Alternate Best Actor 1964: Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars

Clint Eastwood did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying "Joe" in A Fistful of Dollars.

A Fistful of Dollars is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's Yojimbo which is about a lone stranger who goes about playing two rival families against each other in a small town. Fistful is the best kind of remake by not just aping the original and succeeding in making the material seem fresh even though it is recycled.

Well I will just mention that Toshiro Mifune played the wanderer in Yojimbo, and that he gave the .....(that will have to wait for another time). Clint Eastwood made his debut as a leading man here in his most famous role as the man with no name. The man with no name is technically incorrect in that he is called a name in all three of the dollars films, but technically his name could be entirely made up by those who refer to him as such. Although all three films are the man with no name trilogy this is the only film where Eastwood has to carry the film alone. In For a Few Dollars More he had Lee Van Cleef as a vengeful bounty hunter with him and in The Good the Bad and the Ugly Eli Wallach's talkative Tuco was always there, but here he flies solo.

Eastwood because he is alone actually has a somewhat different role than the one he would eventually take in the later two films. In both of the sequels Eastwood is almost straight man in the role and is a great foil for both Van Cleef's and Wallach's performances in those films. Eastwood is by himself though and where the other two film the more emotional parts tended to go to Van Cleef and Wallach it is Eastwood who actually has bring the emotional weight in this film. This is not to say though that Bill is that different form Monco and Blondie in terms of conception, but there is a reason why Joe does not end up with any money in this film and left with fortunes in the later two films.

Most of the performance though is Eastwood doing the Man with no Name which is that of a cool calm killer who deals with his enemies with precision in both out smarting them and out shooting them. Eastwood is one of the very best at being the stern and quiet killer who never blinks, only squints when he kills several men in quick succession. Eastwood just is cool in the role and he absolutely makes it all work with his strong presence and very particular way of reacting. Every little look and twitch with his head are always great as in his silence Eastwood. Eastwood pulls an interesting trick in that he portrays the killings usually as run of the mill, but never does he make Joe seem cruel or psychopath in doing so.

Eastwood avoid making the Man with No Name seem a psychopath for two reasons mainly. One Eastwood is just about always charismatic in his Clint Eastwood way, but also importantly in the few line deliveries that Eastwood is allowed through the film. All of the lines are pretty to the point and Eastwood delivers them all with as much precision as Joe does when handling his gun. Eastwood brings the right sly attitude with Joe that brings a nice bit of humor to the film as pretty much every fight can end with at least a bit of chuckle because of either the deadpan way he delivers one of Joe's quips or simply because of the equally deadpan way that Eastwood makes Joe react to a situation.

There are a few serious moments though in the film where Eastwood actually must bring a greater emotional weight to the proceedings than what is standard for Clint Eastwood. These still rather brief moments involve either Joe's reaction to an unfortunate woman in the middle of the conflict, or just at the evilest actions committed by the main villain of the film Ramon (Gian Maria Volonte). These moments are to the point so Eastwood basically gets to the point shifting to a more reflective Joe quite effectively and it feels completely natural for Joe to have this more somber moment. Eastwood never overplays the lighter antics so he can go heavier with ease and really give the moment impact, just like he later in the bridge scenes of The Good the Bad and the Ugly.

This is of course a good performance by Clint Eastwood one that is a completely assured leading performance despite this being his first major film role, but it is obvious why this film propelled him to super stardom. Where Eastwood settled into a slightly more passive role of sorts in the two sequels that nicely amplified the power of Wallach's and Van Cleef's performances, but the first time he played the part he proved that he could go in alone as well. This is not Clint Eastwood's greatest performance but it is an excellent example of exactly what makes Eastwood such a strong actor since he can carry a picture so well and so smoothly in his trademark fashion which he established here.

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Alternate Best Actor 1964: Richard Attenborough in Guns at Batasi and Seance on a Wet Afternoon

Richard Attenborough did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite winning a BAFTA, for portraying Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale in Guns at Batasi or for portraying Billy Bates in Seance on a Wet Afternoon.

Guns at Batasi is a surprisingly entertaining film about a small group of British soldiers in colonial Africa who find themselves in the middle of a coup d'etat. Seance on a Wet Afternoon is very effective psychological thriller about a kidnapping plot conceived by a psychic to allow her to achieve fame. 

Richard Attenborough won his BAFTA for both his performance in this film and Seance on a Wet Afternoon. Many times actors who are recognized for two or three performances they may only really be worthy for one of their performances, but that is not the case of Richard Attenborough in 1964. Attenborough plays basically polar opposite characters in his two films from the year, and both of the performances are testament to his tremendous talent as an actor. In Guns at Batasi he plays a strong willed soldier Major Lauderdale, who is not to be bossed around by anyone, but in Seance on a Wet Afternoon he plays the antithesis of Lauderdale as Billy Bates a meek man henpecked by his wife to commit a kidnapping.

I might as well talk about both performances since Attenborough is amazing in both roles despite the character being so very different. As Regimental Sgt. Major Lauderdale Attenborough is absurdly entertaining at the beginning of the film in playing up the extreme devotion of the Major to the military life. Attenborough goes out of his way to accentuate the military background to Lauderdale in his extremely stiff spine and firm meticulous step. His speaking voice is that of sharp spikes it seems as his accent well accentuates the forcefulness of his personality as well his proper style. Lauderdale is a man of the books and Attenborough has an absolute conviction in his portrayal of this.

Attenborough goes all out here, he even seems to adjust the way his mouth moves, and even the shape of his face to further make Lauderdale into a very distinct character. Attenborough pulls off his whole physical characterization of  Lauderdale. Attenborough proves himself as one of the best here because even though the performance technically speaking is very much a performance it never feels as such as he realizes Lauderdale as his own man rather than just a series of mannerisms he may have been in the hands of a lesser actor. The whole demeanor of Lauderdale is brilliantly brought to life by Attenborough which only ever succeeds in amplifying the impact of his character.

Attenborough seems almost another actor as he portrays Billy Bates in Seance on a Wet Afternoon.  Attenborough once again is careful in his physical creation of the character as he shows Billy to be a very reserved man who really does not look anyone in the eye when speaking and always seems to have a general nervousness about him. Attenborough face is a man always of some fear, a fear of his whole life with his domineering and mentally disturbed wife Myra (Kim Stanley). He walks with a weak step his posture always that of a man retiring from others Attenborough always keeps Billy as at least somewhat uncomfortable and clearly a man who is more of a prisoner than a husband.

Attenborough is excellent as Bates because he does not make him just a foolish pathetic man as Bates could easily be seen as since Bates does just follow what his wife says which includes kidnapping the daughter of rich parents for some absurd plot she has concocted. Attenborough does well to make Billy the sympathetic one of the two leads always pushing the idea that Billy is the one who is trapped. There is never any malice in Attenborough depiction of Billy even as he is launching the crime rather he just portrays him as a very sad man going along with his wife says because that is all he really can do. It is said that Billy failed to leave her in the film, and in Attenborough work we can see the way the man has resigned himself to this fate.

Well enough of that somber stuff let's go back to Attenborough as Lauderdale where he is absurdly entertaining in the role. Attenborough has so much fun bringing to life the type that is Lauderdale in both a believable and enjoyable way. He strikes just the right tone never over stepping his boundary. His very first scene is great where he stops a sulking soldier to make that soldier get his step right. Attenborough is hilarious showing just how ticked off and disgusted Lauderdale is by such a simple mistake, yet he makes it seem natural that Lauderdale would react such a way. Attenborough does this with every little detail of Lauderdale and it just terrific whether it be his telling of the same old stories, or his instant spotting of an important picture not being on the mess room wall.

Lauderdale eventually is called into an action of sorts involving a coup whose leader just wants the British to sit out on. Lauderdale refuses to accept such things and Attenborough is brilliant once again when it comes time for action for Lauderdale. Attenborough makes this something that Lauderdale is in utter command of without question. Where Bates only follows orders Lauderdale is a man knows how to give them, and Attenborough has such a forcefulness here. Lauderdale commands a battle wills between the few British and a large group of African soldiers that surround, and even though they are outnumber he puts up more than just a fight. Attenborough is a master of the confrontation scenes as he makes the power of Lauderdale's personality unquestionable making every one of his victories easy to believe.

Poor Billy Bates though does not have the power of personality though as he is forced to watch his wife's scheme come to fruition. Attenborough easily could have been forgotten in this film considering that Billy is the sane one and is the shy one throughout the film, but actually I think Attenborough steals the film from Stanley with his genuine portrayal of Billy's fears and reservations as the plan go through. Attenborough adds a real dramatic weight to the film that may have been absent otherwise in his his reactionary role as Billy. Attenborough is very moving through the film by being the reluctant accomplish, who unlike Stanley who shows Myra going more and more insane, begins to more filled with regret that slowly force Billy to actually attempt to confront his wife.

Lauderdale is a man who needs no such prodding and Guns at Batasi is such an entertaining film because Attenborough makes Lauderdale such an entertaining hero to watch wage his personal fight. Lauderdale is not even necessarily the real hero though but Attenborough is so great in the role that you get behind him. Attenborough makes Lauderdale one of the stuffiest shirts around but hey he makes him an endearing stuff shirt who gets results. Poor Billy gets some results to, but not in the same way. Where Attenborough turn as Lauderdale is that of steely conviction just about throughout the course of the story, with Bates Attenborough shows a long process of finally having any self determination, and even then Attenborough shows that even his final objections is truly a painful thing for Billy to do as he has been so weak for so long.

Well leave it to Richard Attenborough to give not just one but two of the best performances of 1964. That is clearly not enough for Attenborough as they also have to be characters who could not be more different. Attenborough proves himself a master of the humble character in his poignant turn as Billy Bates uncompromising in his depiction of a humble man unable to meet the demands of his insane wife. Attenborough also proves himself a master of the boisterous larger than life character with that of Major Lauderdale. I just loved every single second of his performance as Major Lauderdale. It is just a joy to watch him in the role, and by the end of the film I only wanted to see more of the man. Well there it is two characters that share nothing in common other than the fact that they are flawlessly played by one of the greatest actors of all time Richard Attenborough.

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Alternate Best Actor 1964: Dirk Bogarde in King & Country

Dirk Bogarde did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Captain Hargreaves in King & Country.

Dirk Bogarde plays a very similar role to Kirk Douglas's character Colonel Dax in Paths of Glory. Bogarde plays Captain Hargreaves who has been appointed to defend the deserter Private Hamp (Tom Courtenay) in front of the court marshal. Like Douglas's character in the earlier film, Hargreaves is basically fighting an already lost cause as the military brass seems to have had their mind made up already. Although they are similar in job they are very different in that Douglas's character is a much more steadfast individual as well as is 100 percent behind his men completely from the beginning where the path of Hargreaves is a bit different particularly due to the way in which Bogarde portrays the character.

Technically speaking, for much of the film, Hargreaves is a character who is going through the proper motions of defending Hamp. He first finds exactly what Hamp did, and then tries to tell Hamp what the Private will have to do to be able to live. At first Bogarde portrays Hargreaves as very much a man going through the motions of his job, and even in that there is a slight derisiveness in his performance and suggests at the moment that Hargreaves really does not care about Hamp's all that much. This changes though as he learns the story of Hamp's desertion and Bogarde is very effective in showing the change in Hagreaves in a subtle and rather believable fashion. It is not a major change of nature for Hargreaves, but Bogarde rather portrays it as Hargreaves recognizing that Hamp speaks the truth.

Bogarde of course gets the courtroom scenes, although this courtroom is little more than a tent above their very muddy and dingy surroundings. Bogarde excels in these scenes as he shows Hargreaves doing his very best to try to save Hamp life by pressing the issue of Hamp's condition before the desertion as well as Hamp's years of service. Bogarde approach is a bit different than say Kirk Douglas's performance in Paths of Glory, or Jack Thompson's in Breaker Morant. There is a different in Bogarde as there is less of strong moral indignation in his portrayal of Hargreaves's defense. Bogarde instead suggests more of an internal shame in Hargreaves, in that even as he gives a strong passion to Hargreaves arguments there is always a suggestion of the own guilt Hargreaves feels in the situation.

Bogarde's portrayal of the court defense is essential to where his character foes for the end of the film after it seems that Hamp will be executed. Captain Hargreaves, rather then bitterly chewing out his superior did as Colonel Dax did in Paths of Glory, is far more somber in his reaction especially because of Bogarde's approach to the part. In his scene where he confronts his superior Bogarde stays very meek and rather than stressing any hatred for the decision shows rather a feeling of guilt toward his own complicity in the fate of the doomed Hamp. It is a different take that might not have the fierce power found in Douglas's work, but Bogarde is moving in his own right by making Hargreaves part of the process rather than a hero within the film.

In terms of the two lead performances of the film Tom Courtenay does leave the strongest impression among the two with his exceptional performance, but that is not really anything against Bogarde's work. Dirk Bogarde gives a strong performance on his own even if his presence is sometimes secondary to Courtenay, but Borgarde works very well with him and their scenes together are remarkable. Bogarde's might not even be the very best performance of this type but it is a unique example of it. This film is bleak, even bleaker than similar films like Breaker Morant or Paths of Glory which both have a little hope in them somewhere, and Bogarde's take with his character adds to this bleakness by not even allow hope to glimmer from the one source it would be possible from. Bogarde's approach does not make this film an easy one to sit through but his unorthodox method is certainly an interesting one.

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Alternate Best Actor 1964: Tom Courtenay in King & Country

Tom Courtenay did not receive an Oscar nomination, despite being nominated for a BAFTA and winning the Volpi Cup, for portraying Pvt. Arthur Hamp in King & Country.

King & Country is effective although terribly bleak film, even for a film of its type, about court marshal of a man accused of desertion.

Tom Courtenay was quite the daring actor in his run in the 60's going from his great performance as a foolish immature aimless young man in Billy Liar to his performance here as World War I soldier whose life is on the line after he has been caught trying to escape the war. Unlike Dirk Bogarde who has a character arc, Courtenay's performance is technically all in his creation of the state of Private Hamp. Private Hamp is not a man who can go through any more changes at this point because he has already been through too many things during the war by this point in his life time. The lack of an arc does nothing to deter the power of Courtenay's performance.

Courtenay's performance is a rather difficult one to watch because of his uncompromising portrayal of Private Hamp's condition. Private Hamp is a very shell shocked and traumatized man who has not forgotten what he saw on the battlefield and what happened to him on there. Courtenay shows this experience as something right down into the depth of Hamp's bones, in a remarkably nontheatrical fashion. Courtenay's performance is that of a broken man in every sense of the word. Courtenay's physical portrayal is subtle and extremely effective. Courtenay plays Hamp's state as something he has lived with for quite some time, time that has nothing to cure of him this. He does not shake madly, but rather there is a constant discomfort of man who seems uncomfortable in his own skin.

Courtenay is astonishing in all of his scenes having a magnetic presence despite the meek nature of his role. Courtenay's voice is always weak and slight giving the sense that Hamp seems partially disconnected from everything around him. There is numbness that Courtenay conveys in his performance and we are able to see how Hamp is entirely telling the truth in his story of desertion. Courtenay is fascinating by having a great emotional intensity in his portrayal of Hamp while keeping the emotional detachment. This never is a contradiction because Courtenay makes it all a part of what Hamp has become through his service to King & Country. In his stare into the void of nothingness Courtenay, it is not simply nothing, but rather the nothing to contain his pain.

Along with the detachment there is another seemingly contradictory dynamic that Courtenay delivers flawlessly which is Hamp's personality. Courtenay makes Hamp a young man, and no not just because Courtenay is rather young here, in the nature he gives to Hamp. Hamp is not world weary in the way you'd expect a veteran to be, but this is instead a youthful experience which Courtenay portrays. There is a dulled enthusiasm in Courtenay rather than the exasperation one might expect. Courtenay shows that the war has not really sucked the life out of Hamp exactly, rather what has been sucked out is his soul. Courtenay gives us a man who once was young not long ago, but the nature of the war has made an unnatural man.

Hamp is interrogated about why he deserted and Courtenay is outstanding in his delivery of the scene. Courtenay makes the tale a painfully vivid one, as he explains basically what left Hamp the way he is. Courtenay is very haunting as he does not waver once as Hamp describes his time in the trenches and almost drowning in the mud. Courtenay never falters into theatrics, or even a slight hint of well acting in his depiction of what traumatized Hamp in this way. The audience is never shown of what Hamp speaks of, but the film does not have to because Courtenay allows us to see it through the horror that is behind his eyes as he explains his experience to the man who will defend him Captain Hargreaves (Bogarde).

Tom Courtenay gives a harrowing turn here and is convincing here as man who has faced too much in his life as he was as Billy Liar who was a man who faced far too little. Even though Hamp is technically a constant Courtenay is compelling every single moment that he is onscreen. This is an incredible example of an actor taking hold of his character, who must be a constant by nature, and overcoming even the slight risk of repetition bringing life to every detail of the man's current state. There is not a single moment where we do not feel the struggle of his character in Courtenay's truly heartbreaking portrait of a soldier who managed to survive his time on the battlefield in body but not in mind.

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Alternate Best Actor 1964

And the Nominees Were Not:

Clint Eastwood in A Fistful of Dollars

Michael Caine in Zulu

Richard Attenborough in Guns At Batasi

Dirk Bogarde in King & Country

Tom Courtenay in King & Country

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1981: Results

5. John Lithgow in Blow Out- Lithgow gives an interesting turn as a hired killer who accomplishes his dirty job by pretending to be a murderous psychopath.

Best Scene: Burke explains his actions to his superior.

4. Paul Freeman in Raiders of the Lost Ark- Freeman gives an effective performance that makes Belloc the shadow to Indiana Jones.

Best Scene: "This, this is history"

3. Wilford Brimley in Absence of Malice- Brimley steals his whole film through his assured performance that basically wraps up the plot for his film.

Best Scene: His scene.

2. Bill Hunter in Gallipoli- Hunter gives a strong performance giving humanity to a man who continues with a futile and fatal charge because it is his order to do so.

Best Scene: Major Barton proceeds with the final charge.

1. Robert Prosky in Thief- Prosky gives my favorite supporting performance of 1981, apologies once again to my seemingly perpetual number 2 Jack Nicholson, by delivering a fantastic performance as a warm genial older man which hides the vicious gangster beneath.  

Best Scene: Leo threatens Frank.

Overall Rank:

1. Robert Prosky in Thief
2. Jack Nicholson in Reds
3. John Gielgud in Arthur
4. Ian Holm in Chariots of Fire
5. Bill Hunter in Gallipoli 
6. Wilford Brimley in Absence of Malice
7. Paul Freeman in Raiders of the Lost Ark   
8. Lee Van Cleef in Escape From New York
9. Mickey Rourke in Body Heat 
10. Sean Connery in Time Bandits 
11. John Gielgud in Chariots of Fire 
12. John Lithgow in Blow Out
13. Jerry Orbach in Prince of the City
14. Michael Ironside in Scanners
15. Klaus Wennermann in Das Boot
16. Michael Palin in Time Bandits 
17. Nigel Havers in Chariots of Fire
18. Kjell Nilsson in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior 
19. Harry Dean Stanton in Escape From New York 
20. Bruce Spence in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
21. Griffin Dunne in An American Werewolf in London
22. Christopher Walken in Pennies From Heaven
23. Burgess Meredith in Clash of the Titans 
24. Herbert Grönemeyer in Das Boot
25. Patrick McGoohan in Scanners
26. Howard Rollins in Ragtime
27. Bill Kerr in Gallipoli
28. Donald Pleasence in Escape From New York
29. Kenny Baker in Time Bandits 
30. Nicholas Farrell in Chariots of Fire 
31. Robert Grubb in Gallipoli
32. Lindsay Anderson in Chariots of Fire
33. John Cleese in Time Bandits
34. Brad Dourif in Ragtime
35. Warren Oates in Stripes
36. Nigel Davenport in Chariots of Fire
37. David Warner in Time Bandits
38. Bob Balaban in Absence of Malice 
39. Ralph Richardson in Time Bandits
40. Sean Penn in Taps
41. James Coco in Only When I Laugh
42. John Rhys Davies in Raiders of the Lost Ark
43. Tom Cruise in Taps
44. Patrick Magee in Chariots of Fire
45. Vernel Bagneris in Pennies From Heaven
46. John Woodvine in An American Werewolf in London
47. Michael Preston in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
48. Willie Nelson in Thief
49. Ernest Borgnine in Escape From New York 
50. David Rappaport in Time Bandits
51. James Cagney in Ragtime
52. Struan Rodger in Chariots of Fire 
53. Pierce Brosnan in The Long Good Friday
54. Ian Holm in Time Bandits
55. Ronald Lacey in Raiders of the Lost Ark
56. David Argue in Gallipoli 
57. Peter Egan in Chariots of Fire 
58. Isaac Hayes in Escape From New York
59. Barney Martin in Arthur
60. David Yelland in Chariots of Fire
61. Gene Hackman in Reds 
62. Alfred Molina in Raiders of the Lost Ark
63. James Olson in Ragtime
64. Dabney Coleman in On Golden Pond
65. Ted Danson in Body Heat
66. James Belushi in Thief
67. John Candy in Stripes
68. Dennis Farina in Thief
69. Denholm Elliot in Raiders of the Lost Ark 
70. J.A. Preston in Body Heat
71. Paul Sorvino in Reds
72. Gregory Hines in History of the World Part I
73. Dennis Franz in Blow Out 
74. Brad Davis in Chariots of Fire
75. Laurence Olivier in Clash of the Titans
76. Vernon Wells in Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior
77. Stephen Elliot in Arthur
78. Tom Signorelli in Thief
79. John Larroquette in Stripes
80. Doug McKeon in On Golden Pond 
81. Edward Hermann in Reds
82. Don Hood in Absence of Malice
83. Dennis Christopher in Chariots of Fire

Next Year: 1964 lead

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Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1981: Bill Hunter in Gallipoli

Bill Hunter did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Major Barton in Gallipoli.

Gallipoli is a film about the friendship of two different men Frank and Archy played by Mel Gibson and Mark Lee respectively, but there is a fairly solid ensemble that surrounds the two as they go from running for reward to running for their lives. Bill Hunter plays a superior officer in the Calvary unit in which Archy and later Frank find themselves in. In the early scenes of his performance there is not all that much to Hunter's actual character. His brief moments though nicely humanize the superior in the military as Hunter plays Major Barton as an actual man in the position rather than some sort of inhuman representation of the military as he might have been played.

The real meat of Hunter's performance comes when the light cavalry is finally put into action as infantry who must attempt to take the enemy position by running across no man's land. Hunter is terrific in the scene as he shows the way Major Barton changes just through the course of initiating the plan. At the beginning Hunter keeps Barton as the likable enough superior, as a man it is completely understandable why he would allow Frank to take Archy's place as message carrier simply because of Archy's plead to him. Hunter begins with Barton with the humanitarian bent as he shows concern that the enemies turret guns have not been displaced, but Hunter still portrays the military restrictions as the man as he still is determined to proceed with the plan.

The last sequence of the film is amazing held together brilliantly by the performances of Gibson, Lee and Hunter who actually is equally important to the power of this end. Where Archy just has to wait until being called to make the run for the enemy lines, Frank also must follow orders to transfer the messages only allowed slight sway in the proceedings, and even Major Barton must follow orders although is allowed to think about it for a little longer. Hunter is exceptional in portraying the increasing desperation in Major Barton as he sees that his men barely make it on the field before being quickly killed by the onslaught of machine gun fire that rains down upon them.

Where Lee's Archy is the unfortunate soldier, and Gibson shows the futile attempt of a man to make a difference, Hunter shows the unfortunate reality of the chain of command in his performance as Major Barton. Barton could have easily been made to be a foolish lifeless man ordering the deaths of others, but the writing and Hunter's take on the major makes the ending of the film far more powerful. Hunter shows the humanity still in Barton and you can see how every death is tearing him apart to the point where he becomes a shaking mess of despair, but nevertheless Hunter still shows that restrictions in the man that forces him to follow his orders even in his emotional devastation. Hunter gives a remarkable performance by making Major Barton a good man who allows the deaths of men because they are his orders.

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