Supporting Actor 1960

Some really interesting names and films here that I can't wait to dive into, so let's get going!

1960 Best Supporting Actor

 

Peter Ustinov - Spartacus

 

I was never sure about Ustinov and his two wins because before this project, I had never really heard of him. I know that sounds ridiculous but I feel there are an increasing number of folks like me who just don't know his legacy. I am glad this project has not only shown me his two wins, but have shown me his work in other films as well. And because the Academy loves rewarding folks who have a great year, Ustinov wins here but also does great work in The Sundowners, where I laughed out loud at his character. I also have forgotten that this is a Stanley Kubrick film, but it makes sense because it looks so much better and so more stylish than the typical sword and sandal films of the previous decade. Ustinov plays Batiatus, a slave trader who buys Spartacus and trains him to be a gladiator along with others slaves. If you have ever seen an Ustinov performance, this one is very much like all the rest of his that I have seen. I don't say that in any negative way because I love his charming sort of deadpan and wry sense of humor. He is hilarious to me without it really being overt comic relief. For this performance he keeps it toned down but still brings a lot of humor, mostly by saying things to people who are above him in station and backtracking quickly to say something else. He's also kind of soft as a slave trader. Yes, he has moments where he can be a bit cruel, but he seems more motivated by money and pride than being a bad person who enjoys mistreating slaves. Ustinov follows the story around as he heads to Rome after the slaves overthrow his little camp and does more business with the Roman senators and he even escorts Jean Simmons and her baby out of harm's way (she is Spartacus's wife). He is very integral to the plot and always around at the right time and Ustinov perfectly plays his part in this very long film. It's really a great role for Ustinov and he makes the most of it and is my favorite part of this film.

Peter Falk - Murder, Inc

The introduction of Falk into Hollywood, this gave us Columbo so that's pretty good. You might also watch this film and think that this is a leading performance because they just can't get away from Falk in the story. I know another Best Actor blog said that Falk disappeared for a long time, but fuck no he didn't. He appeared intermittently but consistent enough to not be Supporting. It was his introducing credit, so that's why he is in Supporting, but Falk is very intimidating in the role. He is doing exactly what they want from him. Falk does a lot of killing, but then gets fucked over and taken to jail where he meets one of the people in this ridiculous film and offers advice. Falk plays everything as he should and is just a perfect gangster who accomplishes more than you do. So yeah, Falk is a gangster hitman and goes on doing his leader's bidding. The role is fine, but obviously Falk is doing way more than Supporting work here. It's again not a great film like his nomination from the next year and it feels like Falk was getting typecast. Glad he was able to breakaway from that and I know he was in some John Cassavetes films so he at least got to be more than just some boring gangster. A lightly decent performance where I'd suggest watching Falk's other work instead of this.

Jack Kruschen - The Apartment

This film is pretty damn great and it hurts me to say that Kruschen most likely just came along for the ride for such a well liked film. Kruschen plays the next door neighbor to Jack Lemmon and he provides a bit of comic relief as a Jewish doctor. He and his wife believe that Lemmon is a huge playboy who is having multiple women a week and throwing large parties and drinking like a fish and just being a huge party animal. Of course, these are the executives from his work that he lets use his apartment, but they don't know that and he never tells them otherwise. He has a few brief, funny interactions with Lemmon in the hall but does have a very serious scene. He is woken up by Lemmon to, spoiler alert, help tend to Shirley MacLaine who has overdosed on sleeping pills. The scene is fantastic because he does exactly what a doctor would do and it looks like the real thing. I read they had some emergency doctors on set guiding them on how Kruschen should act and it comes out making the scene so much better. So not a lot to the performance, just a guy who gets some laughs and then when he needs to be commanding and do his doctor duties hits it out of the park. Still, the nomination probably came with the film as amiable as Kruschen is in the role. I don't mind it, though, and would take more roles like this and less like Chill Wills.

Sal Mineo - Exodus

 

A very interesting film about the creation of Israel and all the troubles that came along with doing so. It's got a stacked cast including Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, Lee J. Cobb, Peter Lawford, Ralph Richardson, and of course Mineo among some others. It's also a very long film of almost three and a half hours, crazy that it was the third highest grossing films of 1960 at that length. Mineo plays Dov Landau, a young Jewish man who was in Auschwitz and wants to carve out a country for his fellow people by any means necessary. It's not a big role in terms of actual screen time, but Landau is instrumental in kicking off the aggression that eventually will lead to Israeli independence. I would say Mineo only has maybe twenty minutes face time and a lot of that is minor scenes setting up his romance with a young girl played by Jill Haworth, who I think should have been in the Supporting Actress category, honestly. Or it's him being arrested or visiting a group, minor scenes. But Mineo does have an Oscar scene where he is grilled by a group of radical Zionists about his time in Auschwitz and Mineo finally breaks down and admits he was a Jew that helped the Nazis blow up holes for mass graves. It's a good piece of acting that shows us that Mineo has the talent and is probably wasted a bit with his character getting so little to do in the film, though some of his scenes are pivotal ones. This was a role that Mineo desperately wanted and sought out and his persistence paid off with his second Oscar nomination. It gets better as the film goes on and that just made me want to see a little more of him in the role.

Chill Wills - The Alamo

 

Well, this is one of the more I guess infamously well known nominations if you follow Oscar history. Mostly because Wills unashamedly took out ads trying to win and stating in them that he was everyone's cousin and I love you all and that the cast and crew of this film were praying harder than the men who fought at the Alamo. Pretty unbelievable poor taste by Wills that drew the ire of his director and star of the film, John Wayne, among other stars at the time. Sammy Davis Jr. took out an ad saying sorry bruh, I voted for Sal Mineo (without the bruh, obviously). I don't know if this was the first real campaign for a win, but it sure was one of the most distasteful. Silly thing is, if you watch this film and have no idea who Wills is, you may not be able to guess who he is. He is nothing more than comedic relief and while he does succeed in that regard, it really is nothing special. He has a couple moments, but nothing that makes him standout and his nomination must be due to his campaign, because he certainly doesn't belong here. Maybe you could go with Richard Widmark or Laurence Harvey in their roles, but I don't think anyone would ever point to Wills willingly and say that should be nominated, let alone rewarded. This one is better left forgotten.

Definitely not the best group ever and probably a little disappointing if I'm being honest. Wills has a nothing role and only got nominated because he campaigned hard for it. Useless nomination that I would have rather gone to someone else. Falk is fine as a gangster and may be in the wrong category, but not an awful performance or anything. You can see the star power peeking through his work here, though. Kruschen probably just comes along for the ride but does have that one Oscar worthy scene where he goes into doctor mode. It is an important scene and a great bit of acting and I'm happy he's here. Mineo could have possibly been my winner if he had more screen time. He was also somewhat vital to the film but just didn't get a ton to do before he was used as a plot device. So Ustinov gets my vote because he is important to the film and pops up throughout this long film and gives a good performance to boot. Just a likable actor who does good work. Not a great year but at least some decent performances on the top end.

Oscar Winner: Peter Ustinov - Spartacus

My Winner: Peter Ustinov - Spartacus

Sal Mineo

Jack Kruschen

Peter Falk

Chill Wills