Best Supporting Actor 1957: Russ Tamblyn in Peyton Place

Russ Tamblyn received his only Oscar nomination so far for portraying Norman Page in Peyton Place.

Russ Tamblyn plays Norman Page who has an overprotective mother, as well as eventually has a relationship with Allison MacKenzie (Diane Varsi). Tamblyn for most of the film is really just in the background doing nothing to stand out, the only reason I noticed at all much of the time because I was watching the film for his performance. As a character the only time he has anything to do it is as the boyfriend of Allison.

In a role like this the most important thing than is his chemistry with Diane Varsi. Although they do have a little chemistry enough to seem in an actual relationship. Their chemistry though is not enough to make their relationship anything special, or interesting though. They are their, they seem comfortable enough to be there, but it never becomes any sort of a highlight in the film.

After that the only thing special at all about him is his relationship with his mother, which he desires to escape from. Tamblyn really stays too low key in this facet of his personality. He is suppose to be so suffocated by his mother that he wants to die by being a paratrooper in the war. The passion and the pain is missing from his whole performance to make such a strong reaction believable. This is not an awful performance it sometimes is lacking, sometimes it is adequate, but it is never special.

Posted in: 1957 Best Supporting Actor, Russ Tamblyn