1951 was a pretty good year for the musical because " An American In Paris" was receiving all the accolades and, unlike Joel, I like the film but it should not have won. That is for a different time because I'm actually going to speak about Best Supporting Actor. None of the stars in Paris were up and that's aok because Bogie finally got his Oscar and, I believe, he deserved it. He won best actor for "The African Queen." The actor I'm choosing is for a film that wasn't up for anything and that's a crime! So here are 3 actors from 1951, one won, one was nominated and my fav got nuttin' honey!
1. KARL MALDEN IN A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
2. ROBERT WALKER IN STRANGERS ON A TRAIN
No one really knows who Robert Walker is today but back in the 1940s, he was known as the handsome boy next door. He played all innocent and dreamy with big names like Judy Garland and Ava Gardner and many women swooned over his boyish good looks and sweetness. It took Alfred Hitchcock to bring out the much darker side of this very damaged soul. He played amiable handsome men but he was struggling with his mental health and was a full blown alcoholic. In this brilliant film, Farley Granger, plays Guy Haines, a tennis pro, on a train when he accidentally foot bumps Robert Walker who plays Bruno. Bruno ingratiates himself with Guy and over lunch Bruno decides that they should swap murders. He will bump off Guy’s wife leaving him free to marry the senator’s daughter( played so well by the beautiful Ruth Roman) and Guy will off Bruno’s dad whom Bruno can’t stand because the dad thinks Bruno should get a job. When Bruno does do in Guy’s slutty wife, he expects Guy to reciprocate but Guy now realizes how much of a sociopathic nut job Bruno truly is. You do meet Bruno’s mother, played so well by Marion Lorne, who should have been up for an Oscar herself for her part in this. We know Marion as the sweet, daffy Aunt Clara from “Bewitched” and here she is the the daffy and quite odd mother of Bruno. This is one of Hitchcock’s best films ever made….in my humble opinion.
3. PETER USTINOV IN QUO VADIS
Peter Ustinov did steal the show as wacky Nero in this film about the Romans wanting to do in the Christians in the arena. We see Nero singing, having fun watching Christians meet their fate to the lions and just being a total tyrant. It’s somewhat over the top but Ustinov knows when to play it ipso facto nutso and when to rein it in…somewhat. I always found Peter Ustinov engaging as an actor and as a guest on many talk shows. This film was also up for best picture but the 50s were the times for all the religious epics that had major stars and major special effects…no CGI. Leo Genn was also up for the same award so they may have cancelled each other out.
The other 2 up for the award were Kevin McCarthy from “Death of a Salesman” and Gig Young for “Come Fill the Cup”.
What do you think? Have you seen any films from 1951 and would you choose one of these or someone completely different?
Hi Birgit,
ReplyDeleteRobert Walker was completely robbed!! Not even a nomination for one of the best performances in any Hitchcock film, and really one of the great performances in film ever. It's really startling if you are familiar with his other work but even without that foreknowledge he is chillingly effective. A terrible thing that this was his last completed work. I know they cobbled his final film "My Son John" together from what he had already filmed before his death and outtakes from Strangers but this was the last film he completed start to finish.
All that being said I can't fault the other two performances you listed. Both are excellent pieces of work and deserving of their nominations, the Oscar this year just shouldn't have gone to anyone else but Walker.
Hey Joel! I'm so glad you agree with me. They all did fine work but Robert deserved the Oscar. It is sad that he died so young. Can you imagine how his career may have gone...he could have played a detective that could be funny but also scary. He could have played a villain like Cagney. He just had too much booze and drugs and not enough was known about mental health. BTW...I would have voted for Strangers to win best picture. To me, this is one of Hitchcock's finest works along with Shadow of a Doubt and Rear Window.
Delete'Quo Vadis' I never saw.
ReplyDelete'A Streetcar Named Desire' is essentially just a soap opera, in my opinion. Bah!!
'Strangers On A Train' and Robert Walker were both really good! It's not my favorite Hitchcock movie, but it's definitely pretty high on the list!
~ D-FensDogG
I haven't seen any of these. The first one I've heard of, though. I think I'd like to see the Alfred Hitchcock film. Thanks for sharing and giving me some movie night ideas! :)
ReplyDeleteAs always, interesting side notes.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com