This is a list of big names (and Chaim Topol) that would make anyone want to sit down and watch these men and figure out who is best. I have seen none of these, so let's sit down and figure out which of these guys is the best this year.
1971 Best Actor
Gene Hackman - The French Connection
This was the role and performance that turned Hackman into a leading man in Hollywood. I was thinking this was his first nomination but he was nominated twice before for Supporting Actor, including the year prior in 1970. So it seems almost like he was due, in that he had been putting in the work and was finally rewarded with a performance that fit his true style. That's what sticks out to me about his win here, it's not flashy by any means. It almost looks like he's not doing much acting and that it's a weak winner. But I think if you really look at it closely, Hackman is doing some wonderful work even when it's not obvious. We know who this man is and what he stands for essentially, even though we don't get all this extra character development. We see a cop who will go to any length necessary to follow and find his man and get the arrest. We see a tough old dude who will fight his own fellow cops because he believes he is right. He gets along well with his partner even though they shit talk each other hardcore at times. He is a man born to do this and get results. Hackman is realistic in his portrayal and you can see him being a cop commanding suspects and being kind of an asshole to them. His Popeye is obsessive in getting his man or finding out who/what is involved in these drug deals and we actually see this obsession manifest at the very end when he goes into the building and shoots the wrong guy and then continues on and we hear another shot but don't know what happens. I think the ending is best left ambiguous instead of telling us what happens but it highlights how Doyle gets tunnel vision in trying to catch his guy. The look of determination and singular focus on Hackman's face is great acting. The performance ends up being a lot more interesting than you might initially give it credit for. You might say well, he didn't do much and then you think back on the whole story and see just how much Hackman did with his character and how truly great it is. This is a sneaky good performance and represents the best of Hackman as an actor.
Peter Finch - Sunday Bloody Sunday
I feel it's sometimes harder to review a performance about a regular person than it is for something like a very Jewish character in a musical or a sweet old guy or a down and dirty cop or a drunk doctor. Those are specific characters and easier to digest and compare to ones we've already seen or know about. But when it's a normal character going through life's challenges, it's harder to really dive into and talk about sometimes. Or at least know where to begin. You can make the case for Finch being another specific characterization because his role is of a gay doctor but the rub is that Finch portrays this character as just a normal person. That's amazing because this was one of the first openly gay characters to kiss another man onscreen in a major film (or something to that effect - it was a real sticking point that made other actors turn down the role.) Finch just plays his character like any other person and he just happens to be gay and involved with a young man who is also seeing a woman. It's the frankness with which everything is dealt with that I find refreshing since this is a film from the early 70s and a kiss between men was still shocking and taboo. But Finch plays it wonderfully and makes his relationship with the young artist guy feel so natural and not like some perverted mess. It's certainly not the most ideal of relationships and Finch knows he sees women too. But Finch is clearly in love and devoted to his beau and wants to do things with him but is concerned that his art will take him to NYC. A perfectly normal thing for a successful young artist and it makes the relationship authentic. He puts this young man's attention above all else and it's heartbreaking to see how flippant the young man treats him. This is a far cry from the angry newscaster of Network but it is still as compelling. I like that Finch treats it as a normal relationship and there isn't any exaggerated gay stereotypes. It's just an older man trying to stay relevant to his younger lover. I especially like the very end scene of just Finch because it does sum up the whole performance and you could just watch that to understand what and why this was nominated. A good, unexpected performance from Finch.
Walter Matthau - Kotch
This was described as a Harry and Tonto film before that even was made. Matthau plays an old man, though he was only 50 and played a much older character. That seemed to be a theme for Matthau in his films, playing way older than he really was. Also, this was the only film directed by one of my favorite actors, Jack Lemmon. So I was curious on how this would actually turn out. Not bad is the answer, however tepid that is. Matthau plays a sweet old man who lives with a kid of his but they want to put him in a retirement home. He decides to ride around the country (but with no cat) and see places and talk to everyone. He strikes up a friendship with a pregnant girl and he tries to cling to her as she kinda goes and does what she wants returning to him when she needs stuff. We've already seen this film before and this is a ho-hum version of it. Matthau is good at playing the sweet, gentle old man but it gets really old, really fast. He's just a super nice guy, always upbeat wanting to talk to anyone and everyone, and he finds the positive in everything. One of those type of characters who become a little too cloying even if Matthau imbues it with his own little version of sarcastic acting. But the performance is just kinda there and we watch the same beats for almost two hours. While we like the guy, I got bored of what was going on because it was the same throughout and Matthau didn't do anything particularly compelling. Maybe this is a case of wanting to reward Matthau or even Lemmon, but this is one of those forgettable performances that doesn't quite move the needle either way for me. I'm mostly disappointed in this performance because I was really hoping it would be a great Matthau role I hadn't heard of before.
George C. Scott - The Hospital
Having won the previous year for Patton, an iconic role, this was in the wheelhouse of the Academy's "let's nominate a previous winner for some good work" thing they love to do. Sometimes it's just let's nominate a previous winner because they made a film, no matter how bad, but at least Scott is pretty good in this role. But for real, Scott had just turned down the Academy Award and still got nominated. That speaks to his acting ability and also the Academy's desire to be right. This film is a bit strange but it is a dark comedy written by Paddy Chayefsky, who wrote Network. It's a dark portrayal of hospital life brought to life by a guy who brings an unmatched intensity to his work. Scott walks that fine line between too intense with his head up his ass in acting and devolving into some black humor schlock. The Hospital probably hits harder for those that have experienced a medical setting because it could easily still be a bit true to life for 2019. The film is incredibly wordy and asks a lot of Scott to deliver pages of dialogue. Therefore it makes the performance come off as very theatrical and it feels like a stage adaptation. Scott is intense, yes, but he is at the top of his game and plays a very great drunk. I am always impressed when an actor can play a convincing drunk because it's the absolute hardest thing to get right on screen. But I also think the film/writing is a bit self indulgent and it looks like Scott was trying to challenge himself. It just comes off a bit like the opposite of General Patton. That's probably an unfair assessment but it feels like work from Scott. I mean that in a non bad way, but it does feel like he's showing off a bit. I think the best review I read said it was more Chayefsky's film than Scott's and I agree. It feels like Scott getting caught up in an exercise of Chayefsky's. The performance is good, most certainly buoyed by his win the previous year. But Scott is earnest in his portrayal even if the character is a bit half baked in the script. I'd like more and for Scott to really flex his acting muscles. I think this is Scott chewing scenery in a film that wanted to be more influential and powerful than it was.
Chaim Topol - Fiddler on the Roof
This was one of those names and performances on the list that I looked at when first doing this project and thought, really? I didn't know much about the film other than it was a musical about Jewish folk and the Academy has a history of rewarding those that are from another medium or do one thing exceptionally well. I was thinking Topol was like an actual fiddler or dancer or created the whole musical himself because I just didn't know any better. But after finally watching this film, it makes complete sense why he is nominated because it is so well deserved in my opinion. Topol is the heart and soul of the film and without his performance, the story would fail miserably. He has an expressive, distinctive face and a deep voice (that sounds like Marcus, the narrator and gunsmith in the Borderlands video game series, weird comparison, I know) that really suits his presence in the film. He's really quite funny, even in the most subtle of ways, and some of his songs are super catchy. It helps that he sings the most famous one from the film, "If I Were a Rich Man." That's one probably everyone has heard even if they haven't seen the film. Topol's energy in the film and in singing allows the viewer to grab onto him and really dive into the story. He is our conduit and as Topol goes, we go. He is a levelheaded man, though he becomes irked by his daughters' insistence to eschew tradition and marry who they want. But still, Topol allows it (for the most part) and understands change is coming. His character arc is interesting to watch, because at first you wonder if he has the range to portray the emotions necessary for such a joyous film that eventually becomes a sad and tragic one. He is up to the task and not just a singer or dancer or funny actor. He brings real heart to the role and humanizes Teyve for us. I really enjoy his talks with God as it allows us a way to peek inside his mind and Topol does the almost fourth wall breaking justice. I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this performance as much as I did but it's a fully fleshed out character on screen in a very good film. This was absolutely the role of a lifetime for Topol and it helps that he originated it for the London stage production. All of the hard work and devotion to perfecting the character is evident in his performance and this is one you should definitely watch.
A list of big names (and Chaim Topol) that actually delivers for the most part. Matthau is the clear bottom feeder in this ecosystem. I don't think he deserves to be nominated, honestly. There are so many other great performances this year including Timothy Bottoms in The Last Picture Show and Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange to name a couple. Both are a thousand times more deserving than Matthau's too nice old man. It doesn't make much sense for a nomination. Scott just won the year before so he would have to be utterly amazing to win again and he's just okay. He's good, actually, in a very dark comedy of sorts and it's worth seeing but could be easily replaced, honestly. Finch is terrific in a role that is somewhat taboo and I like that he makes it a normal feeling character. It's not GAY in big letters but just a normal human who is in a homosexual relationship. It's refreshing for the early 70s. I struggled to figure out who to give the win to. If Topol had won, I'd be very happy because it's his film and he is perfect in it. But I also love Hackman and feel he is good enough to win as well. So let's stay with the Academy on this but if I woke up tomorrow and it was an alternate reality where Topol is the winner, I'd be more than okay with that. So excited to be wrapping up the 70s soon because it feels like I've been doing this since the 70s!
Oscar Winner: Gene Hackman - The French Connection
My Winner: Gene Hackman - The French Connection
Chaim Topol
Peter Finch
George C. Scott
Walter Matthau
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