Leading Actor 1991

Sorry for the delay. Sat on watching the BP winner and kinda needed to take a break and watch other things. Now I'm back and ready to get to the 80s. This group looks great by name alone and I'm very excited to watch some of these guys.

1991 Best Actor

Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs

I mean, I could really just write Hannibal Lecter here and leave it at that since that is all that really needs to be said. Hopkins delivers a performance that is easily one of the best villains of all time and was ranked so by the American Film Institute. The portrayal is chilling and unnerving and just plain old fantastic. Hopkins nails so much about the character from the look and almost never blinking, to his improvisations with the script that were left in the film like speaking in a southern drawl to mimic Foster and his tongue flitting thing, to being charmingly creepy to the point of liking him yet being repulsed by him. This is legitimately one of the greatest performances ever and that's not any bit of hyperbole. Watching Hopkins interact with Foster is also pretty great because the two work so well together. Their little tete-a-tete's are supremely interesting and engrossing. Though Hannibal is billed as a villain, I don't exactly see him that way. Yes, he can be scary and creepy and all that but he likes making Clarice work for her information and likes the mental games because he's so bored. We see a bit of how terrifying and brutal he can be but he's almost a sympathetic figure and that's due in large part to Hopkins' acting ability. This is just one of those times where actor and character come together at the right time and form something unique and special. I can't imagine anyone else playing Hannibal anywhere near the quality that Hopkins displays here. Mads Mikkelson did a great job in the TV show version and brought a different dimension to the character, but it still wasn't as good as Hopkins. I also wanted to mention the screen time issue. A lot of people feel like this is more of a supporting performance but if you've actually seen the film, you know that Hopkins dominates his scenes and his presence lingers even when he's not on screen. He's absolutely the main actor and to say otherwise misses the point of what that entails. Hopkins is brilliant and very much deserved this Oscar.

Warren Beatty - Bugsy

This is my first experience with Beatty for my blog and I have seen him in other things previously but honestly don't know too much about Beatty besides what roles and films he is famous for being in (I mean, I do know about his playboy status and being with Annette Bening and all that). I know he will appear a few more times and after watching this film, I'm excited for that. Warren Beatty is a movie star and that is very evident here. He plays the eponymous Bugsy Siegel, a Jewish gangster who forms the idea of creating Las Vegas as a gambling destination, which is essentially what the film is about. We see him go from NYC to LA and become enamored with the Hollywood, laid back lifestyle. Beatty is very strong in this performance. He's a showman and plays up the crazy without playing up the crazy. By that I mean, he's normally a chipper, seeming happy-go-lucky guy defusing situations with his charm and wit and his know-it-all demeanor. He woos Bening's character while married, hob knobs with stars, and is just an all around affable guy. That's where Beatty's star quality shines through. You could tell me that was legitimately Beatty and I'd nod my head in understanding. Then if someone calls him Bugsy or insults his wife/family/mistress he snaps. I think that this is where Beatty truly shines. He doesn't go off in some over the top, crazy manner. He just snaps in a frightening way that shows just how dangerous and volcanic Bugsy is and that he didn't become a successful gangster by accident. I really like the interplay of the nice guy, family man Bugsy and the bonafide killer gangster Bugsy. Just the way Beatty switches between the two is marvelous to watch. The film teeters on being too polished but these moments make it somewhat realistic which is something I prefer. Beatty's last nomination (as of 2016) is a good introduction to an actor I know I'll enjoy in his future (past) roles.

Robert De Niro - Cape Fear

Oh man, I liked this film from the opening moments. You get that big horn music blaring ominously and then De Niro walks right into the camera and you just know this is going to be a great performance and film. And it really is a hell of a performance. De Niro plays Max Cady, a sadistic, evil man who is smarter than he looks. While in prison, he learned law and seemed to have read everything ever. Now that he's out, he is determined to make the life of his public defender, Nick Nolte, a living hell because Nolte suppressed evidence favorable to Cady. De Niro plays Cady full bore and I love it. He's an awful, violent, despicable person but De Niro makes him into a fully realized and compelling character. I want to see what kind of screwed up thing he does next to torment Nolte. I love the Southern accent which feels authentic and I like the literary vibe he has when talking to everyone even though he's basically a good ol boy. De Niro plays Cady as this calm character that you know is just seething and bubbling on the inside to exact his revenge. When De Niro is confronted, he always stays calm and collected and knows that because he's not doing anything wrong, no one can tough him. It's this arrogance and confidence that really make the performance. He knows he's going to get Nolte eventually, De Niro just has to put his plan into action no matter if it takes awhile. Some people might say that De Niro hams it up, but the role calls for a very loud performance. I think De Niro succeeds in keeping it from being ridiculous. The ending could be viewed as over the top but I feel it fits the character and adheres to the old school style Scorsese is going for as an homage to the original version. De Niro is a downright creepy, yet memorable villain and one that you will never forget. I've said before on this blog that playing a villain is both the easiest and hardest thing to do because it's such a fine line between fucking it up and really giving an iconic performance. You'll remember this De Niro performance long after you've finished it and that's the sign of a worthy nomination.

Nick Nolte - The Prince of Tides

This film is kind of all over the place and is really not that interesting in all honesty.  Nolte, too, is a bit all over the place in this role. There are times when he is really excellent and other times where the performance teeters on being a joke. The confessions Nolte has with Streisand almost explains the nomination because Nolte's acting is so earnest, so raw, so real that you understand why he was nominated. It's legitimately great stuff and greatly affecting. Those parts feel like Nolte rehearsed it and tried out all the different ways to play it until finding the right notes while the rest of the performance feels like it was just done on the fly. It's like Nolte wasn't sure exactly how to play his character and just wings it. It's strange but the film itself is so uneven and feels tacked together that you see why a harmonious performance is missing. I'm also not a fan of the voiceover while Nolte makes pained facial expresses as we are told what he's thinking/feeling. It's jarring in the context of the film and feels like a film school concept. I'd rather Nolte just act out his emotions and let us figure them out instead of looking ridiculous while making faces in a car. I just think that Nolte makes some odd choices for his character and isn't helped at all by Streisand's bad directing. I think if he were to play the whole performance with the earnestness of the confession scenes, he would have created a really great performance. The simple reason why he's nominated is because he had this film and Cape Fear and De Niro already had that film's Best Actor nomination on lockdown. Not to mention the Academy loves itself some Streisand films and she gets her actors nominations as a result. Nolte is more miss than hit in this performance and is not something worth revisiting.

Robin Williams - The Fisher King

I miss this guy so much. I wish he was still around and would have found the help he needed because you forget just how flipping good he is as an actor and a comedian. You watch his old performances such as this and just marvel at how great he was. I know that that's a very selfish thing to think, but the man left us too early. He really is brilliant and one of the best to mix the outrageously comedic with the dramatic. He was just on another level with his comedy and his timing, especially. In this film, Williams plays Parry, a homeless guy who had some rough instances that put him in that place physically and mentally. He thinks he's a knight and wants to find the Holy Grail and also is in love with a woman he sees around town. It's a very Terry Gilliam type of film and Williams is a good choice to play the fantastical character. He imbues the role with the necessary humor and heart. You need an actor who won't make the knight idea feel so ridiculous and Williams is the perfect guy to make it both funny and heartwarming without being too over the top. Williams tones down his brand of comedy in this role which is why the performance works so well. He allows the character to shine through instead of using the character as an excuse to make jokes and be a funnyman. Williams is actually much better when he's playing the more serious notes of the performance like when talking with Jeff Bridges and trying to woo the girl he's chasing. The performance needs these serious moments to break up the craziness of the homeless knight angle. I think too much of that and this wouldn't have been nominated. I think it's balanced well enough that we don't get sick of either side. It's not perfect and it won't blow you away, but you'll remember why Williams was nominated 4 times total.


After a blah group, I get a group that is extremely strong by name alone. Turns out they are all pretty good in reality, too. The weak link is Nolte, who gives an uneven performance in a blah film but if you add up his other work this year fits fine at the 5th spot. Williams is very earnest in his performance blending his comedy with some dramatic work. It's an interesting performance and one I'm glad got recognized. He's 4th because Nolte is not as strong and because the others are simply better. My first Beatty interaction sees him at 3rd. He's charming and funny and an obviously talented actor and movie star. The performance just didn't hit as hard as the others above it, but I'm excited to watch his other stuff. De Niro probably would have been the winner if not for Hopkins giving an iconic, brilliant performance. De Niro was really great and I loved the film itself a lot, too. Wasn't sure what the performance would bring before I watched because everyone always talks about his other more notable roles but he was real strong here. Hopkins, though, is the undisputed winner. One of the greatest performances of all time. I'm excited to see what 1990 brings!

Oscar Winner: Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs
My Winner:  Anthony Hopkins - The Silence of the Lambs
Robert De Niro
Warren Beatty
Robin Williams
Nick Nolte