Best Actor 1947: Results

5. Gregory Peck in Gentleman's Agreement- All Phil Green does is make speech after speech about antisemitism, or give disapproving looks. No actor could really have made these constant speeches interesting. The only other part of his performance are his romantic scenes with Dorothy McGuire which lack chemistry.

4. Michael Redgrave in Mourning Becomes Electra- Orin is very difficult character and Redgrave gives his best go at it. He mixes his performance with both a little subtlety that works fairly well, and theatrics which are interesting but are not always entirely convincing.

3. John Garfield in Body and Soul- Garfield gives a a good performance throughout but his character is a little too simple for most of the film. When he does get a chance to do more he does, it is shame his character was not more fully written for the whole film.

2. William Powell in Life With Father- Poor Powell always second place. Powell last Oscar nomination is a nice funny performance, it is not that much be certainly a good entertaining performance.

1. Ronald Colman in A Double Life- A good prediction Dinasztie Colman gives a terrific performance interspersing subtlety of Anthony John with the insanity of Othello especially well. It is a risky performance for sure but one that succeeds very well. He was last Lead Actor winner I saw and I am glad the last I saw was a great one.

Deserving Performances:
Cary Grant in The Bishop's Wife
Rex Harrison in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

Best Actor 1947: William Powell in Life With Father

William Powell received his third and final Oscar nomination for portraying Clarence Day Senior in Life With Father.

Life is Father is a rather strange family film of sorts, but I enjoyed it in a purely old fashioned sort of way.

William Powell is an actor I almost always enjoy with his unique screen presence and style of delivery. Interestingly enough Powell as the patriarch of the red headed day family is his only Oscar nominated role without his usual sardonic delivery that I like so much. Still though that is not a fault at all of his performance. Clarence Day is purposefully over the top father, who tries his best to control things exactly way with his stern demeanor, despite never being exactly a mean man. He always wants things his way and only his way even though he does not always get them his way.

All of his complaining with constant spouting of "OH Gad" when something upsets him. The whole film is more or less based around his behavior. I will say I did certainly enjoy his performance, which I think is entirely proper for the part. I think Day could have been too overbearing or too stern, but Powell does find the right comedic tone for the film. It is not complex or complicated performance, but I found it enjoyable enough to watch which it was suppose to be. Powell does a little more than just humor when he can such as his need for his wife when she is sick, but still the character stays fairly simplistic which is completely fine. A simple comedic performance that work well enough due to the comedic actor behind it, not a huge challenge but Powell succeeds with the role.

Best Actor 1947

And the Nominees Were:

Gregory Peck in Gentleman's Agreement

John Garfield in Body and Soul

Ronald Colman in A Double Life

William Powell in Life With Father

Michael Redgrave in Mourning Becomes Electra  

Who do you pick, who do you predict? 

Best Actor 1934: Results

3. Frank Morgan in The Affairs of Cellini- Frank Morgan plays a Duke in this film who is always worried and nervous. Morgan tries to be funny and he is a little bit at the very beginning of the film, but then his nervous act gets old fast.

2. William Powell in The Thin Man- Powell is in top form as Nick Charles. He is a perfect Sleuth to follow because of his perfect charm and wit, and his perfect chemistry with Myrna Loy.

1. Clark Gable in It Happened One Night- This is an interesting year because all three lead performances are comedy performances, I wonder is this is the only year where all the nominees are trying to be funny. Gable wins partially because he is the funniest as Peter Warne. Every scene he is in he is incredibly charming and his comedic timing could not be better. Also his chemistry with Claudette Colbert is astounding, so a well deserved win for "The King"

Deserving Performances:
Stan Laurel in Babes in Toyland
Oliver Hardy in Babes in Toyland
Henry Brandon in Babes in Toyland

Best Actor 1934: William Powell in The Thin Man

William Powell received his first Oscar nomination for portraying sleuth Nick Charles in The Thin Man.

The Thin Man is an enjoyable mystery film, mainly due to the character of Nick and Nora Charles and the actors portraying them Powell and Myrna Loy.

William Powell  is an actor who has a certain style which I enjoy very much. He uses his that style here with his very casual manner and sardonic humor. This works very well as Nick Charles the detective who must solve the murder featured in the film. His detective is integral to the film since he is solving in the case but that is actually his only involvement. He is not really all that tied to it nor is his wife unlike almost all of the supporting characters. Instead he acts as a guide really for the audience through the case, someone the audience can trust since almost everyone else could be the killer.

Powell is the perfect man to follow through the plot because he is such an enjoyable presence in the film. His perfect casual style of going through the case is perfectly handled. I like how he always keeps his sardonic wit throughout the film even when his life is threatened. He is the perfect guide through the plot and is always enjoyable to watch. His best scene involves the standard all the suspects in the same room scene.  He handles this scene helping build the suspense to the reveal, and also keeping his usual wit and humor throughout. Nick never loses his cool or gets emotional, but he does not have to sense he is always knows the situation. This could technically be boring but sense Powell makes him so witty and charming just seeing him sleuth is entertaining.

Powell and Myrna Loy work terrifically together and it is no wonder that they made so many film together several of them playing these same characters.  They just work wonderfully together making a very effective and very amusing dynamic. Their romantic scenes are very well done since they do not seem forced, and their comedic scenes are perfect. Both know exactly how to play each other and seeing Nick and Nora together and just talking is wonderful simply due to these two great actors. Powell here does not have his greatest challenge and largely is doing his Powell thing. But I really like Powell thing and this is when he is at top form doing his thing with Loy who is also similarly in top form. Like Gable from this year he does not have the big dramatic scenes but I do not care because he is charming and very funny which is precisely what he needs to be.

Best Actor 1934

And the Nominees Were:

William Powell in The Thin Man

Clark Gable in It Happened One  Night

Frank Morgan in The Affairs of Cellini

Who do you Pick? Which of the Mustached Men will win?