Alternate Best Actor 1981: Results

5. William Hurt in Body Heat- Hurt is good when he allowed to be, but much of the time it seems the filmmakers were more interested in his physical form than his acting ability.

Best Scene: Ned Racine looks over Matty's yearbook.

4. Klaus Maria Brandauer- Brandauer gives a very daring performance in his portrayal of the growing compromises of an artist that oddly brings out a greater humanity.

Best Scene: Hendrik Hoefgan tries to plead for one of his fellow artists.

3. Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark- Ford gives a great performance creating his most iconic role with his funny, thrilling and all together entertaining portrayal of Indiana Jones.

Best Scene: The opening quest.

2. Jürgen Prochnow in Das Boot- Prochnow's performance is a spectacular based on being a gritty face of reality aboard submarine on the wrong side of a war. 

Best Scene: The Captain watches the helpless men drown.

1. Mel Gibson in Gallipoli- Good Predictions Koook160, Psifonian, and RatedRStar. All I can say is my top four is an extraordinary group, but I'm going with the performance that I got the strongest emotional reaction from, which is really saying something considering I reacted pretty strongly to all of them. Gibson's performance though is an amazing piece acting, the early part of his performance being Gibson at his charismatic best in his depiction of the cynical Frank, and the end being such a heartbreaking portrayal of such a man having to face the harsh realities of World War I trench warfare.  

Best Scene: Frank and Archy both fail to complete their final run.

Overall Rank:

1. Mel Gibson in Gallipoli
2. Bob Hoskins in The Long Good Friday
3. Jürgen Prochnow in Das Boot
4. Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark 
5. Klaus Maria Brandauer in Mephisto
6. Dudley Moore in Arthur
7. Ian Charleson in Chariots of Fire
8. Ben Cross in Chariots of Fire
9. Mark Lee in Gallipoli
10. John Travolta in Blow Out
11.  James Caan in Thief
12. Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond
13. Andre Gregory in My Dinner With Andre
14. Mel Gibson in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
15. Steve Martin in Pennies From Heaven
16. Kurt Russell in Escape from New York
17. Timothy Hutton in Taps 
18. William Hurt in Body Heat
19. Donald Sutherland in Eye of the Needle
20. David Naughton in An American Werewolf in London 
    
21. Craig Warnock in Time Bandits
22. Treat Williams in Prince of the City  
23. Mickey Rooney in The Fox and the Hound
24. Wallace Shawn in My Dinner With Andre
25. Mel Brooks in History of the World Part I
26. Kurt Russell in The Fox and the Hound
27. Harold Ramis in Stripes
28. Bill Murray in Stripes
29. Paul Newman in Absence of Malice 
30. Harry Hamlin in Clash of the Titans 
31. Warren Beatty in Reds 
32. Richard Benjamin in Saturday the 14th 
33. Stephen Lack in Scanners 

Next Year: 1981 Supporting