This is not going to be one where you must guess who won but more like did they pick the right one. I’m only going to choose 3 to truly showcase with one not even nominated but that I love. Sometimes, it will be hard to truly choose which one deserved the Oscar but I will give it my best shot. I decided to choose the year, 1957, because it’s the year my hubby was born. I’m choosing Beat Actor because, as I often say, why not. The nominees, from the year, 1957, were Marlon Brando in “ Sayonara”, Alec Guinness from, “The Bridge On The River Kwai”, Anthony Franciosa from, “A Hatful Of Rain”, Charles Laughton from “Witness For The Prosecution”, and Anthony Quinn in “ Wild Is The Wind”. Alec Guinness won but should he have.
There are a few actors not even nominated like Henry Fonda in “ 12 Angry Men”, Andy Griffith in “A Face In The Crowd”, Robert Mitchum from, “ Heaven Knows, Mr. Alison,” Kirk Douglas from “Paths of Glory” and Cary Grant in “An Affair To Remember”. I’m just showcasing 3 movies but I would love to know your thoughts and if you would choose someone completely different.
1. ALEC GUINNESS FROM A BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
2. CHARLES LAUGHTON IN WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION
I love Charles Laughton and this is a fun film directed by Billy Wilder that also stars Marlene Dietrich, Tyrone Power and Laughton’s wife, Elsa Lanchester as his nurse. Laughton plays a famous defense attorney who has just been let out of the hospital after suffering a heart attack. He has been told to take it easy but that’s not going to happen when Tyrone Power strolls in as a man up on murder charges. He decides, against his nurse’s wishes, to take the case meeting the man’s wife, played by Marlene Dietrich. This is a perfect mystery thriller with some humorous moments thrown in and very entertaining. Highly recommended.
3. HENRY FONDA IN 12 ANGRY MEN
To say I love this film is an understatement and Henry Fonda really carries his role throughout this film with a number of character actors who all bring in their own personalities making this film a step above the average. It starts off with seeing the accused who, just by his scared look, you know is innocent but the jury must decide whether he is or not. All but one, Fonda, believe the kid to be guilty and all are pissed that Fonda wants to review the evidence. It’s a nail biter even though it takes place in one room and it’s a great character study.
I do love all 3 and even Andy Griffith in a Face in The Crowd as a hometown folksy singer who is a real son of bitch behind the scenes but I’m going with Charles Laughton who just gave a stellar performance as the irritated but amused lawyer. I was ready to hand it to Henry Fonda because he’s brilliant in this but 12 Angry Men is an ensemble cast in many ways. I do love Alec Guinness in this role but I think Laughton does one better. What are your thoughts?
First one is a great pick. Excellent film and actor.
ReplyDeleteAlec is great in this film and was in many David Lean films
DeleteAll great performances, but I would choose Charles Laughton as well. The Andy Griffith movie sounds interesting. Must look for it.
ReplyDeleteIt's really a good film and shows Griffith in.a different light.
DeleteI saw 12 Angry Men as a stage play a few years ago. Cen’t remember who was “Henry Fonda” but it was very good. I am also a 1957 baby. Vintage year, clearly.
ReplyDelete(Let's see if this time my comment goes through. Fingers crossed...)
ReplyDeleteI have not seen A Face in the Crowd, but I am familiar with Andy Griffith's character as he was frequently referenced by a certain newscaster who used his name to refer to someone else. Yeah, he didn't like this other person.
I haven't seen any of the three movies you highlighted, but I did see a few from the top list. (Sayonara and An Affair to Remember.)
I have not seen Sayonara but i would like to start visiting past Oscar nominated and winners. I can't remember how to look at my spam
DeleteSayonara was probably more progressive for the '50s. We're way more familiar with Japanese culture today, so certain plot points won't have the impact that they did back then.
DeleteHi, BIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteI have not seen all of the movies you mentioned here. I've not seen Sayonara, A Hatful Of Rain, Witness For The Prosecution, nor Paths of Glory. But of the others, which I have seen, my favorite is Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, and Robert Mitchum would also be my choice for Best Actor from that group.
I first learned about Mr. Allison from my Ma, as it was one of her all-time Top 10 favorite movies. Like Bogart, Mitchum was in quite a number of really excellent films - everything from Film Noir to amusingly silly comedies - and he ranks pretty high on my list of favorite actors.
~ D-FensDogG
I knew you would choose him and I totally understand why. Deborah Kerr is equally great. Paths of Glory is a sad film and based on a true story. I'm not sure you would like it.
DeleteHenry Fonda was amazing wasn't he?
ReplyDeleteHe was great in this film and so many others
DeleteI've seen Bridge & 12 Angry Men and that is all from the choices you mention. I really have no opinion about the best actor for that year because there was nothing in particular that stood out about the actors for me. They were all pros, but how much was due to the director and script? Bridge is my favorite of any of these. It's a great film.
ReplyDeleteLee
If you have a lousy director and a lousy script, the actor can't really carry the film. I think they enhance it but you must have a good script and director. David Lean was excellent and was written by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, 2 writers blacklisted by the HUAC
DeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteLove the theme! Sorry I wasn't able to comment about it until now.
My winner out of the nominated group (and any other contenders) this year is Charles Laughton who is just peerless in Witness for the Prosecution. So glad he at least received the nomination because Marlene Dietrich's exclusion is one of the great oversights. Where I think the problem came for her was that she and the studio probably pushed her for lead actress but she really belonged in supporting and that confusion cost her. Like Rosalind Russell in Picnic who similarly refused to go supporting it's understandable because it would signal the end of their above the title career but still a shame because I think they both could have handily won in support.
I can't really quibble with Alec Guinness's win because his performance is extraordinary but Laughton's is the one I return to again and again.
Like every single actor in 12 Angry Men Henry Fonda is outstanding but the movie is such an ensemble with each performance interwoven with the others I can't say in this instance it was wrong for him to not receive a nod. This is a picture where the SAG award for best cast performance would be totally justified.
As far as the other three nominees that year I wasn't very fond of either Anthony Quinn's nor Marlon Brando's performances and didn't think they deserved to be in the running. Anthony Franciosa was excellent in A Hatful of Rain (a grim film) but for me he'd rate no higher than inclusion in a long list of ten for a nomination.
I also agree that Andy Griffith's miss for A Face in the Crowd is another egregious oversight as was Patricia Neal's in the same film.
1957 was a good year for male performances, much better than the lineup would lead you to believe, so I'll mention three that I think should have had a better shot to stand beside Laughton and Guinness then the three that did.
First is James Cagney's performance as Lon Chaney Sr. in The Man of a 1,000 Faces. Frank Sinatra as singer Joe E. Lewis who turned to comedy when his vocal chords were slashed by the mob in The Joker is Wild. And there are two with a somewhat similar vibe-Anthony Perkins in Fear Strikes Out and Ben Gazzara as The Strange One.
I was happy to see you and never apologize as you know how lax I have been in responding even though I love reading your posts as well ad everyone else's.
DeleteWe Match! I was wondering whom you might puck. I agree with what you wrote..poor Marlene thought she would be nominated for sure and had her intros done as if she was nominated for her Canaret shows. I think I'd still give it to Elsa even if Marlenevwas in Best Supporting. It was a shame she wasn't nominated.
I haven't seen the others you mentioned but would like to and see if I agree. I do agree with you about Andy Griffith snd Patricia Neal
12 Angry Men has aged better than just about any movie of the era. There is so much to learn about filmmaking and storytelling from that picture. Fonda's brilliant. They all are.
ReplyDeleteI agree and that film is a great character study.
DeleteI'm not big into movies but Bridge on the River Kwaii and 12 Angry Men were two of my favorite movies as an older child, even before I was old enough to really appreciate them. Henry Fonda's performance as he convinces the jury one by one to change their vote is absolutely awesome.
ReplyDeleteYes and that m9vie is tense, realistic, and suspenseful while all taling place 8n one room
DeleteI remember Bridge. Alec did do an amazing job. He definitely soaked up the role. Hope you are well.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Happy New Year Brigit, I hope it will be kind to you.
ReplyDeleteA fabulous selection of films from you and surprise... I've seen them all and love every one. I'm a huge Alex Guinness fan, and Charles Laughton too. Henry Fonda was totally amazing in his role too, a brilliant film, take care, Kate x