Best Actor 1943: Results

5. Walter Pidgeon in Madame Curie- I think Pidgeon does a fine job with the role, but the role is just a bit too simple for anything amazing to come from it.

4. Gary Cooper in For Whom The Bell Tolls- Cooper gives a okay performance since he relies on his strengths in terms of his silent abilities, rather than his weaknesses.

3. Mickey Rooney in The Human Comedy- Rooney is actually surprisingly good, toning down his star persona to give an honest and very effective portrayal of a young man, who must deal with certain aspects of his life including the sad losses of World War II.

2. Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca- Bogart gives a completely iconic performance, and everything he does as Rick Blaine seems to be perfectly Rick Blaine, that's all I can really say about his performance. Maybe it really is as perfect as some claim, or perhaps it is a weaker performance protected by its own iconic nature, very hard to tell for me.

1. Paul Lukas in Watch on The Rhine- Bogart's performance may be more iconic but Lukas's is the greater achievement in pure acting. I read one article that described Lukas's win as bad because any descent actor could have given the same performance, I must say that reviewer is completely wrong. Lukas's performance is brilliantly fleshed out by Lukas in scenes when he is not talking suggesting everything without words, and equally powerful showing the conflicting emotions involved with the character's fight with fascism. This was not a run of the mill performance, any actor could have done, Lukas went beyond that creating a fascinating portrait of man struggling with the world.

Deserving Performances:
Joseph Cotton in Shadow of A Doubt

Best Actor 1943: Walter Pidgeon in Madame Curie

Walter Pidgeon received his second and final Oscar nomination for portraying scientist Pierre Curie in Madame Curie.

Madame Curie I found to be a biography picture which at times was good, but also rather boring, such as the actual scenes of discovering radium seemed like they needed something more visually.

Walter Pidgeon plays the french scientist Pierre Curie, without a french accent which is fine with me, since it just fits with how things were done most of the time back then. Walter Pidgeon performance and character here is somewhat similar to Paul Muni's performance in The Story of Louis Pasteur. He plays a scientist who is right in his thinking and only wants to improve the knowledge of mankind. He just is around a smart and decent guy, and I feel there is nothing wrong with such a portrayal. His portrayal is similar acceptable, suitable, and enjoyable at times, nothing less and it really does not have to be all that more. He has one difference and that is his partner in science is also his wife Marie Curie.

His scenes with Marie (Greer Garson) are not of the big romantic scene style, but rather far more simple scenes of showing affection for one another. There is not all that romantic tension, but I feel both of the actors do a very good job of showing just a more subtle love for one another that is simpler but properly sweet when it needs to be. I particularly thought he was strong in his final scene of the film where he shows his true love for Marie incredibly well. Besides that he was just good never all that great with Garson.

There are a few flaws that hold back his performance. I could see how many could see Pidgeon as dull, or to bland. I never thought he really was, and almost always thought his performance worked well enough in the film it was in even if it was never amazing. There was one scene I felt his performance was a little lacking, and that was in a scene where he was fighting to support the research of the Curies, and then defending his wife as a scientist. I felt he just needed a little more passion in his performance, not that much more, but a little more. I never felt his performacne truly failed and was just suitable fine performance that I enjoyed.

Best Actor 1943

And the Nominees Were:

Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca

Walter Pidgeon in Madam Curie

Paul Lukas in Watch on The Rhine

Gary Cooper in For Whom the Bell Tolls

Mickey Rooney in The Human Comedy


So who do you pick, and who do you predict? The iconic bar owner involved with Nazis, the Anti-Nazi, the solider in the Spanish American War, the death messenger, or Pierre Curie?