Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Results

5. Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle- Poitier gives a nicely handled and surprisingly believable turn as a disrespectful student who is capable of improving himself, even if I do wish he had gotten a few more scenes to flesh out his character. 

Best Scene: Miller encourages Dadier to say the word.

4. Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock- Brennan gives an effective portrayal of a man filled pessimism but optimistic in heart.

Best Scene: The doc tries to convince the others to help Macreedy. 

3. Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers- Sellers gives a very amusing performance as slick criminal who find himself in over his head.

Best Scene: Harry tries to fetch Mrs. Wilberforce's bird.

2. Takashi Shimura in I Live in Fear- Shimura gives a moving performance as the quiet observer of a situation where there is not obvious solution.

Best Scene: Dr. Harada meets with Nakajima.

1. Raymond Massey in East of Eden- Massey's work is one I have grown to appreciate more with time. His unusual dynamic with Dean is perfect in creating the powerful rift between the father and Massey realizes Adam as man in terms of the good nature of his character, but as well his past before we meet him.

Best Scene: Adam reveals the truth about Cal's mother.

Overall Rank:

1. Raymond Massey in East of Eden
2. Takashi Shimura in I live in Fear
3. Jack Lemmon in Mister Roberts
4. Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers
5. Sal Mineo in Rebel Without a Cause 
6. Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock
7. Cecil Parker in The Ladykillers
8. Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle
9. Ralph Richardson in Richard III
10. Herbert Lom in The Ladykillers
11. Paul Meurisse in Les Diaboliques
12. Vic Morrow in Blackboard Jungle
13. Robert Ryan in Bad Day At Black Rock
14. Charles Vanel in Les Diaboliques
15. James Cagney in Mister Roberts
16. Ernest Borgnine in Bad Day At Black Rock
17. Danny Green in The Ladykillers
18. Bill Thompson in Lady and the Tramp
19. Donald Crisp in The Man from Laramie
20. Robert Middleton in The Desperate Hours
21. Lee Marvin Bad Day At Black Rock
22. Arthur Kennedy in The Man from Laramie
23. William Powell in Mister Roberts
24. Burl Ives in East of Eden 
25. John Gielgud in Richard III
26. Louis Calhern in Blackboard Jungle
27. Minoru Chiaki in I Live in Fear
28. Darren McGavin in The Man With the Golden Arm
29. Arthur Kennedy in Trial 
30. Arthur O'Connell in Picnic
31. Jim Backus in Rebel Without a Cause
32. Robert Strauss in The Man With the Golden Arm
33. John Ericson in Bad Day At Black Rock
34. Gig Young in The Desperate Hours
35. Richard Davalos in East of Eden
36. Ward Bond in Mister Roberts 
37. James Gleason in The Night of the Hunter 
38. Wallace Ford in The Man From Laramie
39. Stanley Baker in Richard III
40. Frank Sutton in Marty
41. Timothy Carey in East of Eden
42. Wilfrid Lawson in The Prisoner
43. Dewey Martin in The Desperate Hours
44. Koji Tsuruta in Samurai II
45. Dean Jagger in Bad Day At Black Rock
46. Peter Graves in The Night of the Hunter 
47. Joe Mantell in Marty
48. Royal Dano in The Trouble With Harry
49. Don Beddoe in The Night of the Hunter
50. Cliff Robertson in Picnic
51. John Hoyt in Blackboard Jungle
52. Alex Nicol in The Man from Laramie
53. Corey Allen in Rebel Without a Cause
54. Arthur Kennedy in The Desperate Hours
55. Arnold Stang in The Man with the Golden Arm
56. Dan Terranova in Blackboard Jungle
57. Jerry Mathers in The Trouble With Harry
58. Cameron Mitchell in Love Me Or Leave Me
59. Ronald Lewis in The Prisoner
60. Tor Johnson in Bride of the Monster
61. Rafael Campos in Blackboard Jungle
62. Rafael Campos in Trial
63. Harvey P Dunn in Bride of the Monster

Next Year: 1970 lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock

Walter Brennan did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Doc Velie in Bad Day At Black Rock.

Bad Day with Black Rock has quite the cast especially in terms of Oscar winners with two time winner Spencer Tracy as the lead John J. Macreedy investigating the whereabouts of a Japanese man, winner Dean Jagger as a hapless sheriff, and the future winners of Ernest Borgnine and Lee Marvin as two of the local thugs. One time Oscar nominee Robert Ryan has perhaps the meatiest supporting role as the main heavy who basically commands the town. Although Ryan is good, as he usual in such roles, I chose not to review him for two reasons one being that it is not his very best work in a part of this sort, I have yet to get to that performance, and as well because my favorite performance belongs to the three time Oscar winner in the cast, Walter Brennan.

Brennan plays the doctor of the secluded town with a secret and is one of the few decent men in the town. Brennan is probably best known for his more wily and colorful performances, but when he needed to give a more subtle performance he was more than able to dial down his more common on screen persona. That is the case here as Brennan gives a pretty quiet performance that very much fits the setting of the rather grim town where a horrible deed has take placed that wishes to be covered up by most of the populace, but wants to be dug up by the outsider Macreedy. Brennan is probably the brightest face in town, but to be honest Brennan is not exactly beaming either.

Brennan is very effective in his portrayal of the doctor finding the right tone of apathetic pessimism with only the slightest hint of optimism at the beginning of the film. It is very remarkable to see the usually cherry Brennan play a character who is depressed by his surroundings especially since Brennan handles the part so well. There is the idea of a once warm and caring man in Brennan portrayal of the doc, something that comes natural to Brennan's onscreen personality, but there is something quite powerful in the sad state Brennan shows the doc to be in. There is no sugar coating that Brennan gives any of his lines being quite blunt in his performance that effectively reinforces the tension of the film.

As the film progresses the doc slowly finds a greater courage to confront the town's past, and try his very best to help Macreedy. Brennan is very strong in the moment where the doc speaks his mind as he has the right convincing passion in the scenes. Brennan is excels in these moments not only in portraying the doc's conviction but showing just the right little bit of hesitation. The doc speaking out the way he is does makes it seem very likely that he will be killed along Macreedy and Brennan rightfully shows that the doc knows this. By suggesting this fear the doc's speech about no longer sitting idly by has the emotional punch it should, and actually makes another one of the conspirators breakdown believable.

Walter Brennan's performance stands out well in this fairly strong ensemble and he has a nice subtle chemistry with Spencer Tracy in their scenes together. They show an underlying understanding between two good men who have compromised more than their own moral compass will allow. He supports Tracy wonderfully and nicely adds to the power of the film thorough his somber portrayal of the doc. Brennan's work here is strong example of his talent and proves that he was as capable of a realistically drawn man like the doc here as he was in his performances as the colorful characters he is best known for.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Raymond Massey in East of Eden

Raymond Massey did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Adam Trask in East of Eden.

East of Eden is known best as the film debut of James Dean introducing his style of performance to the silver screen. Dean's performance, which works incredibly well for the role of Cal Trask, is almost the antithesis of the style of Raymond Massey who plays the father of Cal. Where James Dean murmurs his lines, constantly looks in any direction that is not the natural direction, and slouches in every way imaginable whereas Raymond Massey stands up straight, looks directly where he should, and speaks all his lines firmly with proper diction. Their styles are dramatically opposed and this seems like something that might be rather distracting, but it absolutely works perfectly in creating that rift between the father and son.

Massey and Dean are technically both theatrical actors but Massey is of the old way and Dean the new. In their scenes together there is always a rift with Massey putting everything directly as he can in terms of emotions and getting across the emotional point of a scene, and Dean doing his side stepping method that seems almost random at times. There is always a disconnection between the two's performances and it is fitting in showing the way the father and son are dramatically opposed in nature. Adam is a man who is always trying to be good and Massey's passionate straight forward portrayal expresses this well, but Cal is a troubled son, taking after his mother, which Dean expresses in his performance.

I don't want it to seem though that I am praising Massey for not having chemistry with Dean, as Massey portrays the part that goes deeper than the broad strokes. Adam is meant to be a good man and Massey portrays this honestly in his dignified manner he gives him, but as good men go he is not necessarily the easiest to like. Massey, unlike say Anthony Hopkins in The Elephant Man or Ian Charleson in Chariots of Fire who played genuinely good men, does not have that welcoming or warmth filled quality in his performance as Adam. This might seem a negative, but actually it is the right way to play Adam. The way Massey presents Adam's attitude keeps a distance making it understandable why Cal would act the way he does without compromising the nature of his character.

Massey brings the right complexity to his performance in the important moments particularly when Adam confesses the truth about their mother. It is easily Massey's best scene as he does his very best to make up for the fact that this film version cuts out the entirety of Adam's story before the birth of his sons. Massey has to tell a great deal of story in just a few sentences therefore it is all in his performance. Massey stays very understated in telling the story, which makes sense as Adam does not wish to delve too much into his past, and convey the complex emotions that Adam has with the situation. Massey has the idea of nostalgia and a past love as he speak of his wife, but as well the pain of the situation as he seems haunted by his relationship from a woman who was so unlike himself.

It seems a bit strange that the Academy chose to ignore Massey's work despite recognizing Dean's and Jo Van Fleet as Cal's mother, perhaps it is because Massey's role is a bit thankless. The finale of the film is of course for Dean and Adam's stroke and forgiveness of Cal is rather swift. Massey does well in portraying the disabled and damaged state of Adam, but he can only do so much in the scene as the focus is squarely on Dean. Massey does very well in the part, and it's performance that has really grown on me with time.I do wish that Massey had a few more scenes devoted to Adam's past because the one he does have is  exceptional scene in Massey's portrayal. The dynamic he and Dean share is a very striking one though, likely aided by their off set tensions which director Elia Kazan apparently encouraged, that very effectively creates the central conflict of the film.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle

Sidney Poitier did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Gregory Miller in Blackboard Jungle.

Blackboard Jungle is mostly effective film, unfortunately it becomes a bit preachy and too melodramatic at times, about a teacher Richard Dadier (Glenn Ford) trying to teach in a troubled inner city school.

Sidney Poitier plays one of Dadier's students even though Poitier had been playing adult characters before this film. Poitier was indeed much older than his character, but he and Vic Morrow, as one of the other students, are surprisingly believable despite their age. Poitier and Morrow don't really look younger than they really, but it is rather the way in which they portray their parts. They both convey in their physical manner the right sense of irresponsibility and immaturity. They bring the right type of slouching posture really that always reinforces their casual ways toward life, and the whole idea that they just don't seem to really care about much of anything.

Poitier's Gregory Miller is a troubled teen but not a bad one. He does not really have a lot of respect for adults as shown in his attitude toward Dadier for most of the film, but he is not a criminal like Artie West played by Morrow. Poitier is very good in playing indignation and he does it well here when Miller has quite the bad attitude in regards to Dadier. Poitier brings a calm and cool smugness to Miller, especially when he refers to Dadier as "chief" in a derogatory fashion. Poitier treads carefully not to go too far with Miller's treatment of Dadier. Poitier gets across the disrespect of a teenager and shows that he does not care much for Dadier, but properly stops short of hating him.

It is revealed that Miller is a decent enough guy really as the film progresses, but the film does not really stop to show this transition. The film pretty much leaves it up just to Poitier's performance to turn Miller from Dadier's enemy to his ally by the last scene of the film. Poitier is one actor who can do a whole lot with very little and he is able to do that here through his considerable natural charm. Poitier brings out his charm more fully as the film progresses and Miller begins to respect Dadier, and makes an effective transition by the end. Poitier makes it work by having not overplayed Miller's negative qualities at the beginning, but still keeping just the right edge to him even by the end.

The only problem with Poitier's work here are the limitations set upon him. I would have really liked to have seen more scenes involving Miller, and less of the melodramatic ones that involved Dadier's wife. It would have been more interesting for the film itself it did get into a little more detail with both Gregory Miller and Vic Morrow's character since their scenes tend to be the best in the film. Poitier never has quite enough material to turn this into a great supporting performance, but with what he does have Poitier gives a good one. Poitier makes his own impression throughout with his magnetic presence, and often out shines star Glenn Ford when they share the screen together.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Takashi Shimura in I Live in Fear

Takashi Shimura did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Dr. Harada in I Live in Fear.

Akira Kurosawa's other frequent collaborator Takashi Shimura often played the wiser man to Toshiro Mifune's brasher individual, at least until the thankless roles Shimura was given in Kurosawa's later films, but there is perhaps a bit of a twist on that idea here. Shimura plays Dr. Harada who is almost a co-lead to Mifune's elderly Kiichi Nakajima who is spending his decedents inheritance to protect himself from a nuclear holocaust he views as inevitable. Dr. Harada acts as a Domestic court counselor, which means he basically decides the case against Nakajima, along with two other men. The film follows his story too, although Shimura is not given a substantial amount of screen time, and his story is always firmly connected to Nakajima's.

The twist on the usual dynamic found between Shimura and Mifune in the film is that Dr. Harada really does not know who exactly to take away from Nakajima's fears. Dr. Harada acts as the impartial observer throughout the film as he merely must witness the story play out and his only technical action that changes the course of the film is that he decides, along with the two other court officials, to remove Nakajima's ability to spend his own money. Dr. Harada is a very quiet character because of this as he personally investigates the situation and deeply ponders the complex situation. Dr. Harada is a reactionary man, and thankfully Shimura plays him who must be one of the greatest actors in terms of finding the power in the unsaid.

Shimura is very important to the film in structuring the film really as showing the one good man in the whole affair, as both Nakajima and his children are flawed. Shimura never once wastes his presence in the film in his performance that is able to convey the right confusion in terms of the situation. It is not a confusion as if that Dr. Harada does not understand the situation, but rather the confusion of not knowing truly to do react to it because Nakajima's fears do have basis but his method of running from society is far from a logical solution. Shimura finds the right place to put Harada in every scene in terms of both personal attachment but as well as the detachment of the observer. Shimura in a way is the stand in for the audience of the film who also must decipher the complex issue at the center of the film.

Shimura plays his part incredibly well by never overplaying his hand. He shows Harada as a man who connects with the Nakajima's plight but never allows it to overwhelm either. Shimura finds just the right tone with his performance to add to every scene but never try steal the attention wrongly in his direction. Harada simply is not the focus of the film, but Shimura amplifies the impact of every scene that he is in his portrayal of Harada very realistic and down to earth reactions. Shimura brings a true poignancy in his short moments in the film honestly showing the struggle in Harada. Shimura is moving because he finds the truth in his character as Harada is troubled by the case, but there is always that underlying idea that he just does not know exactly what to do either.

Akira Kurosawa had one of the greatest acting duos at his disposal in Toshiro Mifune and Takashi Shimura as shown in Stray Dog, Seven Samurai, and in this film. In this film Mifune's performance goes down an insane path which is fitting considering that Nakajima believes he has left the earth by the end of the film, Shimura does a terrific balancing act in his portrayal of the grounded Dr. Harada. Mifune's final scene is a powerful one on his own but Shimura adds so much though through his silent performance as Dr. Harada can only watch a man's full descent into madness. It is a great testament to Shimura's strength as an actor in summing up the finale of the film through his simple physical reaction that realizes the disheartening quality of the end, but as well the sense that there was no real solution to Nakajima's dilemma. Takashi Shimura's work here is memorable performance by being the soul of the picture in such an unassuming yet remarkable fashion.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955: Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers

Peter Sellers did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Harry Robinson in The Ladykillers.

The entire cast of The Ladykillers is uniformly solid and all of the actors playing the robbers posing as musicians are worth mentioning. There is Alec Guinness as the ghoulish Professor Marcus of course, the usually dull Cecil Parker is rather winning here as the most hapless of the crooks Major Courtney, Danny Green is rather likable as the softhearted brute known as 'One-Round', a particularly youthful looking Herbert Lom is effective as the most serious minded of the criminals Louis, but my favorite of the supporting crew is the man who matches Alec Guinness's ability to play multiple characters in the same film and that is of course Peter Sellers as Harry Robinson. Harry Robinson oddly enough might be the most normal among the rather strange gang that he associates with.

Sellers is possibly best known for his multiple characters in Dr. Strangelove, but Sellers in many of his performances tried to do something unique in terms of his voice and appearance. Sellers plays Harry Robinson is a cockney spiv which means he does not have the most refined accent but does have a technically refined manner and appearance. The cockney is one accent that is most often overblown in performances, and even though this is a comedic performance Sellers actually gives a rather restrained accent. Sellers creates his very own cockney accent here, it never is typical although he rightly suggests the type  Sellers is excellent though because he never actually appears to be performing and turns Harry into his own man surprisingly well.

 Sellers oddly enough could be looked upon as the straight man of the film. The old lady Mrs.Wilberforce (Katie Johnson) is a little too aloof to be the straight man, and Lom's Louis is technically a bit too vicious of a fellow to really be the straight man. This leaves Sellers as the criminal whose head is on straight yet does not quite know what he is doing in this plot conducted by Professor Marcus. The performances in The Ladykillers really are about two things. The first being the creation of the characters, which all the actors go about in rather unique ways, and Sellers handles this end splendidly of course. The second thing is taking these characters that they have realized and having them appropriately react throughout all the mischief that is involved with the bank robbery.

Sellers in the reactionary regard competes with Guinness for getting the most laughs throughout the course of the film. Sellers is consistently funny as Harry is forced into one awkward situation after another in an attempt to make it out of Mrs.Wilberforce's house with a considerable amount of cash. My favorite moments of his performance are in one very amusing scene as the old lady's bird reeks havoc. Poor Harry faces the worst brunt of the bird finding his face quite badly scratched. Sellers's reaction is hilarious as he shows Robinson as obviously quite ticked off, but just keeps it within himself for the sake of the job. Sellers also has great moments before his exit as Harry finds himself picking the wrong lot, and attempting to handle things his way, every troubled reaction from Sellers is pure gold.

The Ladykillers's ensemble is indeed terrific and in all likelihood is the best ensemble of 1955 with the whole cast coming together especially well, Sellers's supporting work though is the best support in the film. His performances works particularly well because his depiction of Harry Robinson who can be looked as the opposite of Guinness's Marcus in several ways. Unlike the bizarre Marcus, Robinson does look relatively normal, but as well where Marcus seems to know exactly what's going on and what to do Harry tends to be a little more lost at times. Sellers plays the opposite end to Guinness in this film with the great comic precision one would expect from him, and with the quality of his performance here it is a little surprising that took as many years to truly breakout as an actor.

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1955

And the Nominees Were Not:

Walter Brennan in Bad Day At Black Rock

Sidney Poitier in Blackboard Jungle

Raymond Massey in East of Eden

Takashi Shimura in I Live in Fear

Peter Sellers in The Ladykillers

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