I've only seen Duvall previously and I know he's going to be tough to beat but I hope this group can at least challenge him. I'm interested in seeing what Douglas brings in his win over Duvall. No musings from me, so let's get to it.
1979 Best Supporting Actor
Melvyn Douglas - Being There
This one is a legit head scratcher. Douglas was a previous winner for Hud in 1963 and had another nomination after that. So this was his third nomination and his second win and this is a completely undeserved win. Certainly the worst second win for an actor that I've come across. I have no doubts that Douglas was a great American actor who should have been rewarded by all that I've read online about him, but he was - back in 1963! This win reeks of the old Hollywood guard voting for a veteran actor to win because they liked the guy and nothing else. If Douglas wasn't even nominated, I don't think anyone would even bat an eye that he wasn't included. In this film, he plays Mr. Rand, a big shot corporate businessman who has the ear of the President and can influence economic policy. Sounds pretty meaty as far as roles go, but it's really just a wisp of a role and performance. He's an old, sick man who takes in Peter Sellers' simpleton character and hits it off with him. Douglas likes that Sellers is a man of few words but is very honest and trustworthy. Mostly we see Douglas in bed or getting tended to by the nurses and doctors he employs in his home. There is the scene where he has a meeting with the President but it doesn't stand out at all and Douglas himself never actually stands out in it. He's just a supporting player who latches on to Sellers and overlooks his being slow and confuses it with wisdom and power. That's all Douglas does in the film. There's nothing else to the role or performance. Yes, Douglas is good as the dying old man but you can't honestly watch it and decide that he deserves a second win. You just can't, especially with Robert Duvall giving a hell of a performance in the same category. So I have no idea what the Academy was thinking here other than reward a veteran which gets real old but I know it will continually happen as I go back in time.
Robert Duvall - Apocalypse Now
When you think of Apocalypse Now, one of the first things that springs to mind is Duvall's performance and his line of "I love the smell of napalm in the morning." When you think of Duvall, one of the first things that comes to mind is his performance in this film. The performance is that iconic for both the film and Duvall the actor. Duvall plays Colonel Kilgore, a mayhem loving, surf enthusiast, and all around badass. What's amazing about Duvall's performance to me, is that he' only onscreen for about 11 minutes or so and yet he still leaves such an enormous impact on the viewer and the film. It really sets up what the gung ho officer is like and sort of lampoons that type of character from the Vietnam War. What makes this nomination so great is that it is a perfect confluence of performance, role, and film. All three of those make it a nomination that really should have won the Oscar. No one even remembers any of the other four nominees. Duvall really brings the gravitas necessary to pull off a Colonel Kilgore, as he struts around barking out orders and not ducking with rounds flying past him and mortars going off nearby. He keeps his cool and just relishes the moment of being in a danger zone and being the man to cause all of the mayhem. He is fully in command of everything going on and his presence is a strong one. I also don't care that he's only in the film for a brief amount of time towards the beginning. Duvall leaves a lasting impact and I wished we had more time with him as a character. To me, this is your winner this year hands down. Duvall just takes the character and runs with it, creating something utterly iconic and memorable.
Frederic Forrest - The Rose
Okay, so this is an alright performance. Forrest is a limo driver that Bette Midler's Rose steals from another singer and convinces him to go with her to NYC on an adventure of sorts. Midler is a famous singer a la Janis Joplin so she's a rough specimen to say the least. Forrest goes along with it and they hit it off and he kinda protects her as they go to different places and is a listening post for Midler to sound off to. But they do get drunk together and end up back at her hotel room and they bang and Forrest becomes the sort of love interest to Midler's Rose character. He drives her around for a bit but she is a rock n roller and she goes off again doing her own thing. He does confide that he is actually AWOL from the Army and just laying low and driving limos. There is a stretch where Forrest isn't in the film and then he comes back into the picture as the two rekindle their love affair and go to Florida for her home state concert. While back in her hometown, she gets onstage at a bar and makes a fool of herself while locals catcall her about a gangbang she was part of (I think) and Forrest fights them and gets thrown out. He then leaves after hailing a passing truck and that's it. Forrest is the love foil. He's also a good dude that grounds the crazy Rose. He is a very good supporting character in the film and sort of guides Rose for parts of the film which is much needed. Forrest is nominated because he had this role and because he was in Apocalypse Now. That dual combo helped get him a nomination easily. Forrest is good at being what is needed from his character and certainly makes Midler more palatable. He isn't anything really amazing but he does a solid enough job in the role.
Justin Henry - Kramer vs. Kramer
Good thing I didn't write this review right after watching the film because I probably would have shredded Henry to pieces here. Henry is the youngest Oscar acting nominee ever at 8 years old and the most undeserving acting nominee ever. I am not a fan of child actors, especially this young, because they aren't really doing much acting. They are being told what to do and what to say and, in Henry's case, does everything in a cutesy, annoying way. He's not tapping into any real emotions or anything like that, he just gets told to throw a tantrum on a bed and does so poorly. Henry is just a prop for Dustin Hoffman to act with/against. The film itself is quite good and an honest, scorching look at divorce mostly from the man's point of view. It was also well liked, winning Best Picture, so obviously Henry came along for the ride. I can't imagine anyone actually voting for him based off acting ability or merit. This is just a vote for a cutesy little kid in an aww, how adorable kind of way. I just don't understand that sentiment and this makes a farce out of the whole Oscar nominating process. This kid is going up against Robert Duvall, I mean, how can anyone take that seriously? Whatever. This is a stupid nomination for a film that is very good despite Henry's child performance. I know he was only 8 years old, maybe even 7 when filming, but this isn't worth a nomination - flat out.
Mickey Rooney - The Black Stallion
What is this, an art film for kids? A legit question from the studio that made this film and shelved it for two years until it was finally released. An art film for kids is very apt as evidenced by me watching this from the Criterion version (if you don't know, they release films considered to be classics or artistic). The first half of the film is a silent film that basically ends up Blue Lagoon with a Horse. But the whole film lends itself to great cinematography and looks very gorgeous even in the later parts. I seriously can't believe this wasn't nominated for Best Cinematography because it is a worthy nominee for sure. That's the main takeaway from this film. Now, Rooney comes into the film over an hour into the thing and he isn't as bad as you would be led to believe. I had heard from reading some other blogs that Rooney was basically a joke, but he's not. He is a veteran nomination, no doubt. But I thought his performance was actually really good. Yeah, he kinda manipulated the kid with the horse, but he helped train him and helped school the kid in training the horse on his own. I legit thought this performance was going to be terrible and easily overlooked but Rooney is actually quite decent! He is the old guy and like an Obi Wan Kenobi type of person. He comes in and dispenses knowledge and is kind of a butthead while doing so. He does sell the horse but the kid gets to ride him as a jockey and win and it is a big deal. He is a mentor to the young kid and it shows. Takes risks and it works out but this is just a little more than a veteran nomination. Rooney definitely got a bone from his old friends and received a nomination for it but it's not as bad as you'll read elsewhere.
I am not happy at all with this group of Supporting Actors. What is typically my favorite group really blows this year. Douglas does absolutely nothing in his role and somehow wins his second Oscar for it. Completely unnecessary. He's only saved from being dead ass last because Henry is a joke of a nominee. He shouldn't be nominated because his kid character is terrible. There have been kids in film since he was nominated that act circles around what he does here. It's a garbage nomination and the Academy should retroactively rescind it because it's so fucking stupid. Ugh. Whatever. Forrest is decent and does what he can with his role in his nominated film but I think he gets on as a combination of that film and his work in Apocalypse Now. The two together justify a nomination, though neither would win on their own. I was surprised that I liked Rooney so much and his film because from all I heard it was a bad performance and boring film. Neither is true. Rooney is very good in his role and the film is brilliant in many aspects and worth checking out, even as a kids film. But the obvious, clear winner is Duvall. He should have won and it's a joke he didn't. A really disappointing category this year that I hope is better in 1978.
Oscar Winner: Melvyn Douglas - Being There
My Winner: Robert Duvall - Apocalypse Now
Mickey Rooney
Frederic Forrest
Melvyn Douglas
Justin Henry
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