Supporting Actor 1963

I feel like I am out of ideas for any funny or witty or interesting intros to these reviews - not that I ever had any like that before. But what else am I supposed to say? I have seen none of these films and some of the names aren't familiar. I am interested to see if Douglas deserves his first of two Supporting wins. Let's find out.

1963 Best Supporting Actor

Melvyn Douglas - Hud

I was very interested in seeing this performance because I had heard a lot of great things about Hud and because Douglas had already won a second Oscar for a performance that I didn't care for at all, but was also nominated for Best Actor for a role I enjoyed. So what was I gonna get with this one? And this is only possible because I'm going backwards in time that I can be like how does this compare to you from almost 20 years later. Kinda cool way to review performances but I know going the natural way has it's moments, too. Anyway, we are here for this beautiful black and white film about a family in rural Texas and their issues. No this is not a Last Picture Show review, though that film probably does owe a lot to Hud and James Wong Howe, the Oscar winning Cinematographer for this film. I may be talking a lot about the film because it was somehow NOT nominated for Best Picture which is insane. Douglas plays Paul Newman's father, an old cattle rancher who is faced with losing his herd to hoof and mouth disease. He is the wise elder rancher, mostly sounding sad and worn out with his gravelly voice. His lifestyle and generation is coming to an end and people like his son are taking over, more interested in instant gratification and only caring about themselves than anyone else. Some call it moral degradation, but others call it progress and the two characters of Douglas and Newman butt heads in this regard. Douglas does a great job of portraying that sort of forlorn longing of a different, better time. There is a lot of tension between him and his son and Douglas's character isn't happy that his grandson looks up to Newman. There is a lot of reserved sadness in Douglas's performance that fits perfectly with the character who is losing his livelihood. He doesn't play it too broadly or animated. His moments of anger with Newman feel earned and as a culmination of pent up frustration at who his son has become. There is hope that his grandson can be better but also hopelessness that he's on the wrong path. The nuance and depth in this older rancher is what Douglas brings to the performance and is what helps it compete with Newman's anti-hero figure. It's a quietly strong performance that really does make the film better, especially when balancing out Newman. I can definitely see why this performance won and am glad that it was a worthy nomination.

Nick Adams - Twilight of Honor

I have said it a bunch of times before here, but I love this category and I love coming across names and films I've never heard of. Is it going to be a new favorite, a sleeper hit, a huge disappointment, or even outright terrible? That's the Oscar gamble (new blog name?!) and one that sometimes pays out. This film was really entertaining to me and I really enjoyed watching it. Mostly due to the main lead, Richard Chamberlain, who plays a young lawyer called on to defend an impossible to beat murder charge. It's a trial film and Chamberlain was apparently real hot on TV at the time and is legit a good looking dude and really charming and likable. He just oozes personality. The man he is defending is Nick Adams. A lot of things I read compared it to Anatomy of a Murder from the year before and felt it was a lesser imitation. I haven't watched that one yet, but this is one of those who do you believe stories. The bit of difference from other films like this is we see both sides of the story acted out as if it were happening when they are being told. That's where Adams earns his nomination. He essentially plays two different characters. There is the aggressive, violent loner who meets a teen girl in a bar and marries her and later they get picked up by some big shot cowboy in New Mexico and that older man ends up dead. The other side is the meek, nervous simpleton who gets caught up with a teen girl who takes advantage of him and ends up getting him to kill the old cowboy. Adams plays both sides of the character wonderfully because in both instances you fully believe he is that version of the killer. It's fun to see that dual performance and while it's not groundbreaking or important acting, it sure does make the story better. There's no real Oscar moment, it's just simple, effective work. I'm still unsure which version of the character was the truth and that's the sign of a good story and good acting. Interesting to note that Adams campaigned hard for the Oscar and was considered the front runner before Melvyn Douglas won. This lead to a decline in roles and after a couple years of being nominated, he died of a drug overdose. Pretty tragic because who knows what might have been if he had been given more interesting roles and didn't spiral into depression in part because he lost the Oscar.

Bobby Darin - Captain Newman, M.D.

Dang, this is another really fantastic film. This was singer Bobby Darin's attempt at winning an Oscar a la Frank Sinatra. He saw Sinatra win one and was like yeah I can do that. And kinda almost did! Before we get into all that, though, the film is about Captain Newman, played by Gregory Peck. That right there should hook you in. It's also got Tony Curtis, Eddie Albert, Dick Sargent, a young Robert Duvall, Angie Dickinson, and a lot of really good small time actors giving some great performances. The film is about Newman who is a shrink and is dealing with military guys with PTSD and other after war traumas. Super fascinating to see this dealt with on the big screen, honestly. Darin is a Corporal who survived a crash of his plane he was a gunner in and he is dealing with that survival guilt. Not as much screen time as Sinatra but Darin makes up for it. And I hate comparing the two but how can you not? Anyway, Darin legit has an Oscar scene that lasts a few minutes when he is taken into a room and they use sodium pentathol to get him to recreate his trauma. What transpires after is legit some amazing work, but also harrowing. I'm not gonna lie, if you are tasked with pretending to be doped up and then live a trauma for what was like five minutes or more, you deserve a nomination. It was a great portrayal of the traumatic moment and Darin just bouncing back from from it after seals it. I really enjoyed his very short performance. I am someone who has been to war but I can't speak to traumas and all that, but Darin really does knock it out of the park. I dunno, I think his Oscar moment should be studied because it feels real. And there is no shame and there is no holding back. I legit love the film and think it's a hidden gem. It's not this big Oscar film, it's just this important film about how veterans were treated. That's my focus and it's a great film in dealing with that. Darin does add to how well the film does for me.

Hugh Griffith - Tom Jones

Reading up on this film and performance, you would think this one from Griffith was a failure. Apparently he came to set most days drunk off his ass and halted production numerous times and had a big issue with the other actors on the film. But he was a previous Oscar winner for Ben-Hur only a couple years earlier. I think that is why he was nominated, along with how well the film did overall. Nominate what you know and go with that. Griffith played Squire Western, who is taking care of Sophie Western who the playboy Tom Jones actually loves. Griffith's best moments are when he is arguing with Edith Evans. They have great chemistry and their back and forth is a lot of fun to watch. She maintains the stiff upper lip, he goes crazy and falls in hay and upsets animals and all that. He matches the energy of the film with it's manic feel and Griffith represents the film well. This isn't a winning performance but it at least matches the film and is interesting to watch given the hot mess behind the scenes.

John Huston - The Cardinal

You know John Huston. As an actor, a director, a producer, probably a writer. You know him. But this is his only actual acting performance nomination. It feels like he has more, but I guess 15 other nominations will take care of that. Huston won his only two Oscars for Writing and Directing The Treasure of The Sierra Madre.What's crazy is that Huston felt like he had won like 4 more Oscars! Now, this was never going to win unless the Academy really wanted to honor Huston, but he was still producing great material so that wasn't likely. Huston does play the Cardinal, well one of the Cardinal's anyway. He comes off as John Huston and if you've seen him act or just in interviews or wherever kinda doesn't fit a clergyman but also fits this specific character. He's kind of a hard ass Cardinal who mentors Tom Tryon, who is really great in his leading role. He really reminds me of a young Daniel Day-Lewis in looks. Wish he would have done more work but I guess he got bored and became a writer mostly. Anyway, Huston mostly just has a couple big scenes where he is interrogating Tryon to see what his aspirations are and if he is too ambitious and if he truly believes and all that. He really livens up the scenes and the film overall, which is feels very long at two and a half hours and Huston is only in it periodically. His other big scene is where he is comforting a dying priest who is his friend, played by Burgess Meredith. It's so fine dramatic work that is not overwrought or showing off. It matches the character and helps us see a bit more into this character's psyche and who he is deep down. If you watch this film, Huston will definitely leave a mark and will most likely be the main thing you think about when remembering The Cardinal, which should speak for itself. Not a winner but a decent acting performance from an old pro.

I really love that this category always seems to give me interesting films and/or performances. There's almost always something I can point to as being why I love this category. For this one, it's the lesser known films that turned out to be good and have some good performances. Griffith was a previous winner in the Best Picture winning film and he absolutely came along for the ride. He was pretty meh to me in the role but was a bit lively and funny at times. But it just didn't really connect with me. Adams does a good job with his role and I actually liked Richard Chamberlain's main character role way more, but Adams holds up okay. Never gonna win know matter how hard he campaigned, the nomination was the reward for a career tragically over way too soon. A real what could have been story. Huston is fun and does liven up his film also. But he plays John Huston more than an actual character. He's enjoyable in that regard but nothing give an Oscar for. Darin is pure Oscar bait and I loved it. It's fun when folks like this really go all out to try and win and deliver a pretty decent performance. I liked that very long scene where he re-enacts his trauma. Good stuff and kinda unexpected. Never going to win, though. Douglas feels like the only legit choice for a win and I feel he deserves it. His quietly strong rancher just adds so much to his film and goes toe to toe with Paul Newman. Easy win for him, though this should have been his only win. But that's the Academy for you. I like this category more for the films it got me to watch because I enjoyed them all for the most part and that's partly what I am really here for anyway.

Oscar Winner: Melvyn Douglas - Hud
My Winner:  Melvyn Douglas - Hud
Bobby Darin
John Huston
Nick Adams
Hugh Griffith