Alternate Best Actor 1938: Results

5. Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky- Cherkasov gives a solid turn in his film, but is held back by his paper thin character.

Best Scene: Nevsky rides victoriously into the city.

4. Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood- Flynn is extremely charming in his role and makes this one fun adventure.

 Best Scene: The climatic fight.

3. Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes- Michael Redgrave gives a very enjoyable performance treading carefully as he stays humorous well never comprising the suspense of the film.

Best Scene: Gilbert and Iris play Holmes and Watson.

2. Cary Grant in Holiday- Grant gives an enjoyable performance that is funny but also conveys his character's personal desires well.

Best Scene: Johnny gives his fiancee an ultimatum.

1. Jean Gabin in The Human Beast- Gabin makes his character a ticking time bomb as a man who is gentle in his heart, but mad in his blood.

Best Scene: The beast comes out for a second time.

Overall Rank:

1. James Cagney in Angels With Dirty Faces
2. Jean Gabin in The Human Beast
3. Cary Grant in Bringing Up Baby
4. Robert Donat in The Citadel
5. Leslie Howard in Pygmalion
6. Cary Grant in Holiday
7. Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes
8. Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood
9. Lionel Barrymore in You Can't Take it With You
10. Ronald Colman in If I Were King
11. Stan Laurel in Block Heads
12. Oliver Hardy in Block Heads
13. Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky
14. Laurence Olivier in The Divorce of Lady X
15. Charles Boyer in Algiers
16. Mickey Rooney in Love Finds Andy Hardy
17. Spencer Tracy in Boys Town
18. Reginald Owen in A Christmas Carol
19. Mickey Rooney in Boys Town
20. Tyrone Power in In Old Chicago
21. Richard Greene in Kentucky

Next Year: 1938 Supporting

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Alternate Best Actor 1938: Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood

Errol Flynn did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Sir Robin of Locksley the titular character of the Adventures of Robin Hood.

The Adventures of Robin Hood is fun film about Robin Hood and his merry men who fight against the injustices of King John (Claude Rains) and his henchmen.

I last looked at Errol Flynn performance in Captain Blood which was his breakout role. I thought he gave a good performance, but one that had a few weak moments in it. Flynn returns once again to play the lead in an adventure movie this time as Robin Hood which is also Flynn's most famous role. There is a reason for this as Flynn seems to be the perfect person to play Robin Hood, unlike the actor who was originally cast in the role James Cagney who would very miscast unless the film heavily changed in terms of tone and style.

Robin Hood as a character here is not a terribly complex one. Robin is a fun loving man who enjoys his freedoms, and as well likes to fight for freedom against the tyrannical King John. There is not a whole lot more to him, but in the Adventures of Robin Hood there doesn't need to be. This is a performance almost wholly based on charm, and Flynn has plenty of it in this performance. Flynn pushes his charm front and center in just about every scene he is in, and even in more serious situations Flynn still deals with them in a playful fashion.

Flynn makes this approach totally work because he is charismatic enough in his performance, and he does this particularly well in the action scenes. Flynn does not just jump around the room fighting the kings men and shooting arrows all over the place. He turns it almost into a dance and Flynn makes all these scenes very enjoyable because of his style. He doesn't over do it to make it just a parody of itself, but there is such a joy in his performance that he makes these scenes a joy to watch.

Flynn knows how to be lightweight in the right way, and he makes it all work into every scene without being repetitive. He always brings an unbridled enthusiasm into every moment whether it is is one of the big battle scenes, one of the smaller comedic ones where he goes about recruiting a new man to his cause, or even the archery contest. The archery is great example of Flynn's strength in the role as he limits his physicality in the scene as Robin is hiding as a humble tinker, yet in just his quick smiles he still brightens the scene beautifully with his presence.

One major problem I had with Flynn's work in Captain Blood was a few of his scenes Olivia De Havilland Flynn seemed a bit out of his element. De Havilland is once again Flynn's love interest, but the relationship between Robin and Maid Marion is considerably stronger then the one found in Captain Blood. Flynn and De Havilland are very good together here. It is again quite feather weight romance, but a very well handled one. The two have a natural chemistry that sets up the romance quickly, quietly and quite effectively.

There technically are few dramatic moments that mostly involve when Robin makes speeches about how Richard should be King and not John. Honestly these are Flynn weakest scenes. There are not a lot of these moments, they are always short, and to be fair Flynn is not bad in these scenes rather he just is not as good as he is in the rest of the film. Those few moments really do not matter as they are but a splinter in Flynn's work here which is probably the best example of what made him a star. As a whole this is just a very entertaining performance that is the right type of performance to lead this very entertaining film.

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Alternate Best Actor 1938

And the Nominees Were Not:

Nikolai Cherkasov in Alexander Nevsky

Cary Grant in Holiday

Jean Gabin in The Human Beast

Errol Flynn in The Adventures of Robin Hood

Michael Redgrave in The Lady Vanishes

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Alternate Best Actor 1935: Results

5. Paul Muni in Black Fury- Muni overacts as usual. He has a moment or two of descent acting but most of the time he just yells in an a needlessly loud fashion.

Best Scene: I guess when he finds out his girlfriend has left him. 

4. Errol Flynn in Captain Blood- Aside from one scene of weakness Flynn gives a charming performance that effortlessly carries his film.

Best Scene: Any of the swashbuckling scenes.

3. Charles Laughton in Ruggles of Red Gap- Laughton gives a particularly modest performance but still gives a very strong performance that is very funny but also quite moving when it needs to be.

Best Scene: Ruggles recites the Gettysburg Address. 

2. Robert Donat in 39 Steps- Donat is great as the wrong man playing well the down to earth reactions but as well giving a very charming and quite humorous performance as well.

Best Scene: Hannay finds himself handcuffed to a woman who believes him to be a murderer.

1. Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein- This is actually a pretty strong year for lead actors, and I think the academy could have been bothered to nominate more than four actors for the Oscar. It was a close one but my runner up for the year goes to Boris Karloff  who finds new ground with the monster giving a oddly enough tender performance as the monster learns to talk, and attempts to relate to others.

Best Scene: The Monster meets his Bride.

Overall Rank:

1. Victor McLaglen in The Informer
2. Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein
3. Robert Donat in 39 Steps 
4. Charles Laughton in Ruggles of Red Gap
5. Clark Gable in Mutiny on the Bounty
6. Ronald Colman in A Tale of Two Cities
7. Fredric March in Les Miserables
8. Claude Rains in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
9. Charles Laughton in Mutiny on the Bounty
10. Peter Lorre in Crime and Punishment 
11. Groucho Marx in Night At the Opera
12. Errol Flynn in Captain Blood
13. Fred Astaire in Top Hat
14. Bela Lugosi in The Raven
15. Freddie Bartholomew in David Copperfield
16. Boris Karloff in The Raven 
17. Frank Lawton in David Copperfield
18. Seymour Hicks in Scrooge
19. Douglass Montgomery in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
20. Paul Muni in Black Fury 

Next Year: 1935 Supporting 

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Alternate Best Actor 1935: Errol Flynn in Captain Blood

Errol Flynn did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Peter Blood in Captain Blood.

Captain Blood is a fairly enjoyable swashbuckler about a loyal British subject who is wrongly enslaved, but later manages to become a pirate.

Errol Flynn got his big break in Hollywood with this which was his first major role and it is easy to see how Flynn was able to propel himself to stardom with this performance. He plays Captain Blood as above else a dashing hero which he does very well. Flynn has a great deal of charm and natural charisma which is perfect for the role as it makes Blood instantly likable which he needs to be. He makes him an easy hero to like as well as to follow throughout his adventures through the film.

Flynn keeps his portrayal fairly light and he works best when he does so. His smile and his energy really do a great job of moving the story along in a breezy fashion. There are more serious moments to be had particularly early on when he is enslaved, but Flynn does not get too dark even with these moments. Still in the weightier moments Flynn is successful in being a serious when he needs to be even though it is obviously clear that he is best when he has a good time as he so easily transfers that good time he is having across screen that it is very easy for we as the audience to have a good time as well.

Flynn does have a single weak scene where he is most challenged when Blood becomes angry with his former owner played by Olivia de Havilland. He actually comes off as a little awkward in this scene and his charisma seriously takes a hit in the moment as it is clear that Flynn does not quite know how to handle the scene. Still it is not a downright terrible moment or anything, but it does suggest limitations to his ability as a performer as just does not appear comfortable in this scene where he does have to get a little deeper into the character of Captain Blood.

Luckily though Errol Flynn in every other scene other than the earlier scene referred to could not be more comfortable in the role. He gives a great leading role with a great deal of energy and really makes the movie an enjoyable ride thanks to his enjoyable performance. It is only clear that this is Flynn very first major leading role in his one scene where he does show a clear weakness in his portrayal thankfully that is only one scene and the rest of the time he could have been a leading man for several years considering the ease and effortless fashion in which he carries the rest of the film.

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Alternate Best Actor 1935

And the Nominees Were Not:

Boris Karloff in Bride of Frankenstein

Paul Muni in Black Fury

Robert Donat in 39 Steps

Charles Laughton in Ruggles of Red Gap

Errol Flynn in Captain Blood

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