Alternate Best Actor 1937: Claude Rains in They Won't Forget

Claude Rains did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Andy Griffin in They Won't Forget.

They Won't Forget is a sometimes effective although also very flawed film about a college professor from the North who is put on the trial for the murder of one of his students in the South.

Claude Rains portrays the district attorney who takes the case, and wants to make it big important conviction for himself to further his political career. Rains although in a way portrays the villain in that Griffin is always very concerned about his career rather than seeking justice. Although to be entirely fair to his character the evidence does not suggest that the professor was obviously innocent or obviously guilty. The sentiment that is created by the atmosphere within the town though makes it clear that innocent or guilty the professor will not really be given a fair trial.

Claude Rains as usual is efficient in the role as the attorney making it clear that Griffin will win the case, and meet his ambition no matter what. Rains at first shows Griffin more than anything is being professional as he handles various town people who want him to do certain things. Rains shows a constant assurance that no matter what Griffin will be doing things his way, even if it does meet someone else's end, it is all still is all part of his own ambition. Rains makes it obvious that Griffin is a powerful force that will see the man found guilty through his skill as an attorney.

A great deal of screen time comes in when he is handling the courtroom scenes. Rains again is effective here as he shows the statesman aspect of Griffin leaves as he purposefully becomes a firebrand to keep passions high to ensure conviction. Rains is energetic here as he portrays the fierce nature of Griffin as an attorney as he cuts to the throat every moment in court. Rains is strong here although I would say that he is never quite as amazing in this way as he was in similar moments in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.

I have to say that Rains does his very best but unfortunately the film sort of lets his portrayal down. Rains really wants to make the character complex more than the film wants to. Rains tries his best to show Andy Griffin as a man with an ambition but not an evil man, the film pretty much does want him to be a one dimensional villain. Rains deserves credit though for trying to convey some sort of internal struggle at the end in Griffin over his actions, but the film frankly does not care as it suggest through the script that Griffin does not really care in the end.

Claude Rains really has to deal with a character that is less complex than he should be considering Rains takes every attempt to bring more to the character, but the film never allows him to go off on any of these complexities he tries to bring to life. Due to this problem Rains does not give a performance that is in line with his later greater work. Rains though still does try to make the most out of his performance, and gives an fairly effective performance even if it is not all that memorable of one.

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Alternate Best Actor 1937: Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel in Way Out West

Oliver Hardy and Stan Laurel did not receive Oscar nominations for portraying Ollie and Stan in Way Out West.

Way Out West is a very enjoyable comedy in the Laurel and Hardy cannon as the two attempt to bring a deed to a successful mine to its rightful owner.

I am not reviewing these separately because it never for a moment crossed my mind and it is impossible for me to talk about one performance without talking about the other. They are through and through a team so much so that after Hardy died Laurel refused to ever be in a film again because he could not share the screen with Hardy. They are the greatest comedic duo of all time as far as I am concerned, and they are easily my favorite of the early film comedians. There is something though I should note that in all of the performances together as the pair Laurel and Hardy, or at least all that I have seen so far, they always play the same characters Ollie and Stan.

Although their films can result in many different situations and sometimes result in the death of at least one of them, they are always ready for another go in the very next film. They always a pair of seemingly downtrodden fellows who are always more than happy to help others even if it can be quite detrimental to themselves, or as well they can find an opponent they must deal with. In any situation craziness is sure to ensue as well as hilarity. I will only review them here together only because their roles are rather consistent, as they should since their comedy never gets old, and I chose this film simply because it is one of the very best examples of their talents.

This time they head into an old west town to get a deed to its proper owner and of course run into plenty of trouble a hilarious slapstick humor on their way their. I should say one thing that makes the two's humor work so marvelously is how gentle they are well suffering all sorts of physical pain. Both Laurel and Hardy never stop being soft spoken in any situation and their gentlemanly manner that both carry so well is just hilarious. They take every fall just so well that makes it as easy as possible through and through, and their resolve to push through in a completely pleasant fashion makes them just so likable.

I should take each of them at a time and I might as well start with the simpler (dumber) of the two Stan. Laurel face is absolutely priceless in just his simple expression of the lack of thought inside of his head at times. Laurel has a certain matter of fact quality to his performance that every thing that Stan does whether it is taking joy in eating a hat, nonchalantly lighting his thumb on fire, or seeing his friend fall mysteriously into water that seemed shallow a second ago Laurel always shows it to be nothing at all out of the ordinary for Stan despite how strange his abilities might at time.

As for Ollie Hardy shows Ollie to have quite a bit more of a sense about what is going on although he takes pretty much everything in stride, and at worst gives Stan a little push. Hardy is equally terrific in being the man taken aback though by everything happening whether it is with a loud yell from a fall, a quick polite hand gesture in an awkward situation, or his hilarious stares toward the camera when reacting to Stan. Hardy just delivers one great reaction after another with his performance always playing off Laurel in perfect harmony resulting in comedic greatness.

These two never fail to bring a smile to my face in any situation. Their comedic timing has few rivals and they always amplify every physical gag through their spot on facial or physical reactions. They are equally strong though in their kindly banter between the two with Hardy's displaying Ollie's more proper manner in speaking that plays off well against Laurel's depiction of Stan's rather more blunt method at times. They are both hilarious and equals in almost every way but one which is that Hardy is a far more talented singer, but still though both wonderful in their entertaining rendition of "The Trail of the Lonesome Pine".

These two are simply a joy to watch throughout the film. The only problem is how I could possibly rate their performances. They are both perfect in their depiction of Stan and Ollie. Sure their performances are not technically original in that they are playing parts, their performances never get old. These two are giving their very best, which they consistently did through every performance, although I would say this film is an especially strong example of their talent.  I am a bit torn as giving them a five might seem unfair to actors portraying completely different characters and portraying more of an arc, but giving them less for being so good at exactly what they should be good at seems unfair as well. I am going to have think more about this I must say and right now for the moment I will just say I love both of these performances. (Updated I will settle for 4.5 great performances but technically speaking not ground breaking).

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Alternate Best Actor 1937: Victor Moore in Make Way For Tomorrow

Victor Moore did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Barkley "Pa" Cooper in Make Way For Tomorrow.

Make Way For Tomorrow is an excellent and very moving film about an elderly couple who must separate after they lose their home, and none of their children will take both of them in.

Victor Moore portrays the father, and Beulah Bondi portrays the mother. The film all it jumps back and forth between the two it does mostly focus on the mother during the separation, but Moore does have a few scenes as well. Moore is very quiet in the role of Pa Cooper as he is mostly seen sitting and speaks in a slow meticulous fashion. Moore is actually quite good in being older than Moore really was at the time through just the time he takes in doing just about anything, and Moore effectively conveys the age of Barkley extremely well.

The key aspect of his character that Moore really focuses on in his portrayal is how hard Barkley is on himself. He is constantly making fun of himself, as well as sadly reflecting on the past on what he really did wrong. Moore is very blunt about this, and seems to almost actively avoid being flamboyant about it. He is actually very depressing here because of just how calm he is in conveying the regret he is always feeling. It is not something that just comes and goes his guilt over mistakes is something that is always bearing down with him at all times.

Moore performance though is not only a depression though as Barkley attempts to make jokes all the time although usually it is at his own expense. Of course really this moments are just as sad as the rest as Moore shows every joke of Barkley's to be no more than a rather feeble attempt to hold off the heartbreak he feels from being separated from his wife. Moore only portrays the shortest moments of joy in his face after any moment, there is never long that the same quiet self loathing takes back over.

The most important moments of his performance come in the final act where Pa and Ma Cooper meet for one last time before separating which is very likely for the last time. Moore and Bondi have an unique and very moving chemistry together. Although they never espouse their love in loud fashion there is always an undercurrent of it created magnificently by the two actors. They are still very quiet together to the very last moment, and they never compromise the characters.

They show both the genuine love between the two, but as well the sorrow both feel even though they are always trying to hide it. Both lead to the final moments of the film wonderfully to make a very heartbreaking and memorable depiction of the two soul mates forced to separate by circumstance. Moore gives a good performance here, although I will say what makes this film as strong as it is is the uncompromising direction by Leo McCarey that never falls into sentiment or melodrama, Moore to his credit does well in aiding in the powerful whole of this film through his realization of tragic man left behind by society.

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Alternate Best Actor 1937

And the Nominees Were Not:

Oliver Hardy in Way Out West

Stan Laurel in Way Out West

Cary Grant in The Awful Truth

Claude Rains in They Won't Forget

Victor Moore in Make Way For Tomorrow

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Alternate Best Actor 1954: Results

5. Charles Laughton- Charles Laughton has a fairly simple role but he is consistently amusing in his performance.

4. James Stewart in Rear Window- Stewart manages to provide a realistic portrait who we can easily go along through the sometimes quite seedy world of being a voyeur.

3. James Mason 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea- Mason gives a great performance of an iconic character by always bringing to life both the wondrous qualities to his portrayal in equal measure with his more violent aspects.

2. Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai- Mifune gives a very big but also a very striking performance of a swordsman driven mad by his past.

1. Ray Milland in Dial M For Murder- Again another strong year with four great performances the academy foolishly ignored. Although it was fairly easily to know Brando would still be first it was again difficult to choose the number one out of these four. I give it to Milland though who gives a strong performance by both bringing to life the fierce some hidden motivation of his murderer, but as well as easily adding an appropriate degree of humor in the role as well.

Overall Rank:

1. Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront
2. Ray Milland in Dial M For Murder
3. Toshiro Mifune in Seven Samurai
4. James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
5. James Stewart in Rear Window
6. James Mason in A Star is Born
7. Bing Crosby in The Country Girl
8. Kirk Douglas in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 
9. Dan O'Herlihy in Robinson Crusoe
10. Takashi Shimura in Seven Samurai
11. Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice
12. Humphrey Bogart in The Caine Mutiny
13. John Mills in Hobson's Choice
14. Paul Lukas in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea
15. Gene Kelly in Brigadoon
16. Bing Crosby in White Christmas
17. Danny Kaye in White Christmas
18. Robert Francis in The Caine Mutiny

Next Year: 1937

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Alternate Best Actor 1954: James Mason in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

James Mason did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain Nemo in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a pretty entertaining rendition of the Jules Verne novel about three men who end up on a submarine which has been destroying ships for some time and is at first believed to be a monster.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is unique for a Disney live action film for the time with its several high profile actors of the time appearing in it such Paul Lukas as the inquisitive professor Arounax, a charming and enjoyable Kirk Douglas as the harpooner Ned Land, as well as a very likable Peter Lorre in a very unPeter Lorre like role as the Professor's assistant. The most important of all though is James Mason as the Captain of the underwater submarine Nautilus who seems to be clearly as brilliant as they come, but the only problem is he might also be just about as mad as they come as well.

Live action Disney films certainly can have some hokey acting just watch Maurice Chevalier's performance in In Search of the Castaways for evidence of that, this is one film though where there is none of that certainly not in the lead performance of Nemo by Mason. James Mason is easily one of my favorite actors and one of the reasons why is he almost always seems to put his all in his performance no matter what the film he showed in his more Oscar favorable fair with his nominated performance in A Star is Born, yes and I do know that this film in fact won more Oscars than that one but I mean in terms of Oscar favored acting, and he shows the same conviction in this performance.

James Mason makes a great impression of the very first scenes where Captain Nemo appears. Mason with an absolute ease conveys the mystery of the character. Mason unique extremely refined persona and voice is perfect for Nemo. Although it is rather easy to argue that Nemo is the villain of the film, Mason never does portray him for a moment as one. Mason actually delves deeper into the character always trying to bring to life the motivation of the man rather than just his actions as a lesser performance might have done. Mason always makes Nemo a man rather than a monster.

Mason makes Nemo into a fascinating anomaly of a man. In the way he speaks about his discoveries and his knowledge about technology that can only be fathomed at best by others at the time. Mason is excellent in conveying the wondrous nature of Nemo's own mind and that he is very much a man of discovery. There though at the same time is an undercurrent of menace, the sort of menace only James Mason could convey so quietly yet so effectively. Mason is able to even in his moments of speaking about his vast accomplishments, is able to bring to life so well the darker undercurrent behind the character.

The dark undercurrent is of course his own origin which involved death and brutal torture in his past. Mason especially excels here as he shows the incredible hate that is always weighing on Nemo's mind. It is really this hate for the inhumanity of man. Mason effectively portrays it as something that Nemo merely cannot shake, by creating a haunting quality within his performance that conveys that Nemo never can forget what has happened to him, and it is that drives his violent passions behind his current mission. Mason never makes this anger a simple evil, but actually a very humanizing element to Nemo.

In the most pivotal moments really of his performance Mason is able to bring to life perfectly the drive that creates the hate in Nemo. Although most of the time it is, as I said, something that is always a part of him but not something he likes to dwell on too much that is except for one scene where Nemo crashes purposefully through a ship from the country that had previously enslaved him. Mason is excellent here as he in a silent scene for Nemo shows the full extent of bitterness in Nemo. It is a striking moment for Mason because all of the proper gentlemanly aspect of Nemo goes away for a moment, and we see the true humanity in Nemo through his anger.

I should also really say that Mason also gives a very entertaining performance that goes hand in hand with his surprisingly character driven performance. Mason is always an extremely likable actor, and it really is just a joy to watch him particularly in a few of the smaller scenes of conversation. Mason here has again a great wit in the role that is extremely well utilized. He of course never hammers it in or very tries to be funny when it is not required. In fact Mason never really appears like he really is trying to be funny, Mason though is able to be humorous in just the right moments of this performance that never once compromise the heavier moments in his performance.

This is a truly great performance by James Mason that is able to bring to life every aspect of the character to the screen, and I must imagine do far more with the role than perhaps the filmmakers even expected. I have to say that I find he is even better here than even in his strong work in his Oscar nominated role from this year. Mason is simple incredible and just fascinating in every one of his scenes in this film. He is able to take an iconic character like Captain Nemo and basically create his very own form of that icon through his performance. In what easily could have been a corny performance, Mason once again shows his strength of an actor by seeming to make the most out of any role he is given.

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Alternate Best Actor 1954: Charles Laughton in Hobson's Choice

Charles Laughton did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Henry Horatio Hobson in Hobson's Choice.

Hobson's Choice is enjoyable film about a man who runs a successful bookmaking shop, but his world turns upside down when his eldest daughter marries one of his timid but talented employees.

Charles Laughton is no stranger for portraying somewhat tyrannical figures. All three of his Oscar nominated performances where portraying imposing figures. Here again Laughton portrays a man who at first seems in charge of things, but in reality this time Laughton's Hobson is not nearly as imposing as so many other of Laughton's roles. Here Hobson actually finds that he is not really all that much in charge at all in fact faces difficultly in controlling his very domineering daughter Maggie (Brenda De Banzie), and in a way Laughton sort of parodies his own persona.

Charles Laughton here is not at all commanding really with his presence this time, and in fact is appropriately buffoonish. Charles Laughton usually has humor in his roles even serious ones, but this one humor really is the primary factor of his performance. Laughton has quite a bit of fun in the role of being the rather doltish Hobson who despite his constant attempts to do so he is completely unable to control his daughters despite going off all the time about how he should be in full control. Laughtonr really was the perfect choice for the role since he can be the wannabe monarch Hobson yet still be quite likable in the role.

When Hobson is not trying to boss around his daughters and his employees he mostly spends his time at the local pub making fun of his daughters as well as getting about as drunk as he possibly can be. Although Hobson is said to be an alcoholic by the end of the film, and even starts to hallucinate because of it. Laughton though appropriately only ever portrays this for laughs, and Laughton is quite good in bringing out the comedy in these scenes. A particularly entertaining scene is as Laughton stomps around town eventually falling down a hole, all made quite amusing through Laughton hilarious expressions throughout.

This actually is a pretty simple role for Laughton as Hobson really has no transition, the character arcs really involve how the characters react to Hobson, and the choices they make. Hobson ends not really making any choices are than going along with what others tell him to do. This is not a criticism of the character or Laughton's performance by any means though as this works well for the film. Also I should note Laughton also shares leading status with John Mills as Hobson's employee who slowly grows a backbone after marrying Hobson's stern daughter.

Laughton really does mainly two things in the film try to act bossy and failing miserably, and getting drunk and suffering miserably from the consequences of stumbling around drunk. Laughton of course is very good at fulfilling both the aspects as well as he possibly could, and getting as much humor out of the role as he could as well. This does not stand tall along the greater Laughton works in any way shape or form, but it does allow Laughton to show off in a more saturated fashion his comedic abilities which are certainly worth showing off.

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