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: Rock Hudson in Giant

Rock Hudson received his only Oscar nomination for portraying Bick Benedict in Giant.

Giant is actually a very interesting film. I did not care for it too much the first time I saw it but I will say that I was not really paying enough attention to really appreciate it.

Rock Hudson's performance here is not anything special but it is not at all bad. I think this is due to the character of Bick Benedict. Bick is not all that complicated of a character. He is in many ways the typical rancher man. He wants to keep his family business well, and wants to live his life. I felt Hudson was actually entirely believable as the rancher, I though his accent was fine, and I had no problem with what he did with the character.

Bick as a character though really requires little from the actor, and his whole character seems to be reactionary in many ways to those around him. He stays steadfast with most of his beliefs and thoughts and is reacted upon by his sister, his wife, his children, and his rival of sort Jett (James Dean). He reacts mostly in constrained anger when the others do what disappoints him and angers him. I think Hudson's reactions are fine, and make sense for the character. He is always believable I think in the role, his performance is not really flawed I think at all. Bick just is a reactive character most of the time, and never very complex.

I think he handles the aging of the character well, and shows his frustrations well enough. I think he works well with Elizabeth Taylor well, and I think they have a the right naturalism in their scenes together.  I thought they worked together like a real married couple, and I though he was equally naturally with all the children as well. He even works well with Dean, and I find his steadfast method of acting works along fairly well with Dean eccentric method. Bick I do not think is a lacking character, he does not need to be that complicated to serve his purpose. Bick serves his purpose as does Hudson. Not amazing by anything means but I though he was perfectly fine in the role.

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.