Alternate Best Actor 1961: Results

5. Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun- Poitier tends go a little more theatrical at times than he needs to but for the most part Poitier gives an effective performance as a character that is far from the heroic roles he usually played.

Best Scene: The opening scene.

4. Clark Gable in The Misfits- Gable gives a moving portrayal of a individualistic cowboy past his prime that is worthy of being his swan song.

Best Scene: Gay goes to recapture the horses.

3. Dirk Bogarde in Victim- Although I do wish the film let Borgarde explore his character a little more, Bogarde still gives a powerful portrayal of a repressed homosexual.

Best Scene: Melville Farr reveals the truth to his wife.

2. James Cagney in One, Two, Three- James Cagney gives a very entertaining and incredibly energetic performance that could not be a better fit for the screwball comedy he leads.

Best Scene: MacNamara tries to solve all his problems in a few hours.

1. Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo - Well I did not even need to have a second to think of my favorite performance by a leading actor from 1961. This is one of the very best performances from Toshiro Mifune creating one of the most memorable heroes in cinema.

Best Scene: The Final Duel.

Overall Rank:

1. Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo
2. Stuart Whitman in The Mark
3. Paul Newman in The Hustler
4. Marcello Mastroianni in Divorce, Italian Style 
5. James Cagney in One, Two, Three
6. Dirk Bogarde in Victim
7. Clark Gable in The Misfits
8. Marcello Mastroianni in La Notte
9. Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in the Sun
10. Gregory Peck in The Guns of Navarone
11. Anthony Perkins in Goodbye Again
12. Warren Beatty in Splendor in the Grass
13. Yves Montand in Goodbye Again
14. Marlon Brando in One Eyed Jacks
15. Spencer Tracy in Judgment At Nuremberg
16. Rod Taylor in 101 Dalmatians
17. Fred MacMurray in The Absent Minded Professor
18. George Peppard in Breakfast At Tiffany's
19. Richard Beymer in West Side Story
20. Glenn Ford in Pocketful of Miracles
21. Horst Buchholz in Fanny

Next Year: 1961 Supporting

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Alternate Best Actor 1961: James Cagney in One, Two, Three

James Cagney did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying C.R. MacNamara in One, Two, Three.

One, Two, Three is an entertaining screwball comedy about a Coca-Cola executive in East Berlin whose life is turned upside down when he must entertain his bosses daughter who goes off and gets married to a communist from West Berlin.

James Cagney gives his final lead performance in this film as he retired from acting due to his bad experiences while making this film and he did not come back to film until 20 years later for his supporting role in Ragtime. Although Cagney evidently did not have not have a very good time making the film, apparently especially due to the behavior of chronic over actor Horst Buchholz, that really can't be noticed in Cagney's performance. The part of C.R. MacNamara is one of the prototypical screwball comedy lead which tends to be a business man of some sort who has to orchestra some crazy scheme while craziness occurs all around him because of this plan. That is certainly the case with MacNamara who has to deal with his bosses flighty daughter, her sudden communist husband, the Russians, his oddball German staff, and his own family.

This may be an aging Cagney technically speaking but he has much energy that he had back when he was doing Yankee Doodle Dandy. Cagney really is one of the perfect actors for a screwball comedy as he just is always on in his scenes. The film never stops in its comic absurdity and neither does Cagney. There is plenty of dialogue for Cagney to get through the film and Cagney is a master of it. He does lose a single beat as he develops the right rhythm for the dialogue. It is not stop and Cagney is more than up to the task to keep it going with that constant fluidity needed for this kind of film. A good screwball comedy really needs to never stop its motions and Cagney makes more than sure of that. Cagney knows exactly how to deliver every line with expert timing and precision really getting the most possible out of the comedic potential in the script.

Cagney is always a physical performer as he rarely ever seems restrained in his movements. There is of course all his dancing in Yankee Doodle Dandy, but even when he's a gangster there is certain something extra he brings to the way he beats someone or even the way he shoots his gun. Technically here Cagney is just playing a relatively normal guy who technically does not have to do too many physical actions throughout the course of the film. That does not matter though because Cagney still has this way of accentuating every gesture even the way he walks has something very special to it. This absolutely works brilliantly for the part and the film itself as it makes it as though MacNamara is moving just as quickly as everything that is going around him. Cagney in doing so makes sure that he is never overshadowed by anyone or anything in the film leading it all the way through.

This technically speaking is probably not the deepest character he ever played as MacNamara's objectives are clear from the beginning, and even his problems with his wife over his affairs with his secretaries is basically just played for laughs. That is not a problem though as Cagney's whole performance is played for laughs and Cagney certainly derives plenty of those out of the material. He acts like a torpedo and delivers the screwball comedy right through its course and doing his best to avoid any faults. Cagney almost makes Buchholz tolerable because just how much he runs circles around him in every scene they share together so he at least makes the scenes still enjoyable. Cagney here pretty much utilizes almost everything that makes him stand out so well as a performer and that works incredibly well into making this one very entertaining performance to watch.

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Alternate Best Actor 1961

And the Nominees Were Not:

Clark Gable in The Misfits

Dirk Bogarde in Victim

Sidney Poitier in A Raisin in The Sun

Toshiro Mifune in Yojimbo

James Cagney in One, Two, Three

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Best Supporting Actor 1935

Again 1935 is not a year where there are a clear five or even a clear four that stand clearly out as most films really focused heavily only on the leads such as in 39 Steps where the main villain gets only a very brief scene. Still I will cover a few performances quickly.

James Cagney in A Midsummer's Night Dream- James Cagney plays a self absorbed player Nick Bottom who eventually get a donkey head in place of his own. Where some of the actors fail to make the Shakespearean material come to life like Dick Powell or Mickey Rooney who is just terrible as Puck, Cagney though knows how to bring it to life quite brilliantly even though he is not the first actor that would come to mind as Shakespearean. Cagney though is a whole lot of fun in the role and the film really comes to life when he is on screen. He is very funny in his portrayal of Bottom as he fails to act out the part in his play doing it instead in a properly hammy fashion. Cagney surprisingly is not overshadowed by the scene with the Donkey head and actually manages to be very amusing through simply his voice and his physical reactions to dealing with the donkey head. It is Cagney who really makes the story come to life with a great deal of humor. This is a different type of role by Cagney and very well handled one actually. 4/5.

W.C. Fields in David Copperfield- W.C. Fields was usually known for his role as W.C. Fields the likable drunkard a comic star in the vein of Laurel and Hardy. Here in David Copperfield he plays a more traditional type of character as Mr. Micawber a kingly if somewhat incompetent business man who takes David under his wings. Fields nicely moves into the character actually and gives a nice performance as Mr. Micawber. He stresses above everything else the warmth of his character which Fields makes genuine, and he stands well as a wonderful character while outside of his presence David consistently suffers. This is not incredible work by any means but Fields stays in the character and brings out the tenderness that Mr. Micawber should have. 3.5/5

Charles Laughton in Les Miserables- Charles Laughton portrays Javert the inspector who stop at nothing to catch Jean Valjean. Laughton is pretty good in portraying the strictness of Javert's belief in the law system and is actually quite moving when he subtly suggests that without the law there is nothing to Javert. He is quite strong in both of his most pivotal scenes when Valjean lets him go and his last scene. He expresses the conflicting emotions of hate, disbelief and distress over Valjean's actions quite powerfully. He is not the very best Javert I have seen, that would be Philip Quast in the musical concert. I did feel that he could have been a little more imposing on the whole, and he is somewhat limited by the fact that the conflic between he and Valjean could have been done better in term of the film's direction. Nevertheless he is a strong Javert that meets the complexities of the character that some unfortunately ignore. 4/5.

Edward Arnold in Crime and Punishment- This version of Crime and Punishment is told very dispassionately in terms of direction but the performances by Peter Lorre as the man who believes in the right of murder to the superior sort, and Edward Arnold as the police inspector who becomes suspicious of him offers the film some life. This is not a great role, but Arnold shows his skills as an actor well here offering the right sort of presence in the role and being properly incisive that would make it believable that Peter Lorre's character would become as nervous as he does by the inspector's increasingly suspicious nature.  3/5

Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein-Thesiger plays the evil mad scientist Doctor Pretorius who convinces doctor Frankenstein (Colin Clive) to make a bride for the monster. Thesiger takes the opposite of Clive's manic approach to the mad scientist instead he emphasizes the madness in his mind through his face. Thesiger plays his role with a certain flamboyancy all his own that has just a creepiness that oozes from him without effort. He makes the derangement of Pretorious quite unique, and is pretty effective in the part. He does not leave the biggest impression on the film, that would be Karloff, but he is quite good in the role. 3.5/5.

Overall Rank:

1. James Cagney in A Midsummer's Night Dream
2. Charles Laughton in Les Miserables
3. Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein
4. W.C. Fields in David Copperfield
5. Edward Arnold in Crime and Punishment
6. Frank McHugh in A Midsummer's Night Dream 
7. Charles Ruggles in Ruggles of Red Gap
8. Wallace Ford  in The Informer
9. Joe E. Brown in A Midsummer's Night Dream
10. Edward Everett Horton in Top Hat
11. Roland Young in Ruggles of Red Gap
12. O.P. Heggie in Bride of Frankenstein
13. Godfrey Tearle in 39 Steps
14. Reginald Owen in A Tale of Two Cities
15. Franchot Tone in Mutiny on the Bounty  
16. Cedric Hardwicke in Les Miserables
17. Lionel Barrymore in David Copperfield
18. Colin Clive in Bride of Frankenstein
19. David Manners in The Mystery of Edwin Drood
20. Basil Rathbone in David Copperfield
21. Donald Woods in A Tale of Two Cities 
22. Chico Marx in A Night at the Opera
23. Gavin Gordon in Bride of Frankenstein
24. Henry B. Walthall in A Tale of Two Cities
25. Basil Rathbone in A Tale of Two Cities
26. Donald Calthrop in Scrooge
27. Roland Young in David Copperfield
28. Henry Stephenson in Captain Blood
29. Harpo Marx in A Night at the Opera
30. Basil Rathbone in Captain Blood
31. Victory Jory in A Midsummer's Night Dream
32. Lionel Atwill in Captain Blood
33. Oscar Asche in Scrooge
34. John Beal in Les Miserables
35. Dick Powell in A Midsummer's Night Dream
36. Mickey Rooney in A Midsummer's Night Dream

Next Year: 1991 Lead

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Alternate Best Actor 1949: Results

5. Trevor Howard in The Passionate Friends- Howard has a limited role, and is overshadowed by a co-star, but he does handle his own role well through his charming performance.

Best Scene: Steven tries to defend his affair.

4. Takashi Shimura in Stray Dog- Shimura creates an effective portrait of a veteran detective effortlessly portraying his character's substantial wisdom, and ability. 

Best Scene: Detective Sato manages a baseball game. 

3. Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets- Price meets the difficult challenge of finding the right tone for his film through his dry and thoroughly witty performance.

Best Scene: Louis defends himself in court. 

2. James Cagney in White Heat- Cagney plays his most evil role with a great deal of energy and he especially stands out when his character goes over the edge.

Best Scene: Cody finds out that his mother is dead. 

1. Toshiro Mifune in The Quiet Duel- Good Prediction Mark. Toshiro Mifune gives an excellent performance as man who sacrifices his happiness to do the right thing. It is a powerful poignant performance that shows Mifune's ability to excel in both quiet and flamboyant roles.

Best Scene: The doctor finally breaks down. 

Overall Rank:

1. Toshiro Mifune in The Quiet Duel
2. Toshiro Mifune in Stray Dog
3. Kirk Douglas in Champion
4. James Cagney in White Heat
5. Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets
6. Takashi Shimura in Stray Dog
7. Joseph Cotton in The Third Man 
8. John Wayne in She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
9. Montgomery Clift in The Heiress
10. Trevor Howard in The Passionate Friends
11. Van Johnson in Battleground
12. Broderick Crawford in All The King's Men
13. Ronald Reagan in The Hasty Heart
14. John Wayne in Sands of Iwo Jima
15. Gregory Peck in Twelve O'Clock High
16. Richard Todd in The Hasty Heart
17. Gene Kelly in On the Town
18. Frank Sinatra in On the Town
19. John Ireland in All the King's Men
20. Budd Abbott in Africa Screams
21. Lou Costello in Africa Screams

Next Year: 1949 Supporting

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Alternate Best Actor 1949: James Cagney in White Heat

James Cagney did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Arthur "Cody" Jarrett in White Heat.

White Heat is a pretty effective crime thriller about an undercover cop (Edmond O'Brien) who attempts to bring down a psychotic criminal and his gang.

James Cagney is obviously no stranger to the gangster genre. He played a whole slew of criminals throughout his career. There is a difference here than compared to many other of his criminals and that is with the nature of Jarrett. Where in Angles With Dirty Faces he played a bad guy who had a soft spot somewhere down there. In White Heat Jarrett is someone rotten down to the core. Even something that could seem like a soft spot such as the closeness to his mother seems more disturbing that anything else. This is probably the evilest character Cagney ever played despite having played so many violent characters in his career. 

In Angles With Dirty Faces Cagney would go from a somewhat charming fellow but fall into the role of the menacing criminal when necessary. Cagney as Jarrett though never has the vicious criminal go away. He makes Cody as a constantly violent man, and his variation is that of becoming worse. He is on the edge to begin with, and Cagney plays it that the only place Cody can go is off the edge. Cagney takes this specific way of portraying of Cody and goes all the way with it. He never lets up on the menace with Cody here and that works. In the scenes where Cody is with his wife Cagney stays true to the character never letting up on the idea that Cody could just snap from the slightest thing.

This was that Cagney takes with Cody absolutely works in making him an effective, and importantly unpredictable villain. It is quite interesting to see Cagney to play a character of this all the way, and not hold back at all. Cagney is always good at being the villain because he always manages to be quite energetic in his evil, and here he has the same sort of appropriate fun in his portrayal. He puts a great deal of glee in his evil as Cody. He makes this portrayal memorable and it stands aside from his other performances of his somewhat similar characters by just how far he goes with his intensity and insanity here that really works in making Cody a memorable villain.

The highlights of Cagney's performance comes in the moments where the already psychotic Cody snaps. The first time it occurs when he is told that his mother is dead. Cagney is great in the scene as he shows Cody break down mentally, and physically in a fit of anger and heartbreak. It is a very powerful moment, and Cagney successfully shows the only place Cody really has left to go. The other time this occurs is at the very end of the film and this almost animal side of Cody comes out again when he is backed into a corner. Again Cagney is excellent showing the insanity of Cody fully that leaves without any sort restrains left leaving him truly deranged. It is incredible end to his performance that expresses his character's lunacy in one final extreme burst.

This is a very strong performance by Cagney particularly because the most expressive moments are actually his best. The reason these scenes work so well, besides the fact that Cagney just is fascinating to watch in them, is that he builds to them properly through his tense performance as Cody the rest of the film. Cagney really succeeds well with his performance here as Cody Jarrett. It is particularly remarkable the way Cagney makes Cody such a unique memorable character all in his own right despite playing so many similar characters. Cagney manages to do this so well by finding what makes Cody different from those other characters, and expressing theses differences brilliantly. Cagney honestly makes this film with his terrific villainous turn.

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Alternate Best Actor 1949

And The Nominees Were Not:

Takashi Shimura in Stray Dog

Toshiro Mifune in The Quiet Duel

James Cagney in White Heat

Dennis Price in Kind Hearts and Coronets

Trevor Howard in The Passionate Friends

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