You look at this lineup and see three films everyone knows about and then there's two wildcards that could go either way, we never know. So it should be a good year even if those two are duds, which we have that going for us, which is nice.
1972 Best Picture
The Godfather
Rightly considered one of the greatest films of all time, it's really
hard to find negative things to say about it. And honestly, trying and
wanting to find negative things to say about it is just needless
nitpicking. It's very close to being a perfect film and is a must see,
not just for film nerds, but for anyone that's ever watched a movie in
their lives. We should all know the story of the Corleone family by now
and probably know all the sons' names by heart. We follow Vito and his
sons Sonny, Fredo, Michael, and adopted son Tom Hagen. Each of these
characters are perfectly portrayed by their actors and it's hard to
imagine anyone else in the roles. When you think of the Godfather, you
instantly think of Brando's raspy voiced iteration. When you think of
Michael, all you can see is Pacino. Even James Caan as Sonny and Robert
Duvall as Tom Hagen seem inseparable from their characters. The
underrated actor in the film, though, is John Cazale who never gets the
respect he should as an actor or even as Fredo in the film. They are all
brilliant performances that add to an engaging and intensely compelling
story. We witness the ascendance of Michael as the Godfather and his
arc is so well done that I find it crazy that he wasn't rewarded at all
for his performances in the trilogy. Everything else with the film is
great, too, from the iconic musical score, to the cinematography, to the
minor supporting characters who lend the film its authenticity. My one
gripe might be the time Michael spends in Sicily, which feels
underdeveloped and almost shoehorned in. If you shortened that or
condensed it, would you notice? I don't think so personally but I would
have liked that time to be a little more fleshed out so that Michael's
loss would hit even harder and better explain his turn into a cold,
calculated Don. But overall, The Godfather is without a doubt one of the greatest films of all time, a true masterpiece of film making.
Cabaret
Willkommen! Bienvenue! Welcome! If you can hear the music playing and see Joel Grey performing those lines then you already know. This is my favorite musical of all time and if not for The Godfather, would have easily won Best Picture. It actually won more Oscars than that film, including Best Director for Bob Fosse. It's an absolute classic that really turns the musical genre on it's head. It has a more dark, real life tinge to it. It isn't just happy song and dance and everyone loves each other type of fancy musical. The performances at the Kit Kat Club at first mock and lambast the Nazi ideals but slowly those musical numbers become increasingly more in line with the rise of Nazism. At first we see a Nazi member getting kicked out of the club, but later the owner is beaten in the street and the ending shows the club filled with Nazi members. It's a really great look at the rise of nationalism and how it can slowly creep into every day life as no one steps up to really fight it off. That's the one part of the film. The other part follows Michael York and Liza Minnelli as they become friends and eventual lovers. Liza doesn't have a care in the world at all about what's going on outside of the cabaret and lives carefree and wild. The club is her ticket to stardom and she has the energy necessary to get there. York is the one who disdains everything about the Nazi rise and comments on it unencumbered even to their faces. He does get beaten for it but it just highlights how much the movement has taken hold. The two leads are really great to watch work, Liza especially, and make these moments in between musical numbers worth watching and paying attention to. They could easily just be filler for the next performance by Grey et al, but the story is very compelling and you understand the different ways of thinking of Berlin in the early 1930s through the various characters we meet. Sometimes I go on and on about films I really like, but you should just go see this one right now if you haven't already seen it. I had seen musicals before this and never really enjoyed the genre, but one day a girlfriend sat me down to watch this and it blew my mind on what exactly a musical could be. So praise be to Bob Fosse for introducing me to a genre that I still enjoy to this day and showing me it's not just those 40s and 50s song and dance movies that feel cookie cutter. There's actually an important message beneath the glitz and glamour of the Master of Ceremonies and Liza singing memorable song after memorable song. And that is also a big reason I like this film, the songs are great and you'll be humming them a week later. This is the best musical I've ever seen and it's a shame that it didn't get to win Best Picture. But don't let that take away from just how great this film truly is.
Deliverance
Deliverance. Everyone knows the film. Dueling Banjos. Squeal like a pig. Man rape. Burt Reynolds and Jon Voight (and Ned Beatty). Dangerous hillbillies. But I bet few people today have actually sat down and watched this one from start to finish. You look through the years and there's always a handful that stick out in a wow, that movie was nominated for Best Picture? This is one of those. I'd bet even more people don't realize it was nominated for BP, but it was, and it was a huge box office success. That's why I think it made it's way on to the BP list because it made a lot of money and had a lot of buzz because of certain scenes. The film itself is a pretty quick watch for the most part. Almost non-stop action or tension as we watch a group of four friends canoe down a river that might as well lead to hell for them. Kind of a benign beginning as they head to the river, meet some locals, and then start canoeing down the river. We watch them do that for awhile and it makes a whitewater river trip seem pretty fun and exhilarating. But then they stop and the man rape occurs and things sour rather quickly. The film still stays extremely engaging, however, as the four friends fight for their survival. From there, it is chaos. Things happen and you aren't sure if what you saw happened is right or what the characters think happened is correct. But it's nonetheless intense and dramatic. The acting is mostly just physical as I wouldn't call the performances amazing, just good enough to stay invested in what happens in the end. This is definitely a strange choice and one that probably makes more sense if you were paying attention back in 1972. Nowadays, a film like this would be praised but the shock value wouldn't be there and the familiarity of the survival story would be too much, I think. We've seen many versions of this story played out year after year in different settings and situations. Maybe this hit harder in 72, I dunno. It's a good film that I think more people should actually watch instead of relying on exaggerated ideas of what takes place in the story.
The Emigrants
This is such a strange nomination. To break it down, this film came out in Sweden in early 1971 and was nominated for Best Foreign Film - and lost to an Italian film, The Garden of Finzi-Continis. It was then released in New York in late 1972 and was subsequently nominated in big categories like Picture, Director, Actress, and Screenplay. Almost two years after it was actually released initially. This film started shooting in 1969! It's crazy that because of bad Academy rules this was allowed to be nominated in two straight years. Nominated for Best Picture and didn't even win when nominated for Foreign Film. Amazing. Even crazier is that when it was nominated in this year, it was nominated alongside it's sequel which was in Best Foreign Film. Wrap your head around that. I am glad that the Academy amended their rules to keep this from happening again because besides it creating a headache to think about, it's not really all that great. The story is about a family of poor Swedish farmers and some other people in their little village who have it rough with bad crops and harsh winters and the normal things that being poor brings with it. The family is headed by Max von Sydow who is good and Liv Ullmann who is decent at best. The film is three hours and twelve minutes long and the beginning of the film when we are in the depressing, dour Swedish farmland feels every bit of that length of time. It's a real struggle to get through, especially when there are these visual flourishes from the director that offer nothing to the story. Moments where the camera mimics Ullmann swinging on a swing and lingering too long on some reflection in water. The film could have easily been pared down and still retained the same message and style. I'd say the only good thing about this early part is when things finally get moving and the family and other folks start making the journey to America. That doesn't happen until halfway through but is a welcome breath of fresh air. They travel together by boat and then train and walk a lot and at least this picks the pace of the film up considerably. It's still mostly boring until they actually get to America and get close to Minnesota. Then the depressing tone of the film turns to hopeful as all the tragedies along the way are made worthy by finding beautiful land in America. Also, the film just looks better with more greens and luscious wilderness. I started liking the film at this point even if it is not enough to make the film bearable. I was at least more interested than I had been and wonder if the sequel would be better because of the setting being in America. Either way, not really something you need to waste your time on unless you're a huge fan of von Sydow or Ullmann or long Swedish films. I have no clue how this caught on with the Academy twice but I'm glad my experience with it is over.
Sounder
This one is a bit perplexing to me as one of the five Best films of the year. I really like that a majority black acted film was able to get nominated in a year with a couple of other really great/classic films. But I feel like this film is lacking in the prestige that should, at least in theory, come with being a Best Picture nominee. The film is based on a young adult novel about a boy and his dog and their slice of life as sharecroppers. The father is sent to a prison work camp in the beginning, so the family has to fend for themselves for a year. After watching, the film goes by so quickly that it feels like it's just skimming through important scenes in the book. The dog who is the title of the film, isn't really a huge deal in the film either, or at least isn't made to feel as emotionally important to the boy or the story. The dog does get shot in the face early on and wanders off before returning later. The boy also dotes on the dog but really the dog is more of a prop than a character which is strange for a film named after the dog. My biggest issue is that the film seems low key, where the film keeps a lot of things distant from the viewer. Like the emotional, dramatic parts don't seem to hit hard because the film doesn't let those moments build and breathe, it just moves on with the story. I did actually like the film and it's a decent, enjoyable watch that positively focuses on a black family. There's just something about the film that feels slight to me. It was like an indie film made on a budget (made for under a million) that didn't realize how sincerely good and powerful it's story could be. I definitely wanted some parts to resonate with me on an emotional level more than they did. This feels more like the Cliffs Notes version of the story and I wanted to see the full version. Sounder is an interesting inclusion in the Best Picture pantheon and I don't begrudge it being here. It's not too often a film about the black experience even ends up here, especially in 1972. It was never going to win but I do wish it had been more competitive in that sense. This is worth a watch, just don't expect a masterpiece.
Those two films I was wondering if they would be duds, well, they ended up (mostly) being duds. The Emigrants is a slog. Coming in at over three hours and it took me days to finish. The beginning is just rough before it starts to become more interesting in the last 20-30 minutes. I don't think it belongs in this group but I guess I can see the argument for it. Easy 5th spot for me. Sounder was strange because the film felt so slight, like it glossed over the story and only briefly touched on all the important moments. There's a great film there that doesn't quite come to the surface. I really wanted to like this one, too. Deliverance is a weird inclusion but probably felt way more daring and important back then. Today, these types of films are dime a dozen. It's cool that it's on here and makes for a very interesting entry into the Oscar pantheon. Was never going to win, though. Cabaret is sadly in second but would have easily won in most years, I believe. It's such a great film, a classic musical, and highly entertaining. It just happened to run into The Godfather buzzsaw. That's the clear cut winner and one of the most obvious choices ever. Cabaret at least gives it a good run for its money. Overall, this is a pretty good list. Two amazing classic films, one fun and interesting choice, and then a disappointing film that is still a decent little film, and then the long, dull Swedish mess. Let's get to the next year so I can finally move on from this one!
Oscar Winner: The Godfather
My Winner: The Godfather
Cabaret
Deliverance
Sounder
The Emigrants
Tuesday, August 6, 2019
Leading Actor 1972
Man, just look at the names on this list! Heavy hitters all the way down and then Paul Winfield. Nothing against Winfield, but he is the clear outlier. I haven't seen his performance so hopefully he can at least stack up against the others.
1972 Best Actor
Marlon Brando - The Godfather
What can I really say about this performance that hasn't already been said? Honestly, you know all the beats of this one even if you've never seen the film. And if you've never seen the film, what the hell are you waiting for exactly? It's a classic and considered one of the greatest of all time for a reason. Part of that reason is Brando's Don Vito Corleone, one of the most iconic performances of all time. You might remember it as a caricature of itself, but guaranteed it's way better than you remember it to be. I say that because we've seen all the parodies and sketches and heard all the stories surrounding his performance. But Brando is fantastic, which is to be expected since he's one of the best actors ever and full disclosure, one of my favorites. His Vito is so calming and so assured that you understand immediately that this man has immense power and he doesn't need to shout or fight or go crazy to wield it. That's what makes his performance so good for me, he's this cool, calm, and collected guy who gets shit done. He makes the performance look effortless but you know he did a lot to come up with Vito, including the putting cotton balls in his mouth for the puffy cheeked, raspy voiced aesthetic. I think the one big issue that people could pose about this nomination and win is that it might not be the actual lead lead of the film. Al Pacino is unquestionably a lead and you could argue the most important part of the story and he was curiously not nominated for the lead in this film, instead being nominated in Best Supporting Actor. I'm okay with the placement here for Brando, however. He's lead, if not the lead, but dominates all his scenes and kinda hangs over the film when he's not there. Not much else to say besides Brando is so damn good here. This is easily one of the most iconic performances of all time and he fully deserves his win and nomination. He's great and he's my vote.
Michael Caine - Sleuth
Oh man, this is such a fun film to watch! I am glad the two leads are back to back in this list because it will make it way easier to talk about. Caine and Olivier are literally the only two actors who appear in the film even though there is a cast list in the opening credits. Those other names are all fake and portrayed by these two guys. The gist of the film is Olivier is a famous detective/mystery writer who invites over Caine to help him stage a burglary to then benefit from the insurance payout. But instead Olivier knows Caine is banging his wife and is really setting Caine up to be murdered and make it look justified by staging the burglary. That's all before the first half even ends. It keeps going with twist after twist as we see both of these acting legends try to outsmart the other in the story. We also see these two acting titans go toe to toe as they gleefully show off their acting abilities in their own unique ways. It's based off a play and it's just awesome to watch these two act with one another on screen for two plus hours. It never gets tiring or old or grating. The best of Caine is what's on display and we watch him run the gamut of all the emotions while being his usually charming and funny self. If you like Caine, you'll love this. And if you don't like Caine, you might actually like this because his quirks and distinct voice are more subdued. Not much else to say about the performance other than it's just really fun to watch both of these men go at it. The film is highly enjoyable and the twists keep you glued to the story to see how it all plays out. It's a strong performance that if by itself might have actually had a chance to win.
Laurence Olivier - Sleuth
Read everything above for Michael Caine and apply it to Sir Olivier as well. That could be my whole review because it aptly applies. And really the two performances are mostly the same. That's not a bad thing, it's just the nature of their roles. The two go back and forth of being the domineering one in charge with the upper hand to being on the opposite side and acting out the emotions that come with that responsibility. It's awesome to watch an actor do his thing so well with such ease. You see why Olivier is considered one of the greatest ever because he can be as entertaining in this flick as he can be dramatic in all his Shakespeare adaptations. I feel there are times you will kinda dislike Olivier and then be on his side right after and that shows his level of talent and how he can control our emotions through his acting. It's wonderful to watch in action and I do recommend watching this film for the masterclass these two men put on. It's really hard to single out one over the other because they are both so intertwined with each other. They play off whatever the other is doing and roll with what the story needs from them. So it's hard to choose one over the other and so it's impossible to say one could be a winner. If they tied, I'd completely understand and be all for it. But it's just nice to be able to watch these two guys entertain the hell out of us.
Peter O'Toole - The Ruling Class
This is an insane performance in the best possible way. And if you watch this performance and end up not completely loving it and Peter O'Toole, I don't even want to talk to you. O'Toole doesn't appear until about 20 minutes in, but boy, when he does it's a magnificent and grand entrance that is absolutely ridiculous and hilarious. I was legit laughing out loud as soon as he appeared and wasn't prepared for everything O'Toole would deliver after that. The story is essentially O'Toole becomes the new Lord of an English manor or whatever but the wrinkle is that he fully believes he is God/Jesus Christ. When he first shows up he looks exactly like Jesus and spouts off all this loving, scripture-like mumbo jumbo and makes it entertaining as hell. The other characters all react like you'd assume, thinking he's crazy and plotting to remove him as the new Lord. This continues for awhile and O'Toole even marries a girl who the others want to try to turn him but she falls for him. And then (spoilers) O'Toole is confronted by another self confessed God and they kinda battle it out when both are clearly nuts and the shrink hopes this will wake up O'Toole. He changes but then (more spoilers) starts to think he is Jack the Ripper and actually murders a woman but blames his butler. It's every bit as ridiculous as it sounds and it's only because O'Toole is such a great actor that he keeps this film from going completely off the rails. It's a film and a performance that only someone like O'Toole could pull off without it being too over the top to the point where instead of actively despising how stupid it is you end up laughing at the ridiculous nature of the role. The film itself is a very dark comedy in the oh so British way that pokes fun at the stuffy ruling class (hence the title) and highlights how ridiculous the Lords are and how out of touch they have to be to allow O'Toole to dictate laws in the country. He gives a fiery speech about bringing back capital punishment and the other Lords eat it up. It's very of the times but allows for a wonderful O'Toole performance. It's great to see him go from the Christ-like figure to the dark and violent Jack the Ripper incarnation. The performance isn't just theatrics as O'Toole layers everything to mean more than just what we see. It's a really fun performance to watch and makes you wonder just how he never was able to win an Oscar.
Paul Winfield - Sounder
You look at the names on this list and it's acting royalty all the way down and then Paul Winfield. Not a put down, just one of those moments where most people will have never heard of his name or anything he's done. So this category should be a good way to introduce Winfield to the general public as everyone looks to see who this fifth spot belongs to. Or at least that's my thinking when I see his name on this list. Winfield was one of the first black Best Actor nominees (third officially) and so I went into this hoping to find a hidden gem. I guess what I ultimately found instead was a cubic zirconia. By that I mean it's an alright performance but it doesn't stand up to the other diamonds you find in this category. The reason is because Winfield isn't in the film all that much. Sounder is about a boy and his little slice of life with his dog. Winfield plays the father and has some scenes in the beginning where we see he is a stern father but also warm and caring and just trying to provide for his family. Winfield does what is necessary for the role and does a fine job, but it's not anything you'll be itching to re-watch later. Winfield then steals some food to feed his family and is sent to a prison work camp for most of the middle of the film and returns right near the end. His return scene is actually pretty iconic and is probably something people have seen before without even knowing what film it's actually from. It's an emotional scene that Winfield plays wonderfully and maybe that was enough to get him nominated. It ends with him just going about life after getting released and being a father and mentor to his son. Standard stuff done well but nothing that is going to make you want it to get nominated or win, unfortunately. Winfield comes off as a solid actor who doesn't have much to work with in the film but gives it his all and gets a nomination out of it. I actually really enjoyed the son's performance more since the film is about him and allows the kid to do more acting. A solid fifth place nomination here.
No offense to Paul Winfield, but he's the odd man out. And after watching his performance, I scratch my head as to how he was included in this group. It's cool a black man was nominated when that wasn't happening even in the early 70's but I need a little more substance in my performances. The rest, though, are all very good to great. O'Toole in 4th only because he might not be everyone's cup of tea and because the others are all even better. But it's tough to beat those three. It's also tough to separate Olivier and Caine as they are so intertwined in their performances you can't choose one over the other. It would be even harder to pick a winner if Brando wasn't in the group, so it's good he's in this one. I love Brando, though, so I'm sure some will not like his smaller role and how often imitated it has become. It's a classic, though, and he's my easy winner. A very good all around category again this year.
Oscar Winner: Marlon Brando - The Godfather
My Winner: Marlon Brando - The Godfather
Michael Caine
Laurence Olivier
Peter O'Toole
Paul Winfield
1972 Best Actor
Marlon Brando - The Godfather
What can I really say about this performance that hasn't already been said? Honestly, you know all the beats of this one even if you've never seen the film. And if you've never seen the film, what the hell are you waiting for exactly? It's a classic and considered one of the greatest of all time for a reason. Part of that reason is Brando's Don Vito Corleone, one of the most iconic performances of all time. You might remember it as a caricature of itself, but guaranteed it's way better than you remember it to be. I say that because we've seen all the parodies and sketches and heard all the stories surrounding his performance. But Brando is fantastic, which is to be expected since he's one of the best actors ever and full disclosure, one of my favorites. His Vito is so calming and so assured that you understand immediately that this man has immense power and he doesn't need to shout or fight or go crazy to wield it. That's what makes his performance so good for me, he's this cool, calm, and collected guy who gets shit done. He makes the performance look effortless but you know he did a lot to come up with Vito, including the putting cotton balls in his mouth for the puffy cheeked, raspy voiced aesthetic. I think the one big issue that people could pose about this nomination and win is that it might not be the actual lead lead of the film. Al Pacino is unquestionably a lead and you could argue the most important part of the story and he was curiously not nominated for the lead in this film, instead being nominated in Best Supporting Actor. I'm okay with the placement here for Brando, however. He's lead, if not the lead, but dominates all his scenes and kinda hangs over the film when he's not there. Not much else to say besides Brando is so damn good here. This is easily one of the most iconic performances of all time and he fully deserves his win and nomination. He's great and he's my vote.
Michael Caine - Sleuth
Oh man, this is such a fun film to watch! I am glad the two leads are back to back in this list because it will make it way easier to talk about. Caine and Olivier are literally the only two actors who appear in the film even though there is a cast list in the opening credits. Those other names are all fake and portrayed by these two guys. The gist of the film is Olivier is a famous detective/mystery writer who invites over Caine to help him stage a burglary to then benefit from the insurance payout. But instead Olivier knows Caine is banging his wife and is really setting Caine up to be murdered and make it look justified by staging the burglary. That's all before the first half even ends. It keeps going with twist after twist as we see both of these acting legends try to outsmart the other in the story. We also see these two acting titans go toe to toe as they gleefully show off their acting abilities in their own unique ways. It's based off a play and it's just awesome to watch these two act with one another on screen for two plus hours. It never gets tiring or old or grating. The best of Caine is what's on display and we watch him run the gamut of all the emotions while being his usually charming and funny self. If you like Caine, you'll love this. And if you don't like Caine, you might actually like this because his quirks and distinct voice are more subdued. Not much else to say about the performance other than it's just really fun to watch both of these men go at it. The film is highly enjoyable and the twists keep you glued to the story to see how it all plays out. It's a strong performance that if by itself might have actually had a chance to win.
Laurence Olivier - Sleuth
Read everything above for Michael Caine and apply it to Sir Olivier as well. That could be my whole review because it aptly applies. And really the two performances are mostly the same. That's not a bad thing, it's just the nature of their roles. The two go back and forth of being the domineering one in charge with the upper hand to being on the opposite side and acting out the emotions that come with that responsibility. It's awesome to watch an actor do his thing so well with such ease. You see why Olivier is considered one of the greatest ever because he can be as entertaining in this flick as he can be dramatic in all his Shakespeare adaptations. I feel there are times you will kinda dislike Olivier and then be on his side right after and that shows his level of talent and how he can control our emotions through his acting. It's wonderful to watch in action and I do recommend watching this film for the masterclass these two men put on. It's really hard to single out one over the other because they are both so intertwined with each other. They play off whatever the other is doing and roll with what the story needs from them. So it's hard to choose one over the other and so it's impossible to say one could be a winner. If they tied, I'd completely understand and be all for it. But it's just nice to be able to watch these two guys entertain the hell out of us.
Peter O'Toole - The Ruling Class
This is an insane performance in the best possible way. And if you watch this performance and end up not completely loving it and Peter O'Toole, I don't even want to talk to you. O'Toole doesn't appear until about 20 minutes in, but boy, when he does it's a magnificent and grand entrance that is absolutely ridiculous and hilarious. I was legit laughing out loud as soon as he appeared and wasn't prepared for everything O'Toole would deliver after that. The story is essentially O'Toole becomes the new Lord of an English manor or whatever but the wrinkle is that he fully believes he is God/Jesus Christ. When he first shows up he looks exactly like Jesus and spouts off all this loving, scripture-like mumbo jumbo and makes it entertaining as hell. The other characters all react like you'd assume, thinking he's crazy and plotting to remove him as the new Lord. This continues for awhile and O'Toole even marries a girl who the others want to try to turn him but she falls for him. And then (spoilers) O'Toole is confronted by another self confessed God and they kinda battle it out when both are clearly nuts and the shrink hopes this will wake up O'Toole. He changes but then (more spoilers) starts to think he is Jack the Ripper and actually murders a woman but blames his butler. It's every bit as ridiculous as it sounds and it's only because O'Toole is such a great actor that he keeps this film from going completely off the rails. It's a film and a performance that only someone like O'Toole could pull off without it being too over the top to the point where instead of actively despising how stupid it is you end up laughing at the ridiculous nature of the role. The film itself is a very dark comedy in the oh so British way that pokes fun at the stuffy ruling class (hence the title) and highlights how ridiculous the Lords are and how out of touch they have to be to allow O'Toole to dictate laws in the country. He gives a fiery speech about bringing back capital punishment and the other Lords eat it up. It's very of the times but allows for a wonderful O'Toole performance. It's great to see him go from the Christ-like figure to the dark and violent Jack the Ripper incarnation. The performance isn't just theatrics as O'Toole layers everything to mean more than just what we see. It's a really fun performance to watch and makes you wonder just how he never was able to win an Oscar.
Paul Winfield - Sounder
You look at the names on this list and it's acting royalty all the way down and then Paul Winfield. Not a put down, just one of those moments where most people will have never heard of his name or anything he's done. So this category should be a good way to introduce Winfield to the general public as everyone looks to see who this fifth spot belongs to. Or at least that's my thinking when I see his name on this list. Winfield was one of the first black Best Actor nominees (third officially) and so I went into this hoping to find a hidden gem. I guess what I ultimately found instead was a cubic zirconia. By that I mean it's an alright performance but it doesn't stand up to the other diamonds you find in this category. The reason is because Winfield isn't in the film all that much. Sounder is about a boy and his little slice of life with his dog. Winfield plays the father and has some scenes in the beginning where we see he is a stern father but also warm and caring and just trying to provide for his family. Winfield does what is necessary for the role and does a fine job, but it's not anything you'll be itching to re-watch later. Winfield then steals some food to feed his family and is sent to a prison work camp for most of the middle of the film and returns right near the end. His return scene is actually pretty iconic and is probably something people have seen before without even knowing what film it's actually from. It's an emotional scene that Winfield plays wonderfully and maybe that was enough to get him nominated. It ends with him just going about life after getting released and being a father and mentor to his son. Standard stuff done well but nothing that is going to make you want it to get nominated or win, unfortunately. Winfield comes off as a solid actor who doesn't have much to work with in the film but gives it his all and gets a nomination out of it. I actually really enjoyed the son's performance more since the film is about him and allows the kid to do more acting. A solid fifth place nomination here.
No offense to Paul Winfield, but he's the odd man out. And after watching his performance, I scratch my head as to how he was included in this group. It's cool a black man was nominated when that wasn't happening even in the early 70's but I need a little more substance in my performances. The rest, though, are all very good to great. O'Toole in 4th only because he might not be everyone's cup of tea and because the others are all even better. But it's tough to beat those three. It's also tough to separate Olivier and Caine as they are so intertwined in their performances you can't choose one over the other. It would be even harder to pick a winner if Brando wasn't in the group, so it's good he's in this one. I love Brando, though, so I'm sure some will not like his smaller role and how often imitated it has become. It's a classic, though, and he's my easy winner. A very good all around category again this year.
Oscar Winner: Marlon Brando - The Godfather
My Winner: Marlon Brando - The Godfather
Michael Caine
Laurence Olivier
Peter O'Toole
Paul Winfield
Leading Actress 1972
Looking at the list, this is a very diverse group of actresses. It's not often I get to say that in this category. It's a bunch of first time nominees and a previous winner in Maggie Smith. I know what Liza brings and it will be tough to beat, but I look forward to what the others have to offer.
1972 Best Actress
Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
If there ever was a surefire win, this is it. Especially when you compare her performance to the other ladies on this list. Diana Ross is the only one that comes close. It really is the role of a lifetime for Liza as she plays Sally Bowles, a cabaret performer. The first thing you notice is how much energy and outright electricity she gives off onscreen. It's totally palpable and hooks you right from the start. Her energy is infectious and you can't help but be charmed immediately. To be expected with her having two uber famous parents, Liza is a great singer and dancer. That makes all the song interludes work so well and also highlights that she's a very talented actress on top of the entertaining parts, too. There's nuance and subtlety behind the frenetic energy, though, which is why Liza shines so bright in this performance. There are moments of quiet desperation behind her eyes that belie the carefree theatricality. We see this standout starkly when Liza is confronted with a life she absolutely dreads in having a baby and being a stuffy academic wife. Liza rebels at that idea and has an abortion and avoids that temporary chaos of self doubt. There is so much more to her character than just being a free loving cabaret performer and Liza handles it all deftly. She is spellbinding and that's not even a description I've ever used on this blog before, I think. But it holds true as she just has this magnetism whether she is performing in the Kit Kat Club or going about her day to day life with the men who surround her. One of my favorite female performances of all time and I'm so glad she won for this.
Diana Ross - Lady Sings the Blues
Before this project, I would never have guessed Diana Ross was an Oscar nominated actress. Obviously, I wasn't around in the early 70s, so I had no idea she even tried her hand at acting, let alone was worthy of a nomination. So my initial thought was did she actually deserve it or was it one of those Academy things where they reward someone successful in another medium when they dip their toes into the acting world. I feel like after watching this that could be part of it, but Ross is talented as an actress. The film is a biopic of Billie Holiday and her tumultuous life. Biopics are always tricky, musical biopics even more so. Lots of them gloss over the troubled, dark times in the subjects life and try to spin everything in a positive way. This film does gloss over a bit from what I can tell in my research, but it also hammers home her drug addiction problem. This was Ross's start in acting and she fought to be cast as Holiday. She knew it would be a star making turn and would allow her to comfortably transition to acting. My fear was that Ross would be awful, but in reality she is very good in the role. It's also very obvious that this is her first acting job and she comes across as unsure of how to play some scenes. But Ross is really incredible at times, too. She plays a great drug addict, which sounds like a put down but I mean it sincerely. Holiday had a drug problem and Ross portrays that expertly. Ross has the mannerisms down and one thing I noted that was exceptional is that her eyes in some of her club performances are droopy and tired and half open and those are when she's using. It's a great choice to portray that she is using. The singing is good, although I don't think it really sounds like Holiday. I went and listened to her music after and Holiday is very slow and not as polished sounding, while Ross has a tempo to her as well as being in key and sounding like a professional. Holiday was a jazz legend, but I much prefer Ross's version of 'Strange Fruit' to Holiday's. Ross gives the role everything she has and is up to the task of portraying another singing legend. I guess it takes one to know one kinda thing here. But if you go into this film thinking that Ross can't hang, she definitely will prove you wrong. Now, is it worthy of an Oscar? Possibly in a lesser year, but also Ross's inexperience shows through a lot during the film. When she has to act to further the story, she fails. It's a good first try but Liza laps her.
Maggie Smith - Travels With My Aunt
Ugh. Really that's all I would need to put here to sum up my feelings on the performance and the film as a whole. I did not like this one very much at all. Now before I get into what it's about and Smith's performance, you have to know that this was initially a Katharine Hepburn starring vehicle. She had wanted to do the story (based on a book) and even went so far as to tailor the script to her liking before she ultimately pulled out before shooting began. So in stepped Smith, doing her best Hepburn imitation in some really bad old people makeup bringing a lot of frenetic energy to the role that is tiring and not really fun to watch. I think Smith is a great actress but her Oscar work has left me wanting more and this is no different. I get that it's tough to step into a role designed for someone else at the last minute, but Smith could have made the performance more of something original and hers instead of aping Hepburn. The story is one where she is the titular Aunt who shows up to her sister's funeral and tells her nephew that wasn't really her mother. Then Smith leads this man on some mostly boring adventures while she cons him into doing little errands for her so she can bail out a lover of hers who she thinks is kidnapped. There is energy to the performance but like I said earlier, it's exhausting to watch and the energy takes the place of earned charm. It's a role and performance that looks and feels like it should be hilarious and one of a kind but ends up a tired one note rehash of another actress. There are some interesting moments and it seems like the book is a wild ride, but the film condenses things to the point where a lot of important transitions and details are left out and Smith can't do much to flesh out her character. I think some people might like Smith here because she is kooky and loud and all over the place but not me. I don't know why Smith captured the hearts of Oscar voters for a while but I don't see anything Oscar worthy in this performance and that makes me sad because I've been hoping for some greatness from this two-time Oscar winner. You just aren't going to find that here.
Cicely Tyson - Sounder
I was really expecting a lot more out of this performance. Tyson is a heavily awarded actress of the stage, screen, and TV. She's had many other personal accolades like a Kennedy Center honor and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was even given an Honorary Oscar in late 2018. I know she's a great actress and Sounder seemed to capture the hearts and attention of the Academy so I was prepared for something really strong. What I got was more of a dud. This is a decent little film based on an award winning young adult novel but the story is based around Tyson's character's son and his dog as their husband/father is sent to a work prison for stealing food. Tyson is never really the main focus of the film and so Tyson doesn't really get much of a chance to flex her acting chops. You see it in spurts like when she is pissed at the sheriff and the local store owner who rag her about her husband and especially in her iconic, emotional scene where she reunites with Paul Winfield. I said the same for him but I feel like that scene got her nominated. But besides those moments, Tyson is mostly just the supportive mother/wife who has to pick up the slack once Winfield is gone. She is solid and does everything her character needs to do for the story but she rarely gets to shine. She even disappears at times because the story is about her son. It's great that she was nominated but I was really hoping to see what made her one of the best actresses of her time. There is a lot lacking in the performance simply because the film never allowed her the chance to do much more than be a worried wife/mother. This was highly anticipated but severely disappointing through no fault of Tyson's own.
Liv Ullmann - The Emigrants
Go and read my review of The Emigrants in Best Picture to get the backstory on this film. I don't quite understand how a film that was nominated in the previous year at the Academy Awards could then be nominated in some major awards the next year. Maybe if it was an all time film with an all time performance, but this does not qualify as such. I think there was some building up of Ullmann as an international star and she had been nominated for some other awards before her first Oscar nomination here. Was this to cement her as a star in Hollywood's eyes? Possibly, but serious foreign film fans will tell you Ullmann had a few other better performances that she wasn't nominated for. In this one, she is the wife of a poor Swedish farmer and they eventually set off for America, ending up in Minnesota. It takes over three hours to witness this and I don't feel as if Ullmann does anything amazingly well. She's certainly not doing anything to keep you invested in what you're watching. Ullmann is a talented, accomplished actress but this performance doesn't ask much of her as she plays the farmer's wife who has a lot of kids role. She helps out with the farm work, raises the kids, gets pregnant, has a rough time on the ship to America, argues with husband, and has an overall miserable time. She's good at playing the downtrodden and desperate, but I'm stretching to find anything to grab onto as being worth a nomination a year after it was already nominated once. It's a Liv Ullmann performance for sure, but I feel like she is drowned out in the film by other characters including her husband, Max von Sydow. There are other, more memorable characters who seemingly do more than play restrained mother/wife and are more interesting to watch. This one is a huge disappointment that is not worth the over three hours of your time. Watch her Ingmar Bergman work instead.
This was a really disappointing year with a clear cut winner who blew me away and the rest of the category who are simply here. I have generally disliked Academy darlings because they get some unearned nominations (and even wins) at the expense of other actors who could take their place and make for far more interesting groups of nominees. Smith is one of those in a film that was not as exciting as it could have been and a role that should have been more original than just an imitation. I don't get it other than she stepped into a mess of a situation. Ullmann is tolerable though not particularly exciting. I get that she is thought of as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, but I wished for something not so dour and depressing. And even something like that can be great, but I didn't see that greatness here. Tyson is almost more of the same. An accomplished actress who was heavily awarded in her career and her only Oscar nomination is a boring portrayal of a wife/mother trying to keep things together with a momentary flash of what she could be as an actress. All three heavily disappointing. Ross at least impressed with her singing and takes on a famous singer role that she does well with. Not the most polished of performances but at least one that was interesting and worth the nomination and watch. In most years she'd be a 4th-5th most likely, instead of the 2nd she is here. Liza is the obvious winner and you don't have to dive deep into reasons why. She's just amazing in a role she was born to play and she knocked it out of the park on the first pitch. If not for her, this would be an all time worst year for Best Actress. Thank God for Liza.
Oscar Winner: Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
My Winner: Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
Diana Ross
Cicely Tyson
Liv Ullmann
Maggie Smith
1972 Best Actress
Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
If there ever was a surefire win, this is it. Especially when you compare her performance to the other ladies on this list. Diana Ross is the only one that comes close. It really is the role of a lifetime for Liza as she plays Sally Bowles, a cabaret performer. The first thing you notice is how much energy and outright electricity she gives off onscreen. It's totally palpable and hooks you right from the start. Her energy is infectious and you can't help but be charmed immediately. To be expected with her having two uber famous parents, Liza is a great singer and dancer. That makes all the song interludes work so well and also highlights that she's a very talented actress on top of the entertaining parts, too. There's nuance and subtlety behind the frenetic energy, though, which is why Liza shines so bright in this performance. There are moments of quiet desperation behind her eyes that belie the carefree theatricality. We see this standout starkly when Liza is confronted with a life she absolutely dreads in having a baby and being a stuffy academic wife. Liza rebels at that idea and has an abortion and avoids that temporary chaos of self doubt. There is so much more to her character than just being a free loving cabaret performer and Liza handles it all deftly. She is spellbinding and that's not even a description I've ever used on this blog before, I think. But it holds true as she just has this magnetism whether she is performing in the Kit Kat Club or going about her day to day life with the men who surround her. One of my favorite female performances of all time and I'm so glad she won for this.
Diana Ross - Lady Sings the Blues
Before this project, I would never have guessed Diana Ross was an Oscar nominated actress. Obviously, I wasn't around in the early 70s, so I had no idea she even tried her hand at acting, let alone was worthy of a nomination. So my initial thought was did she actually deserve it or was it one of those Academy things where they reward someone successful in another medium when they dip their toes into the acting world. I feel like after watching this that could be part of it, but Ross is talented as an actress. The film is a biopic of Billie Holiday and her tumultuous life. Biopics are always tricky, musical biopics even more so. Lots of them gloss over the troubled, dark times in the subjects life and try to spin everything in a positive way. This film does gloss over a bit from what I can tell in my research, but it also hammers home her drug addiction problem. This was Ross's start in acting and she fought to be cast as Holiday. She knew it would be a star making turn and would allow her to comfortably transition to acting. My fear was that Ross would be awful, but in reality she is very good in the role. It's also very obvious that this is her first acting job and she comes across as unsure of how to play some scenes. But Ross is really incredible at times, too. She plays a great drug addict, which sounds like a put down but I mean it sincerely. Holiday had a drug problem and Ross portrays that expertly. Ross has the mannerisms down and one thing I noted that was exceptional is that her eyes in some of her club performances are droopy and tired and half open and those are when she's using. It's a great choice to portray that she is using. The singing is good, although I don't think it really sounds like Holiday. I went and listened to her music after and Holiday is very slow and not as polished sounding, while Ross has a tempo to her as well as being in key and sounding like a professional. Holiday was a jazz legend, but I much prefer Ross's version of 'Strange Fruit' to Holiday's. Ross gives the role everything she has and is up to the task of portraying another singing legend. I guess it takes one to know one kinda thing here. But if you go into this film thinking that Ross can't hang, she definitely will prove you wrong. Now, is it worthy of an Oscar? Possibly in a lesser year, but also Ross's inexperience shows through a lot during the film. When she has to act to further the story, she fails. It's a good first try but Liza laps her.
Maggie Smith - Travels With My Aunt
Ugh. Really that's all I would need to put here to sum up my feelings on the performance and the film as a whole. I did not like this one very much at all. Now before I get into what it's about and Smith's performance, you have to know that this was initially a Katharine Hepburn starring vehicle. She had wanted to do the story (based on a book) and even went so far as to tailor the script to her liking before she ultimately pulled out before shooting began. So in stepped Smith, doing her best Hepburn imitation in some really bad old people makeup bringing a lot of frenetic energy to the role that is tiring and not really fun to watch. I think Smith is a great actress but her Oscar work has left me wanting more and this is no different. I get that it's tough to step into a role designed for someone else at the last minute, but Smith could have made the performance more of something original and hers instead of aping Hepburn. The story is one where she is the titular Aunt who shows up to her sister's funeral and tells her nephew that wasn't really her mother. Then Smith leads this man on some mostly boring adventures while she cons him into doing little errands for her so she can bail out a lover of hers who she thinks is kidnapped. There is energy to the performance but like I said earlier, it's exhausting to watch and the energy takes the place of earned charm. It's a role and performance that looks and feels like it should be hilarious and one of a kind but ends up a tired one note rehash of another actress. There are some interesting moments and it seems like the book is a wild ride, but the film condenses things to the point where a lot of important transitions and details are left out and Smith can't do much to flesh out her character. I think some people might like Smith here because she is kooky and loud and all over the place but not me. I don't know why Smith captured the hearts of Oscar voters for a while but I don't see anything Oscar worthy in this performance and that makes me sad because I've been hoping for some greatness from this two-time Oscar winner. You just aren't going to find that here.
Cicely Tyson - Sounder
I was really expecting a lot more out of this performance. Tyson is a heavily awarded actress of the stage, screen, and TV. She's had many other personal accolades like a Kennedy Center honor and a Presidential Medal of Freedom. She was even given an Honorary Oscar in late 2018. I know she's a great actress and Sounder seemed to capture the hearts and attention of the Academy so I was prepared for something really strong. What I got was more of a dud. This is a decent little film based on an award winning young adult novel but the story is based around Tyson's character's son and his dog as their husband/father is sent to a work prison for stealing food. Tyson is never really the main focus of the film and so Tyson doesn't really get much of a chance to flex her acting chops. You see it in spurts like when she is pissed at the sheriff and the local store owner who rag her about her husband and especially in her iconic, emotional scene where she reunites with Paul Winfield. I said the same for him but I feel like that scene got her nominated. But besides those moments, Tyson is mostly just the supportive mother/wife who has to pick up the slack once Winfield is gone. She is solid and does everything her character needs to do for the story but she rarely gets to shine. She even disappears at times because the story is about her son. It's great that she was nominated but I was really hoping to see what made her one of the best actresses of her time. There is a lot lacking in the performance simply because the film never allowed her the chance to do much more than be a worried wife/mother. This was highly anticipated but severely disappointing through no fault of Tyson's own.
Liv Ullmann - The Emigrants
Go and read my review of The Emigrants in Best Picture to get the backstory on this film. I don't quite understand how a film that was nominated in the previous year at the Academy Awards could then be nominated in some major awards the next year. Maybe if it was an all time film with an all time performance, but this does not qualify as such. I think there was some building up of Ullmann as an international star and she had been nominated for some other awards before her first Oscar nomination here. Was this to cement her as a star in Hollywood's eyes? Possibly, but serious foreign film fans will tell you Ullmann had a few other better performances that she wasn't nominated for. In this one, she is the wife of a poor Swedish farmer and they eventually set off for America, ending up in Minnesota. It takes over three hours to witness this and I don't feel as if Ullmann does anything amazingly well. She's certainly not doing anything to keep you invested in what you're watching. Ullmann is a talented, accomplished actress but this performance doesn't ask much of her as she plays the farmer's wife who has a lot of kids role. She helps out with the farm work, raises the kids, gets pregnant, has a rough time on the ship to America, argues with husband, and has an overall miserable time. She's good at playing the downtrodden and desperate, but I'm stretching to find anything to grab onto as being worth a nomination a year after it was already nominated once. It's a Liv Ullmann performance for sure, but I feel like she is drowned out in the film by other characters including her husband, Max von Sydow. There are other, more memorable characters who seemingly do more than play restrained mother/wife and are more interesting to watch. This one is a huge disappointment that is not worth the over three hours of your time. Watch her Ingmar Bergman work instead.
This was a really disappointing year with a clear cut winner who blew me away and the rest of the category who are simply here. I have generally disliked Academy darlings because they get some unearned nominations (and even wins) at the expense of other actors who could take their place and make for far more interesting groups of nominees. Smith is one of those in a film that was not as exciting as it could have been and a role that should have been more original than just an imitation. I don't get it other than she stepped into a mess of a situation. Ullmann is tolerable though not particularly exciting. I get that she is thought of as one of the greatest actresses of her generation, but I wished for something not so dour and depressing. And even something like that can be great, but I didn't see that greatness here. Tyson is almost more of the same. An accomplished actress who was heavily awarded in her career and her only Oscar nomination is a boring portrayal of a wife/mother trying to keep things together with a momentary flash of what she could be as an actress. All three heavily disappointing. Ross at least impressed with her singing and takes on a famous singer role that she does well with. Not the most polished of performances but at least one that was interesting and worth the nomination and watch. In most years she'd be a 4th-5th most likely, instead of the 2nd she is here. Liza is the obvious winner and you don't have to dive deep into reasons why. She's just amazing in a role she was born to play and she knocked it out of the park on the first pitch. If not for her, this would be an all time worst year for Best Actress. Thank God for Liza.
Oscar Winner: Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
My Winner: Liza Minnelli - Cabaret
Diana Ross
Cicely Tyson
Liv Ullmann
Maggie Smith
Monday, August 5, 2019
Supporting Actor 1972
One of the rare times where three actors from the same film are nominated in the same category - and none of them end up winning. It's always one that you want to pay attention to and figure out why, especially because the actual winner is really deserving and great in his own right. Which I don't think a lot of people even know of Grey and his performance. There is one performance here that I haven't seen but I don't think it'll factor in to my decision much. This is a year where I get to savor these performances I've already seen.
1972 Best Supporting Actor
Joel Grey - Cabaret
This is one of those winners that people will look at and immediately think well how did this guy I've never heard of beat three huge stars from The Godfather? That's a legitimate question to ask but this winner is not at all a surprising one, especially if you have seen Grey's performance. Grey won a Tony Award for this same role a few years before the film came out, so he had perfected his performance by this win and it for sure wasn't a fluke. Yes, you can say the other three split the votes (which they probably did), but I honestly believe Grey won this on his own merits. He plays the Master of Ceremonies at the Cabaret that Liza Minnelli dances and sings at in Nazi Germany. That's all Grey's role is in the film, he emcees the different cabaret songs and is a big part of the entertainment. Grey really is memorable and and has such a dynamic, interesting energy in the film that you can't help but be intrigued by him. We never actually know anything about him as a person, but we really don't need to. He, and his song and dance routines, represents what's going on under the surface of the film. The main story is about Liza Minnelli and Michael York, but this is highlighting the rise to power of the Nazis in Germany and subtly lampooning what's going on. So Grey is less a character interacting in the story with other characters, but more a representation of the downfall of Germany. And Grey captures this unusual role perfectly. He's kinda creepy, but also hilarious at times with his on stage performance. He is absolutely compelling and magnetic and the film is better for having his little interludes drive the thematic elements of the story. The performance is just so good and iconic that it makes perfect sense as the winner. Grey encapsulates what Cabaret is with his performance alone and that's the best compliment I can give for this win. It's a different kind of performance that works well and makes for an inspired Academy choice.
Eddie Albert - The Heartbreak Kid
So this was a bit confusing for me at first. I watched Butterflies Are Free first and that stars Edward Albert. I thought he was also in this and was just called Eddie and he had been in two big comedies this year and that's why he was nominated. Well turns out that this is actually Edward's father. I thought it was pretty cool that both father and son had pretty big acting years. This Albert played Cybill Shepherd's father and completely disapproves of Charles Grodin's smarmy, obsessed character divorcing his wife of three days to get with his young, pretty daughter. In this category, one of the best groups ever, he never had a shot to win. And I feel like most people just gloss over his name and look at the other four and move on. But Albert is very good in his role. He is mostly in the second half of the film and plays a protective, grumpy father who hates Grodin, for good reason. He does have some comedic moments that are delivered with a serious face and makes the performance really enjoyable. It might be a stock role but Albert makes it his role and his scenes are the best of the second half of the film. It's certainly not an all time performance like the others, but it holds up even today and is fun to watch. Can't fault a good performance like this being in an all time group.
James Caan - The Godfather
I wasn't as enamored with Caan's performance as it seems a lot of other people were. Not to say it's bad at all, but my least favorite of the ones nominated which, really, doesn't mean it's my least favorite or that I disliked it. Caan is a talented actor no doubt and he plays eldest son Santino "Sonny" Corleone and does a great job with his character. Sonny is kind of a hot headed knucklehead. He isn't as smart as Hagen or Michael but he is the oldest. He also seems to rule once he's Don with an emotional bent. Obviously he comes to power because his father was gunned down and things are going awry, but he just seems to have a temper and leads with that instead of taking counsel or measuring all the facts first. I think Caan does a great job of showing how impulsive Sonny is whether it's banging a bridesmaid at the wedding, rushing out to confront Carlo for beating his sister, or ordering a hit in retaliation. It's a little easier to show off having a trigger hair temper but Caan does that emotion justice with his performance. I enjoy how Caan easily switches between the different sides of his character going from rage to concern to joking around seemingly flawlessly. It makes his character pretty likable and makes his end hit a lot harder. I like the performance and he fits perfectly into the role but I can't help but like Duvall and Pacino better.
Robert Duvall - The Godfather
This is probably my favorite of the actual supporting roles in The Godfather for the simple reason that Duvall is exactly what he should be: lowkey. He doesn't overpower any scene he's in, though he still gives an incredibly strong performance. He even slinks into the background at times, but it suits his character and Duvall plays it pitch perfect. He portrays Tom Hagen, the adopted son and now family lawyer for the Corleones. Duvall shines in the early going when he stays well mannered and cordial when meeting with the studio executive and feels more like a Colonel in a war room where he answers to the big men, adds his two cents when necessary, and doesn't get to take over the deliberations. He keeps everyone else in check and stays even keeled throughout, even when he's kinda demoted from being the counsel to the Don. It's good acting and Duvall does exactly what the character needs and nothing more, which is necessary with all the big egos and moving parts. He's a good family guy and Duvall displays that clearly. It's my favorite supporting performance from the film but I'm not considering Pacino a supporting character.
Al Pacino - The Godfather
Let's admit right off the bat that this is a leading performance and really shouldn't be in the supporting category. I don't know if that was designed to get Brando another Oscar or what since there isn't a rule preventing more than one Lead Actor nominee from the same film. So category fraud aside, Pacino is magnificent. This might be his best performance of his career, leagues ahead of his winning performance years later, easily. What we see from this performance is a man who changes completely. To butcher the quote from the other film, they pull him into the lifestyle. He's a Marine hero who doesn't want to get caught up in the family business and wants to marry his girlfriend and do his own thing and then events happen that cause him to become invested in the family business. Pacino is almost unrecognizable because he's so young looking which adds to his performance, honestly. He hasn't developed any of the Pacino tics and trademarks and so we get an honest, pure performance from him. Pacino wants to do right for his family when it seems no one else is stepping up to handle the affairs so he does and we begin to see the transition. Pacino is so intense and living in the performance like we are filming his own life that it's a thing of beauty to watch. When he helps get rid of some rivals, we see the calculating Michael that will come to rule the family. The transition is subtle and thankfully we don't see Michael rise to power in 15 minutes in some montage, Coppola does it justice. Pacino's time in Sicily seems a bit wasted and either could have been expanded or condensed, I'm not sure what would have been best. But once Michael returns stateside we see the completion of the transition and it's almost scary how dark and assured it all is, yet Michael remains charming and likable. Now there's a lot more to the performance than I'm even discussing like Michael and Vito talking about what could have been or Michael manipulating the father of the Sicilian woman he married. All of this shows the depth of Michael and the depth of Pacino's acting and it's all amazing. Pacino should have been rewarded for his work in this film without a doubt.
This is such an interesting group. I think the knee jerk reaction is why the hell didn't Pacino win or at least one of The Godfather nominees win. Most people just see those nominees and think the others must be shit and this is typical Academy bullshit. But! Albert gives a decent performance that wouldn't ever win in any other year but doesn't feel like an undeserved nomination. It's one you can easily place fifth and move on from. Grey is the wrench in the Godfather machine, however. I love his performance and I give him the win because I think it represents the film well, is so unusual but unforgettable, and is just a great performance overall. Others might not agree and that's okay. The other three performances are all very good. I really like Duvall in his role more than Caan as he is just so lowkey and what is necessary in the role without being flashy. Caan is still good but the lesser of the three to me. Pacino isn't even really a supporting character. I'd say he's a lead but gets stuck in here. I'd have him first of the three but he isn't supporting so I knock him down one. But overall this is a really tremendous group. Helps to have one of the greatest films ever give us three nominations. The other two, however, are even better or at least worth a watch. These are the types of categories I wish I had more often!
Oscar Winner: Joel Grey - Cabaret
My Winner: Joel Grey - Cabaret
Robert Duvall
Al Pacino
James Caan
Eddie Albert
1972 Best Supporting Actor
Joel Grey - Cabaret
This is one of those winners that people will look at and immediately think well how did this guy I've never heard of beat three huge stars from The Godfather? That's a legitimate question to ask but this winner is not at all a surprising one, especially if you have seen Grey's performance. Grey won a Tony Award for this same role a few years before the film came out, so he had perfected his performance by this win and it for sure wasn't a fluke. Yes, you can say the other three split the votes (which they probably did), but I honestly believe Grey won this on his own merits. He plays the Master of Ceremonies at the Cabaret that Liza Minnelli dances and sings at in Nazi Germany. That's all Grey's role is in the film, he emcees the different cabaret songs and is a big part of the entertainment. Grey really is memorable and and has such a dynamic, interesting energy in the film that you can't help but be intrigued by him. We never actually know anything about him as a person, but we really don't need to. He, and his song and dance routines, represents what's going on under the surface of the film. The main story is about Liza Minnelli and Michael York, but this is highlighting the rise to power of the Nazis in Germany and subtly lampooning what's going on. So Grey is less a character interacting in the story with other characters, but more a representation of the downfall of Germany. And Grey captures this unusual role perfectly. He's kinda creepy, but also hilarious at times with his on stage performance. He is absolutely compelling and magnetic and the film is better for having his little interludes drive the thematic elements of the story. The performance is just so good and iconic that it makes perfect sense as the winner. Grey encapsulates what Cabaret is with his performance alone and that's the best compliment I can give for this win. It's a different kind of performance that works well and makes for an inspired Academy choice.
Eddie Albert - The Heartbreak Kid
So this was a bit confusing for me at first. I watched Butterflies Are Free first and that stars Edward Albert. I thought he was also in this and was just called Eddie and he had been in two big comedies this year and that's why he was nominated. Well turns out that this is actually Edward's father. I thought it was pretty cool that both father and son had pretty big acting years. This Albert played Cybill Shepherd's father and completely disapproves of Charles Grodin's smarmy, obsessed character divorcing his wife of three days to get with his young, pretty daughter. In this category, one of the best groups ever, he never had a shot to win. And I feel like most people just gloss over his name and look at the other four and move on. But Albert is very good in his role. He is mostly in the second half of the film and plays a protective, grumpy father who hates Grodin, for good reason. He does have some comedic moments that are delivered with a serious face and makes the performance really enjoyable. It might be a stock role but Albert makes it his role and his scenes are the best of the second half of the film. It's certainly not an all time performance like the others, but it holds up even today and is fun to watch. Can't fault a good performance like this being in an all time group.
James Caan - The Godfather
I wasn't as enamored with Caan's performance as it seems a lot of other people were. Not to say it's bad at all, but my least favorite of the ones nominated which, really, doesn't mean it's my least favorite or that I disliked it. Caan is a talented actor no doubt and he plays eldest son Santino "Sonny" Corleone and does a great job with his character. Sonny is kind of a hot headed knucklehead. He isn't as smart as Hagen or Michael but he is the oldest. He also seems to rule once he's Don with an emotional bent. Obviously he comes to power because his father was gunned down and things are going awry, but he just seems to have a temper and leads with that instead of taking counsel or measuring all the facts first. I think Caan does a great job of showing how impulsive Sonny is whether it's banging a bridesmaid at the wedding, rushing out to confront Carlo for beating his sister, or ordering a hit in retaliation. It's a little easier to show off having a trigger hair temper but Caan does that emotion justice with his performance. I enjoy how Caan easily switches between the different sides of his character going from rage to concern to joking around seemingly flawlessly. It makes his character pretty likable and makes his end hit a lot harder. I like the performance and he fits perfectly into the role but I can't help but like Duvall and Pacino better.
Robert Duvall - The Godfather
This is probably my favorite of the actual supporting roles in The Godfather for the simple reason that Duvall is exactly what he should be: lowkey. He doesn't overpower any scene he's in, though he still gives an incredibly strong performance. He even slinks into the background at times, but it suits his character and Duvall plays it pitch perfect. He portrays Tom Hagen, the adopted son and now family lawyer for the Corleones. Duvall shines in the early going when he stays well mannered and cordial when meeting with the studio executive and feels more like a Colonel in a war room where he answers to the big men, adds his two cents when necessary, and doesn't get to take over the deliberations. He keeps everyone else in check and stays even keeled throughout, even when he's kinda demoted from being the counsel to the Don. It's good acting and Duvall does exactly what the character needs and nothing more, which is necessary with all the big egos and moving parts. He's a good family guy and Duvall displays that clearly. It's my favorite supporting performance from the film but I'm not considering Pacino a supporting character.
Al Pacino - The Godfather
Let's admit right off the bat that this is a leading performance and really shouldn't be in the supporting category. I don't know if that was designed to get Brando another Oscar or what since there isn't a rule preventing more than one Lead Actor nominee from the same film. So category fraud aside, Pacino is magnificent. This might be his best performance of his career, leagues ahead of his winning performance years later, easily. What we see from this performance is a man who changes completely. To butcher the quote from the other film, they pull him into the lifestyle. He's a Marine hero who doesn't want to get caught up in the family business and wants to marry his girlfriend and do his own thing and then events happen that cause him to become invested in the family business. Pacino is almost unrecognizable because he's so young looking which adds to his performance, honestly. He hasn't developed any of the Pacino tics and trademarks and so we get an honest, pure performance from him. Pacino wants to do right for his family when it seems no one else is stepping up to handle the affairs so he does and we begin to see the transition. Pacino is so intense and living in the performance like we are filming his own life that it's a thing of beauty to watch. When he helps get rid of some rivals, we see the calculating Michael that will come to rule the family. The transition is subtle and thankfully we don't see Michael rise to power in 15 minutes in some montage, Coppola does it justice. Pacino's time in Sicily seems a bit wasted and either could have been expanded or condensed, I'm not sure what would have been best. But once Michael returns stateside we see the completion of the transition and it's almost scary how dark and assured it all is, yet Michael remains charming and likable. Now there's a lot more to the performance than I'm even discussing like Michael and Vito talking about what could have been or Michael manipulating the father of the Sicilian woman he married. All of this shows the depth of Michael and the depth of Pacino's acting and it's all amazing. Pacino should have been rewarded for his work in this film without a doubt.
This is such an interesting group. I think the knee jerk reaction is why the hell didn't Pacino win or at least one of The Godfather nominees win. Most people just see those nominees and think the others must be shit and this is typical Academy bullshit. But! Albert gives a decent performance that wouldn't ever win in any other year but doesn't feel like an undeserved nomination. It's one you can easily place fifth and move on from. Grey is the wrench in the Godfather machine, however. I love his performance and I give him the win because I think it represents the film well, is so unusual but unforgettable, and is just a great performance overall. Others might not agree and that's okay. The other three performances are all very good. I really like Duvall in his role more than Caan as he is just so lowkey and what is necessary in the role without being flashy. Caan is still good but the lesser of the three to me. Pacino isn't even really a supporting character. I'd say he's a lead but gets stuck in here. I'd have him first of the three but he isn't supporting so I knock him down one. But overall this is a really tremendous group. Helps to have one of the greatest films ever give us three nominations. The other two, however, are even better or at least worth a watch. These are the types of categories I wish I had more often!
Oscar Winner: Joel Grey - Cabaret
My Winner: Joel Grey - Cabaret
Robert Duvall
Al Pacino
James Caan
Eddie Albert
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