Best Actor 1970: Results

5. James Earl Jones in The Great White Hope- Jones is hampered down by a rather lackluster film, and a rather lackluster co-star, but he still is effective nonetheless.

4. Ryan O'Neal in Love Story- It is easy perhaps to mock this film, and perhaps this performance, but there really is no reason to because O'Neal certainly is effective in his part, giving a realistic honest performance, that finds the perfect chemistry with his co-star to make the film work.

3. Melvyn Douglas in I Never Sang for My Father- Douglas despite not always being given that much screen time is still able to create an interesting portrait of a father who despite loving his son, he refuses to give into anything that goes against his personal beliefs.

2. Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces- Nicholson is simply amazing here, and it is shame that both he and Scott were nominated in the same year. It really is hard to compare the performances in anyway other than that they are both brilliant. Nicholson portrait of his character is intense, and incredibly effective. He never seems to seek sympathy from the audience, but it is exceedingly hard to not to become invested in his incredible performance.

1. George C. Scott in Patton- Good prediction Dinasztie. Now this a rather difficult decision, although I felt perhaps with going with Nicholson, but that was before I re-watched Patton. It is not that this is a performance that stands far above Nicholson's performance, both their performances simply stand beyond other performances that it is hard to compare performances this good. They are both incredible in their depictions. I pick Scott's performance not because of any difference in quality, but I just love Scott's amazing characterization of Patton, that is flawless. I really can't say anything why he beats Nicholson, but I simply have to choose just one, I suppose if I was an actual voter I would have voted for Nicholson though, since Nicholson wanted win, Scott supposedly did not care. 

Best Actor 1970: Melvyn Douglas in I Never Sang For My Father

Melvyn Douglas received his second Oscar nomination for portraying Tom Garrison in I Never Sang For My Father.

I Never Sang for My Father is rather sad film about a father who tries to create a meaningful relationship with his aging father, after his mother has died. 

Melvyn Douglas is the father Tom Gene Hackman is the son Gene. Gene Hackman who was nominated in the supporting category is the true lead in the film not Douglas. Douglas I would say boarders on both categories because he does have a few scenes were he dominates the film, but at the same he disappears from the film for some relatively long stretches.

Douglas first appears being not exactly the most original type of character, which is the stern and sometimes casually cruel father. Douglas is effective in handling this, and does try to make his own mark on this sort of character. Although it is not an entirely original character at this point, Douglas does a good job in showing clearly that this is just standard for Tom in his precise and commanding fashion toward Gene.

Melvyn Douglas is allowed to do more when his wife takes a turn for the worst. Douglas is given two scenes where he shows how much he honestly cared for his wife, which are both quite astounding. Douglas shows the saddening loss in his character quite brilliantly. I think a particularly strong moment in this is when he is looking at the different coffins for his wife's funeral. It is an interesting scene as he tries to sort out the coffins as well as his feelings around the change in his life.

Douglas after these scenes though he certianly disappears for a bit, and comes back when his daughter and his son attempt to deal with him. Douglas is again quite strong in his fight with his daughter, as he constantly defends himself by saying he has had a hard life, and according him his children were not making it in his mind that they owe him. Douglas is again good in showing that this simply his defense mechanism he always uses against his children, but also below it he does suggest a deeper sadness of his character, and a fear of being alone, as well as losing his mental capacity.

The most important moment of Douglas' whole performance is Tom's final talk with Gene at the very end of the film. It begins with them discussing both their own relationship as father and son, but also Tom's own relationship with his father. It is a fascinating scene between Hackman and Douglas because together they create what is an actual connection between father and son, and Douglas shows incredibly well the sad of history of his character, as well as the honest love he does have for his son as well.

After this though their conversation does a 180 when Gene announces he is leaving, but tries to convince Tom to come with him. It is amazing how they change from honest love, to hostility so quickly, but both actors make the change entirely convincing. Douglas is incredibly strong in presenting that Tom simply cannot give in to changing what he sees as right no matter, what even if it means completely losing his relationship with his son. Douglas' flawless change from emotional honesty and love, to emotional brutality, and defensiveness in Tom makes the final scene truly great, and truly heartbreaking. Overall Douglas' whole performance is a strong effective performance, that works exceedingly well with Gene Hackman's true lead performance.

Best Actor 1970

And the Nominees Were:

Melvyn Douglas in I Never Sang for My Father

Ryan O'Neal in Love Story

George C. Scott in Patton

Jack Nicholson in Five Easy Pieces

James Earl Jones in The Great White Hope

Best Supporting Actor 1979: Results

5. Melvyn Douglas in Being There- Melvyn Douglas is not bad ever in Being There but he never really does anything in the film. He has some nice talks and he plays the part as it should be but his character really requires nothing of him.

4. Mickey Rooney in The Black Stallion- Mickey Rooney is a very nice presence in this film. He plays a standard mentor/teacher role much better actually than he needed to. I like how he stayed quiet and just was a good part of the film.

3. Frederic Forrest in The Rose- Forrest is very good here and adds a lot to the film. I like how he underplays his role and shows a realistic portrait of a man who has gotten in a relationship with a women he cannot fully understand.

2. Justin Henry in Kramer Vs. Kramer- Henry is just about perfect in his role but he is always spot on. He is always real and seems really like a kid in this situation not some false movie kid. An important role to the film and Henry is completely up to his task.

1. Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now- Robert Duvall takes a risky approach to an odd ball of a character and his risk completely pays off. Duvall is perfect as Col. Killgore. He some how never seems false in a role of pure insanity. He is excellent because he makes Kilgore the most fascinating part of Apocalypse Now despite the shortness of his part. Robert Duvall therefore joins Laurence Olivier, Rod Stieger and Walter Huston as actors with two wins from me.

Deserving Performances:Frederic Forrest in Apocalypse Now
Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now

Best Supporting Actor 1979: Melvyn Douglas in Being There

Melvyn Douglas won his second Oscar from his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Benjamin Turnbull Rand a dying wealthy businessman in Being There.

Melvyn Douglas plays an old man that really would only be found in the film Being There. Since he is among the many people taken by Peter Seller's simply Chance the Gardener.  He misinterprets him as an incredibly intelligent man who merely has simple takes on things. Now this seems okay that the old man believes this but than when almost everyone in the world starts to see him this way it becomes a bit far fetched. I do have to give credit to Douglas in that he makes such a false interpretation the most believable  out of all the characters's false interpretations but even his is not entirely realistic.

Douglas is not actually in the film all that much. He shows up time to time in his weakened state to talk nicely to Chance or his wife (Shirley Maclaine). He never does anything all that amazing in his performance, but he is a nice enough presence in the film. The role simply only consists of these nice talks, his character never gets emotional in any way he just stays calm and gentle in a very businessman way. I do not have a single problem with the way Douglas performs the character, he performs just as it should be played, but his performance simply never becomes anything that special. He is fine in every scene and I like him being there (No pun intended) but his role simply is not a challenge.

Best Supporting Actor 1979

 And the Nominees Were:

Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now

Frederic Forrest in The Rose

Melvyn Douglas in Being There

Justin Henry in Kramer Vs. Kramer

Mickey Rooney in The Black Stallion

 Who do you Pick? What do you predict my ranking will be?