:
Robert Mitchum in The Night of the Hunter
Henry Fonda in Mister Roberts

Best Actor 1955: James Dean in East of Eden

James Eden received his first posthumous Oscar nomination for portraying Caleb "Cal" Trask in East of Eden.

East is an okay film, although as an adaptation of the novel it is extremely truncated and some of the characters are poorly reduced especially the mother of Cal and Aron.

James Dean is simply one of the most mannered actors ever. He never stops doing his mannerisms ever through the film. He is moving around in his weird ways. Walking oddly, and looking at the ground constantly for no foreseeable reason, sitting in his own way on the train. He most certainly is over the top as Cal with the way he almost acts like a worm during time in the film. Something very interesting about that is that most actors who would give this sort of performance I and probably many others would not let the actor get away with it. Saying that the actor is just going over the top, and plays the role oddly.

But there is just something about Dean that lets him get away with it. Dean had some sort of certain charisma about him that enabled him to get away with his mannerisms. He some how despite the oddity of everything he does seems natural coming out of him. Still over the top but from Dean somehow it works. A reason perhaps why it works is that the character himself is suppose to be an outcast. Cal is not really suppose to get along with anyone despite seeking an acceptance of some sort, despite believing that he himself is bad. He particularity tries to gain acceptance from his distant father Adam (Raymond Massey), but finds they have trouble connecting. Dean's mannered performance certainly comes into conflict with Massey's much more to the point type of acting, but that actually  adds to their relationship showing a clear disconnection from each other.

Dean I must say is fascinating from beginning to end in the film.  Yes what he does seems odd, and strange at all times, but it does work well. His portrait of the angst ridden young man really is a perfect portrait, because of Dean. Yes it is because of his odd mannerisms, because they just add well to his performance. Odd for sure but I never felt they exactly seemed forced. Somehow Dean finds the way that his strange actions do add to his performance. They make Cal a memorable character and a full realized one. He has his mannerisms but Dean still does not forget to add a certain subtlety to his performance. Not a whole lot but enough so it is not always just over the top. But his over the top scenes do add the power of his performance. Such as when he tries to embrace his father after his father rejects his gift. Many scenes are strong just merely because of Dean performance even if it over the top. Due to Dean this film has one aspect that certainly is hard to forget.

Best Actor 1955

And The Nominees Were:

Spencer Tracy in A Bad Day At Black Rock


James Dean in East of Eden


Ernest Borgnine in Marty


Frank Sinatra in The Man With The Golden Arm


James Cagney in Love Me Or Leave Me

So for my year which will reach for me the mark of 100 nominees reviewed in the lead category, who is that you pick? Who do you predict?