This year is a little dull because you have On The Waterfront which is a pretty open and shut case. There was an upset in the Best Actress category so that's a little interesting but for the most part, On The Waterfront wins everything, which it should have. Not only is it an American classic but they kind of stacked the deck in its favor. If you look at the Best Director category you will see what should have been nominated but in the Best Picture category they seemed to have pulled movies out of a hat.
You can see my GABBY winners and nominees HERE
Best Picture
5. Three Coins In The Fountain - First off, why does this movie have two opening credit sequences? It opens with the title song playing over shots of Rome then dissolves into title cards. Seems like they could have put the titles over the shots of Rome or played the song over the title cards. That's really all I have to say about the film because it's pretty dull other than the title song. Not sure how it ended up with a Best Picture nomination without any acting, writing or directing nominations. Other than this category it was only nominated for Cinematography and the song.
4. The Caine Mutiny - This is a 2 hour movie that would have been perfect had it been 90 minutes. Humphrey Bogart is the new captain of a navy ship and at first he seems to be overly strict but then it turns out that he's paranoid and unhinged. He finds some ice cream and strawberries missing from the fridge and makes the whole crew search for the culprit. Then there's the titular mutiny and a trial afterwards to find out who is really to blame. All of that works. The problem with the film is we spend a lot of time with young Robert Francis. He acts as the audience's way into the film. The movie starts and ends with him and in the middle of the film we get his romance. This guy is a vacuum of charisma and is a huge bore to watch. If they had cut him out of the movie it would be a classic. I looked up the actor to see what else he had done (I'd never heard of him before), turns out he died the following year in a fiery plane crash. So...sorry to piss on a corpse, but he really brought this film down.
3. The Country Girl - This is a really great movie. As a recovering alcoholic, I always have a soft spot for movies about drunks. I'm also an actor and this is a movie about a drunk actor whose career is on the skids. It was like looking into a mirror of an alternate timeline. Bing Crosby plays an out of work actor, William Holden is a director who wants to use him in his new show, Grace Kelly is Bing's wife, the titular country girl. Crosby gets the job but keeps having issues either staying sober or remembering his lines. All the blame goes to his wife because Bing says she is dependent on him, turns out that Bing is dependent on her. He keeps saying he can't leave her because she's suicidal and a drunk but the exact opposite is true. This is a movie that is bolstered by really strong performances. Bing has never been better, Grace Kelly deserved the Oscar she won and adding William Holden to the cast is just gravy.
2. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers - This is a perfectly enjoyable musical and there is not much else to say about it. It's directed by Stanley Donen who made Singin' In The Rain and was choreographed by Michael Kidd who won 5 Tony awards. It's bright and fun, the musical numbers are catchy and the dancing is enjoyable to watch. Did it need to be included in the Best Picture race? Not really.
1. On The Waterfront - This is an American classic. Every time I watch the film I seem to forget just how good it is. This was Elia Kazan's response to naming names to the HUAC which got several people blacklisted for being communists. I think most people stand on the side of the argument that it was a witch hunt and you shouldn't throw your friends under the bus. However, the movie itself is fantastic. Marlon Brando plays dockworker Terry Malloy who stands up to the thugs and the mob that run the docks in New Jersey. The entire cast is incredible, the script is amazing, Kazan's directing has never been better, the cinematography and the editing are also top notch. It is one of those movies that you just need to see. If you're a film lover you need to see On The Waterfront.
My rankings are a little weird this year because On The Waterfront was the clear winner so it should be On The Waterfront is number 1, everything else is number 5. Then I started to think about what could beat it. If The Country Girl or The Caine Mutiny won then it wouldn't make sense that they picked another drama over one of the best dramas ever made. If Three Coins In The Fountain wins then that would be one of the worst Oscar decisions of all time. But if Seven Brides For Seven Brothers beat On The Waterfront we would all look at this year and think, "of course they did". An American In Paris beat A Streetcar Named Desire so why shouldn't On The Waterfront lose to Seven Brides For Seven Brothers? It would be a terrible decision but it would kind of make sense.
Oscar Winner: On The Waterfront
My Vote: On The Waterfront
GABBY Winner: On The Waterfront
Best Actor
1. Marlon Brando - On The Waterfront - If anyone other than Marlon Brando walked out of the theater with this Oscar then this should have been the last Oscar ceremony. The award would instantly lose all significance. Brando bursts on to the scene with A Streetcar Named Desire then finally wins for quite possibly his greatest role on his 4th consecutive Best Actor nomination. Brando plays Terry Malloy, an ex-boxer who blew his chance at the title because his brother told him to take a dive. He now works at the docks and turns a blind eye to the corruption around him only to be in the middle of it when he starts dating a girl whose brother is murdered. This is a terrific performance. Brando doesn't hit a single false note in the whole film and creates a character that seems authentic and tragic and endearing.
This is a case of cosmic justice. Brando deserved the win in 1951 but lost to Humphrey Bogart, who should have won years ago himself. He finally wins here and who does he beat? Humphrey Bogart. If they would have given Brando the win for A Streetcar Named Desire then they could have given Bogart the win here and I don't think anyone would have cared. I've read from some people who think it's a huge Oscar injustice that Bogart won for The African Queen but he should have won for something. Yeah, it's the Academy's fault for not giving him the win for Casablanca or Treasure Of The Sierra Madre but at least they made up for it. Bogart and Brando both ended up getting their wins so everything worked out. For my awards, I gave Brando the win in 1951 and I gave Bogart the win in 1943 so I went with Bing this year as I didn't have him win for Going My Way.
Oscar Winner: Marlon Brando
Best Actor
5. Dan O'Herlihy - The Adventure Of Robinson Crusoe - Poor Dan O'Herlihy. He's up against Bing, Brando and Bogart, 3 guys who only need one name to identify them. There's also James Mason who is one of the most respected British actors of all time. Who the hell is Dan O'Herlihy? Well, he was a relative newcomer, appearing in his first film only 6 years earlier. He plays Robinson Crusoe, the guy who spent almost 30 years on an island by himself. That's a pretty easy way to get a nomination. The academy seems to love one man shows, just ask Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Matt Damon and James Whitmore. It's not a bad performance either, he's just a bit out of his league here. I wasn't a fan of how much voice over the movie used but it was an okay watch.
4. Humphrey Bogart - The Caine Mutiny - Bogart just won 3 years ago for a performance he shouldn't have (coincidentally Marlon Brando should have won that year) so there's no way I can vote for him. It's a shame though because this is one of Bogart's best. He plays the nervous and paranoid Captain Queeg who rules with an iron fist only to be unceremoniously dethroned. It's a really great cuckoo crazy pants performance that is much better than the one he actually won for.
3. James Mason - A Star Is Born - The Oscars love a big sloppy drunk, as we will prove with the next two entries. If you don't know what A Star Is Born is about then just go to your local cinema. There is probably a remake in theaters now, no matter when you read this. This is the 2nd remake and this one's a really long musical. I watched the restored version which includes still scenes over recorded dialogue, it was hard for me to get through. Anyway, James Mason is an alcoholic actor who discovers a young girl, Judy Garland, and as her career takes off his starts to crumble. It's a fine performance but if I'm not voting for Judy Garland then it wouldn't make sense to vote for him.
2. Bing Crosby - The Country Girl - Bing already won an Oscar and Brando deserved this win but in almost any other year I would be voting for Bing Crosby to win a 2nd Oscar. This is his best performance and he should have won for something like this rather than the typical song and dance routine he did win for. He was great at that, but could do it in his sleep. Here he proved that he could actually act. Bing plays Frank Elgin, an actor whose career is in decline ever since the death of his son which he blames himself for. He is now a scared and insecure alcoholic. He blames his wife for his career decline only to finally take responsibility for his problems and realize that his wife was the only thing holding him together. I think Crosby is fantastic here. He nails those great "Oscar" scenes where his character crumbles and pours his heart out but he's also fantastic in the moments around those where you realize that this guy could crumble at any moment.
1. Marlon Brando - On The Waterfront - If anyone other than Marlon Brando walked out of the theater with this Oscar then this should have been the last Oscar ceremony. The award would instantly lose all significance. Brando bursts on to the scene with A Streetcar Named Desire then finally wins for quite possibly his greatest role on his 4th consecutive Best Actor nomination. Brando plays Terry Malloy, an ex-boxer who blew his chance at the title because his brother told him to take a dive. He now works at the docks and turns a blind eye to the corruption around him only to be in the middle of it when he starts dating a girl whose brother is murdered. This is a terrific performance. Brando doesn't hit a single false note in the whole film and creates a character that seems authentic and tragic and endearing.
This is a case of cosmic justice. Brando deserved the win in 1951 but lost to Humphrey Bogart, who should have won years ago himself. He finally wins here and who does he beat? Humphrey Bogart. If they would have given Brando the win for A Streetcar Named Desire then they could have given Bogart the win here and I don't think anyone would have cared. I've read from some people who think it's a huge Oscar injustice that Bogart won for The African Queen but he should have won for something. Yeah, it's the Academy's fault for not giving him the win for Casablanca or Treasure Of The Sierra Madre but at least they made up for it. Bogart and Brando both ended up getting their wins so everything worked out. For my awards, I gave Brando the win in 1951 and I gave Bogart the win in 1943 so I went with Bing this year as I didn't have him win for Going My Way.
Oscar Winner: Marlon Brando
My Vote: Marlon Brando
GABBY Winner: Bing Crosby
Best Actress
5. Jane Wyman - Magnificent Obsession - This is a Douglas Sirk melodrama so you should know that before watching it. These have a style all their own and if you like it then this movie will work for you. I find them kind of silly. Rock Hudson is a carefree playboy who crashes his speedboat. Medics rush to save him but the only resuscitator is in a nearby doctor's house. While they are using it on Rock, the doctor has a heart attack and dies. Wyman plays the doctor's wife who now despises Rock. He decides to change his ways and become a doctor to take the place of the man whose death he could have prevented if he wasn't drunkenly driving a speedboat. Wyman ends up getting into an accident and becoming blind. They fall in love. She leaves. He becomes the world's most respected brain surgeon (somehow) and she ends up needing an operation to save her life. The operation restores her sight and she sees him for the man he has become, not the man he was. I was not a huge fan of the film. Wyman was fine but she already won for a superior role and this is a tough category.
4. Audrey Hepburn - Sabrina - Hepburn won an Oscar for her first American film in 1953, if you thought she was a flash in the pan well she cemented her star status with Sabrina, one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Hepburn plays Sabrina who is the daughter of a chauffeur for a wealthy family. She has been in love with one of the family members from a far for years but he has never noticed her. After a suicide attempt she decides to go to Paris and enroll in culinary school, there she also comes into her own and when she returns the wealthy playboy takes notice. He is engaged to be married to a woman that will aid in a family business deal so his older brother tries to woo Sabrina away so the marriage can go through, a love triangle follows. It is insane the natural star quality that Hepburn had. Not only is she beautiful and talented but there is just something about her that captivates you instantly and makes you want to watch her. If she hadn't just won in this category she would definitely be my vote, that's how much I love her, this movie and her performance.
3. Dorothy Dandridge - Carmen Jones - This is an updated version of Bizet's opera Carmen with an all black cast. I didn't really care for it, but I don't really like musicals, really don't care for opera. It's also not very cinematic, there are a lot of long takes of people just standing and singing. Dandridge is sultry and smoldering as the title character. I take points off because her singing voice was dubbed but I'm pretty sure everyone was dubbed in this movie. There's many reasons why I would never vote for but there is one main reason why I want to. She was the first black actress nominated in this category and it would be almost 20 years before another one and almost 50 years before a black actress won. As of 2018 we're still waiting on the woman who will be crowned the 2nd black actress to win Best Actress.
2. Judy Garland - A Star Is Born - I was always told that Judy Garland should have won this and it was a travesty that she didn't. My dislike of musicals kept me away from the film for year so I finally watched it for the first time and...good God, why is this movie 3 hours long? This was a chore to sit through. If this story was condensed to 2 hours or less I could see enjoying it but as it is now it is needlessly bloated. We're just here to discuss Garland's performance though. She's good, I don't know if I can go as far as to say great. This was definitely her best chance to win an Oscar though so fans of Garland no doubt point to this as a missed opportunity. This was also her comeback film as she hadn't been in a movie for 4 years.
1. Grace Kelly - The Country Girl - Before I talk about Grace Kelly's Oscar winning performance in The Country Girl I also have to mention the great year Grace Kelly had in 1954. Actually, let's go through her whole career. 1952 she has her breakout role in High Noon, 1953 she gets her first Oscar nomination for Mogambo, 1954 she stars in Rear Window, Dial M For Murder, The Country Girl and The Bridges Of Toko-Ri and wins an Oscar. 1955 she's in To Catch A Thief. 1956 she marries a prince, becomes a princess and retires from acting. She's got a pretty spotless resume. As for The Country Girl, she's fantastic in the film. She takes a role that could have easily been played as a put upon wife and brings something extra to it so you both understand why she stays in the situation she's in and root for her to get out of it.
Groucho Marx called it the biggest robbery since Brinks. Judy Garland was Hollywood royalty making a comeback and everyone just assumed she was running away with this. She was in the hospital recuperating from child birth at the time of the ceremony so they put cameras in her room to capture her reaction when her name was called. Imagine the great moment that could have been, Garland in her hospital bed, baby in one arm, Oscar in the other, delivering a tearful acceptance speech. Cut to Nelson Muntz laughing, Grace Kelly's name is called. In hindsight I'm not sure where the surprise came in. Kelly won the Golden Globe, National Board of Review, New York Film Critic's Award and the BAFTA. I have to agree and say that between the two Kelly gives the better performance while Garland has sentimentality on her side. For my awards I went with Audrey Hepburn because I didn't give her the win in 1953 so I used this as a makeup category of my own.
Oscar Winner: Grace Kelly
Best Actress
4. Audrey Hepburn - Sabrina - Hepburn won an Oscar for her first American film in 1953, if you thought she was a flash in the pan well she cemented her star status with Sabrina, one of the best romantic comedies of all time. Hepburn plays Sabrina who is the daughter of a chauffeur for a wealthy family. She has been in love with one of the family members from a far for years but he has never noticed her. After a suicide attempt she decides to go to Paris and enroll in culinary school, there she also comes into her own and when she returns the wealthy playboy takes notice. He is engaged to be married to a woman that will aid in a family business deal so his older brother tries to woo Sabrina away so the marriage can go through, a love triangle follows. It is insane the natural star quality that Hepburn had. Not only is she beautiful and talented but there is just something about her that captivates you instantly and makes you want to watch her. If she hadn't just won in this category she would definitely be my vote, that's how much I love her, this movie and her performance.
3. Dorothy Dandridge - Carmen Jones - This is an updated version of Bizet's opera Carmen with an all black cast. I didn't really care for it, but I don't really like musicals, really don't care for opera. It's also not very cinematic, there are a lot of long takes of people just standing and singing. Dandridge is sultry and smoldering as the title character. I take points off because her singing voice was dubbed but I'm pretty sure everyone was dubbed in this movie. There's many reasons why I would never vote for but there is one main reason why I want to. She was the first black actress nominated in this category and it would be almost 20 years before another one and almost 50 years before a black actress won. As of 2018 we're still waiting on the woman who will be crowned the 2nd black actress to win Best Actress.
2. Judy Garland - A Star Is Born - I was always told that Judy Garland should have won this and it was a travesty that she didn't. My dislike of musicals kept me away from the film for year so I finally watched it for the first time and...good God, why is this movie 3 hours long? This was a chore to sit through. If this story was condensed to 2 hours or less I could see enjoying it but as it is now it is needlessly bloated. We're just here to discuss Garland's performance though. She's good, I don't know if I can go as far as to say great. This was definitely her best chance to win an Oscar though so fans of Garland no doubt point to this as a missed opportunity. This was also her comeback film as she hadn't been in a movie for 4 years.
1. Grace Kelly - The Country Girl - Before I talk about Grace Kelly's Oscar winning performance in The Country Girl I also have to mention the great year Grace Kelly had in 1954. Actually, let's go through her whole career. 1952 she has her breakout role in High Noon, 1953 she gets her first Oscar nomination for Mogambo, 1954 she stars in Rear Window, Dial M For Murder, The Country Girl and The Bridges Of Toko-Ri and wins an Oscar. 1955 she's in To Catch A Thief. 1956 she marries a prince, becomes a princess and retires from acting. She's got a pretty spotless resume. As for The Country Girl, she's fantastic in the film. She takes a role that could have easily been played as a put upon wife and brings something extra to it so you both understand why she stays in the situation she's in and root for her to get out of it.
Groucho Marx called it the biggest robbery since Brinks. Judy Garland was Hollywood royalty making a comeback and everyone just assumed she was running away with this. She was in the hospital recuperating from child birth at the time of the ceremony so they put cameras in her room to capture her reaction when her name was called. Imagine the great moment that could have been, Garland in her hospital bed, baby in one arm, Oscar in the other, delivering a tearful acceptance speech. Cut to Nelson Muntz laughing, Grace Kelly's name is called. In hindsight I'm not sure where the surprise came in. Kelly won the Golden Globe, National Board of Review, New York Film Critic's Award and the BAFTA. I have to agree and say that between the two Kelly gives the better performance while Garland has sentimentality on her side. For my awards I went with Audrey Hepburn because I didn't give her the win in 1953 so I used this as a makeup category of my own.
Oscar Winner: Grace Kelly
My Vote: Grace Kelly
GABBY Winner: Audrey Hepburn
Best Supporting Actor
4. Edmond O'Brien - The Barefoot Contessa - This movie is like someone saw Sunset Boulevard and said, "I could do that". Actually it's also very similar to All About Eve in its structure. It's like they threw the two movies into a blender and this was the result. It's written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who just won an Oscar for All About Eve, so it all kind of makes sense. It starts at an actress's funeral and the people in attendance all have flashbacks about how they got there. O'Brien is the sleazy and sweaty publicist who helped launch the woman's career. He's perfectly capable in the film but seeing as how he won for this role I kept waiting for that "Oscar scene" that never came. He's fine in the movie but I would never vote for him unless, of course, the next three guys cancelled each other out.
3. Rod Steiger - On The Waterfront - If anyone in the cast fit the title of "supporting" actor, it would be Steiger. He plays Brando's brother who is also the right hand man of the mob boss who runs the dock. He's got the most thankless part in the film but not the least memorable. He doesn't get any real flashy moments and the biggest scene he has is in the back of a cab with his brother but that's the scene where Brando says he coulda been a contender. You're only as good as the people around you though and it truly is Steiger's reactions that help sell that scene.
2. Karl Malden - On The Waterfront - Karl Malden was a true supporting actor, he just made everyone around him seem better. Here he plays a priest who sees all the corruption at the docks but knows that he's powerless to do anything about it. He tries to get the workers to stand up against the mob but it's a futile gesture until he's able to talk Brando into testifying. Malden is terrific in the film, he has an incredible scene where he gives a sermon at the docks and tries to inspire change only to get pelted with vegetables. If he hadn't have just won he would be my vote.
1. Lee J. Cobb - On The Waterfront - Then we have Lee J. Cobb. What a screen presence this guy had. He was bigger than life. He originated the role of Willy Loman in Death Of A Salesman and had one of the best screams in movie history. Here he plays Johnny Friendly, the mob boss who rules the dock. He runs his organization through fear, everybody is terrified to go near him, but what Cobb does with the character is also make him seem like a guy you might want to grab a beer with. He's a villain but doesn't think of himself as a villain.
First off, did the Academy have something against Fred MacMurray? If I were to pick my favorite supporting performance in The Caine Mutiny it would definitely be him, but they pick Tom Tully for some reason. Then in 1960 they overlook his delightfully evil performance in The Apartment in favor of the guy who plays the nosy neighbor. Maybe he's that good of an actor that he makes everyone else look better. Anyway, I understand the decision here. The On The Waterfront guys cancel each other out and Edmond O'Brien walks away victorious. For me the non-Waterfront guys cancel each other out so who do I pick from the 3? Well, historically, Malden already had one and Steiger will go on to win one so I gotta pick Cobb. My actual favorite of the 3 would probably be Malden, but he just won. Either Steiger or Cobb would make good winners but Cobb has the flashier part, so he's my vote no matter how you look at it.
Oscar Winner: Edmond O'Brien
Best Supporting Actor
5. Tom Tully - The Caine Mutiny - The Caine Mutiny does boast an impressive supporting cast. There's Fred MacMurray, Van Johnson, Jose Ferrer, you could even make a case for Humphrey Bogart being supporting based on his screen time compared to everyone else. Then there's Tom Tully who is barely in the movie. He plays the captain that Bogart replaces. He's basically in the movie to show how good the crew had it before Bogart so there's a sense of contrast. I would rather vote for a performance than a plot device. I have no earthly idea what compelled anyone to nominate him. I kept waiting for him to come back, just because he got nominated, he does come back but still does absolutely nothing.
4. Edmond O'Brien - The Barefoot Contessa - This movie is like someone saw Sunset Boulevard and said, "I could do that". Actually it's also very similar to All About Eve in its structure. It's like they threw the two movies into a blender and this was the result. It's written and directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, who just won an Oscar for All About Eve, so it all kind of makes sense. It starts at an actress's funeral and the people in attendance all have flashbacks about how they got there. O'Brien is the sleazy and sweaty publicist who helped launch the woman's career. He's perfectly capable in the film but seeing as how he won for this role I kept waiting for that "Oscar scene" that never came. He's fine in the movie but I would never vote for him unless, of course, the next three guys cancelled each other out.
3. Rod Steiger - On The Waterfront - If anyone in the cast fit the title of "supporting" actor, it would be Steiger. He plays Brando's brother who is also the right hand man of the mob boss who runs the dock. He's got the most thankless part in the film but not the least memorable. He doesn't get any real flashy moments and the biggest scene he has is in the back of a cab with his brother but that's the scene where Brando says he coulda been a contender. You're only as good as the people around you though and it truly is Steiger's reactions that help sell that scene.
2. Karl Malden - On The Waterfront - Karl Malden was a true supporting actor, he just made everyone around him seem better. Here he plays a priest who sees all the corruption at the docks but knows that he's powerless to do anything about it. He tries to get the workers to stand up against the mob but it's a futile gesture until he's able to talk Brando into testifying. Malden is terrific in the film, he has an incredible scene where he gives a sermon at the docks and tries to inspire change only to get pelted with vegetables. If he hadn't have just won he would be my vote.
1. Lee J. Cobb - On The Waterfront - Then we have Lee J. Cobb. What a screen presence this guy had. He was bigger than life. He originated the role of Willy Loman in Death Of A Salesman and had one of the best screams in movie history. Here he plays Johnny Friendly, the mob boss who rules the dock. He runs his organization through fear, everybody is terrified to go near him, but what Cobb does with the character is also make him seem like a guy you might want to grab a beer with. He's a villain but doesn't think of himself as a villain.
First off, did the Academy have something against Fred MacMurray? If I were to pick my favorite supporting performance in The Caine Mutiny it would definitely be him, but they pick Tom Tully for some reason. Then in 1960 they overlook his delightfully evil performance in The Apartment in favor of the guy who plays the nosy neighbor. Maybe he's that good of an actor that he makes everyone else look better. Anyway, I understand the decision here. The On The Waterfront guys cancel each other out and Edmond O'Brien walks away victorious. For me the non-Waterfront guys cancel each other out so who do I pick from the 3? Well, historically, Malden already had one and Steiger will go on to win one so I gotta pick Cobb. My actual favorite of the 3 would probably be Malden, but he just won. Either Steiger or Cobb would make good winners but Cobb has the flashier part, so he's my vote no matter how you look at it.
Oscar Winner: Edmond O'Brien
My Vote: Lee J. Cobb
GABBY Winner: William Holden for Sabrina
3. Nina Foch - Executive Suite - This is a film about the backdoor wheelings and dealings that go on after the CEO of a company drops dead suddenly. Everybody is lobbying for power, except for Nina Foch who was the CEO's secretary and really the only person who saw him as a human being. Everyone else is only concerned with how their lives will benefit and she's the one who is actually upset that a man is dead. It's a fine part, nothing worthy of a win but it's a pretty good film so I'm glad it got a nomination.
2. Katy Jurado - Broken Lance - This nomination only makes sense if it was a weak year (it was in this category) or if they were sorry that they didn't nominate Jurado for High Noon (they should have been). Jurado was actually the first Latin American woman nominated for an Oscar for this performance where she doesn't do much of anything. Spencer Tracy is a wealthy rancher with 4 sons, 3 of his sons see him as a boss more than a father. His youngest son is from his second wife, a Native American played by Jurado. Her character is more important to the film than the performance. The plot hinges on the youngest son being a "half breed" and not getting any respect from his 3 white brothers. Jurado doesn't really do much in the film though. She's only in a couple scenes and doesn't leave that much of an impression. In this weak ass category she ends up being my runner-up though.
1. Eva Marie Saint - On The Waterfront - I feel like all I've done is talk about On The Waterfront so I'm a little Waterfront-ed out. The one person I haven't talked about yet though is Eva Marie Saint. She is incredible in this film. Brando gets all the acclaim but Saint matches him line for line in all of their scenes together. She plays a girl whose brother is murdered at the beginning of the film. Terry Malloy was the guy who accidentally orchestrated the murder, he thought the mob was just going to talk to him or rough him up but it ended badly. She is amazing in the movie and leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else in this category.
There's nothing really to say here. This is a case where Eva Marie Saint is number 1 and everyone else is tied for 5th place. The only other person I might vote for is Katy Jurado but that's only because it would be historic for the first Latin American woman nominated to win. Based on performance it's Saint or nobody.
Best Supporting Actress
5. Claire Trevor - The High And The Mighty - Trevor lands in the 5th spot because she's the only person here who's already won and also she doesn't really do anything in the film. The High And the Mighty is a soap opera on an airplane. A whole bunch of people are in an airplane when one of the engines goes out. It's not a horrible film but I was looking for a disaster movie and what I got was high altitude melodrama. I just watched the film and I don't remember Trevor at all. She plays an actress who I guess is hung up on being famous even though her career is fading. I really can't recall, there were so many story lines that some of them got lost. I was really only interested in Phil Harris and his wife trying to fend off wife swappers in Hawaii.
4. Jan Sterling - The High And The Mighty - Jan Sterling's part I do remember. She's an older lady who is going to meet a man that she's been writing. She sent him an old picture of her from her beauty pageant days and is worried that when he sees her now she'll be disappointed. She gets told that she has nothing to be ashamed of and she is beautiful just the way she is so she wipes off all her make-up. That's pretty much her whole story. It's definitely not worth an Oscar nomination but she should have gotten one for Ace In The Hole, so I will allow the nod.
3. Nina Foch - Executive Suite - This is a film about the backdoor wheelings and dealings that go on after the CEO of a company drops dead suddenly. Everybody is lobbying for power, except for Nina Foch who was the CEO's secretary and really the only person who saw him as a human being. Everyone else is only concerned with how their lives will benefit and she's the one who is actually upset that a man is dead. It's a fine part, nothing worthy of a win but it's a pretty good film so I'm glad it got a nomination.
2. Katy Jurado - Broken Lance - This nomination only makes sense if it was a weak year (it was in this category) or if they were sorry that they didn't nominate Jurado for High Noon (they should have been). Jurado was actually the first Latin American woman nominated for an Oscar for this performance where she doesn't do much of anything. Spencer Tracy is a wealthy rancher with 4 sons, 3 of his sons see him as a boss more than a father. His youngest son is from his second wife, a Native American played by Jurado. Her character is more important to the film than the performance. The plot hinges on the youngest son being a "half breed" and not getting any respect from his 3 white brothers. Jurado doesn't really do much in the film though. She's only in a couple scenes and doesn't leave that much of an impression. In this weak ass category she ends up being my runner-up though.
1. Eva Marie Saint - On The Waterfront - I feel like all I've done is talk about On The Waterfront so I'm a little Waterfront-ed out. The one person I haven't talked about yet though is Eva Marie Saint. She is incredible in this film. Brando gets all the acclaim but Saint matches him line for line in all of their scenes together. She plays a girl whose brother is murdered at the beginning of the film. Terry Malloy was the guy who accidentally orchestrated the murder, he thought the mob was just going to talk to him or rough him up but it ended badly. She is amazing in the movie and leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else in this category.
There's nothing really to say here. This is a case where Eva Marie Saint is number 1 and everyone else is tied for 5th place. The only other person I might vote for is Katy Jurado but that's only because it would be historic for the first Latin American woman nominated to win. Based on performance it's Saint or nobody.
Oscar Winner: Eva Marie Saint
My Vote: Eva Marie Saint
GABBY Winner: Thelma Ritter for Rear Window
Best Director
Elia Kazan deservedly wins a competitive category. The director's branch knew what they were doing but it didn't translate into the Best Picture category. They included George Seaton for The Country Girl but instead of Three Coins, Seven Brides or Caine Mutiny they chose Billy Wilder for Sabrina, Alfred Hitchcock for Rear Window and William A. Wellman for The High And The Mighty. That's actually a pretty good Best Picture lineup but Three Coins In The Fountain did have that theme song, I guess.
Best Story And Screenplay/Screenplay/Story
This is one of the years where I don't pretend to know what the difference is in the writing categories. The Country Girl wins Best Story And Screenplay which is a good decision. Sabrina would have also been a good winner. Everything nominated here is based on a book or a play so that makes me think that this is like the Best Adapted Screenplay. The Best Screenplay category is full of original scripts and On The Waterfront rightfully wins there. Then there's the Best Story category is a hodgepodge of random movies. There's a Gregory Peck drama, a musical, two foreign films and a western, which is what ends up winning as they give the Oscar to Broken Lance.
Best Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture/Musical Picture/Song
The music in On The Waterfront is probably most deserving of winning the Dramatic or Comedy category but they went with The High And The Mighty instead. It's not a bad decision as Dimitri Tiomkin's score is also very good but he already had two Oscars and Leonard Bernstein never got one, he only scored two movies, but still. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers wins for Best Score of a Musical Picture, no surprise there. The theme song to Three Coins In The Fountain wins for Best Song, which is the only thing anyone remembers about that movie.
Best Sound Recording
As we've established, musicals always win this category. Even through there's a typhoon in The Caine Mutiny the winner was The Glenn Miller Story.
Best Art Direction - Black And White/Color
On The Waterfront wins in the black and white category. This is one instance where I disagree with the Academy and the Waterfront sweep. I would have gone with Sabrina. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea wins in the color category, no complaints here.
Best Cinematography - Black And White/Color
On The Waterfront continues to clean up as it wins in the black and white category and deservedly so. For some reason Three Coins In The Fountain wins in the color category over the more deserving Rear Window, where the camera is the star of the film. Paul Newman's least favorite film, The Silver Chalice, also got a nomination. Newman hated this movie so much that he would hold screenings of it at his house so his friends could boo it.
Best Costume Design - Black And White/Color
Edith Head wins her 6th Oscar for Sabrina even though she didn't really design the costumes, they were just made in her costume department. It was a weak category and the right film won even if the Oscar may not have gone to the right person. I've never seen the color winner The Gate Of Hell but the costume design does look impressive.
Best Film Editing
On The Waterfront deservedly wins here. This film is tight where the rest of the nominees were bloated and could have benefited from having some moments edited out. The Caine Mutiny could have cut that pointless love story, The High And The Mighty could have lost one of the less interesting story lines, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers could have gotten rid of one of the lesser songs, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is pretty good but at over 2 hours in length does drag in some places.
Best Special Effects
The sea creatures in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea defeat the giant ants in Them!. No complaints here.
Up Next
1948
Best Director
Elia Kazan deservedly wins a competitive category. The director's branch knew what they were doing but it didn't translate into the Best Picture category. They included George Seaton for The Country Girl but instead of Three Coins, Seven Brides or Caine Mutiny they chose Billy Wilder for Sabrina, Alfred Hitchcock for Rear Window and William A. Wellman for The High And The Mighty. That's actually a pretty good Best Picture lineup but Three Coins In The Fountain did have that theme song, I guess.
Best Story And Screenplay/Screenplay/Story
This is one of the years where I don't pretend to know what the difference is in the writing categories. The Country Girl wins Best Story And Screenplay which is a good decision. Sabrina would have also been a good winner. Everything nominated here is based on a book or a play so that makes me think that this is like the Best Adapted Screenplay. The Best Screenplay category is full of original scripts and On The Waterfront rightfully wins there. Then there's the Best Story category is a hodgepodge of random movies. There's a Gregory Peck drama, a musical, two foreign films and a western, which is what ends up winning as they give the Oscar to Broken Lance.
Best Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture/Musical Picture/Song
The music in On The Waterfront is probably most deserving of winning the Dramatic or Comedy category but they went with The High And The Mighty instead. It's not a bad decision as Dimitri Tiomkin's score is also very good but he already had two Oscars and Leonard Bernstein never got one, he only scored two movies, but still. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers wins for Best Score of a Musical Picture, no surprise there. The theme song to Three Coins In The Fountain wins for Best Song, which is the only thing anyone remembers about that movie.
Best Sound Recording
As we've established, musicals always win this category. Even through there's a typhoon in The Caine Mutiny the winner was The Glenn Miller Story.
Best Art Direction - Black And White/Color
On The Waterfront wins in the black and white category. This is one instance where I disagree with the Academy and the Waterfront sweep. I would have gone with Sabrina. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea wins in the color category, no complaints here.
Best Cinematography - Black And White/Color
On The Waterfront continues to clean up as it wins in the black and white category and deservedly so. For some reason Three Coins In The Fountain wins in the color category over the more deserving Rear Window, where the camera is the star of the film. Paul Newman's least favorite film, The Silver Chalice, also got a nomination. Newman hated this movie so much that he would hold screenings of it at his house so his friends could boo it.
Best Costume Design - Black And White/Color
Edith Head wins her 6th Oscar for Sabrina even though she didn't really design the costumes, they were just made in her costume department. It was a weak category and the right film won even if the Oscar may not have gone to the right person. I've never seen the color winner The Gate Of Hell but the costume design does look impressive.
Best Film Editing
On The Waterfront deservedly wins here. This film is tight where the rest of the nominees were bloated and could have benefited from having some moments edited out. The Caine Mutiny could have cut that pointless love story, The High And The Mighty could have lost one of the less interesting story lines, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers could have gotten rid of one of the lesser songs, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea is pretty good but at over 2 hours in length does drag in some places.
Best Special Effects
The sea creatures in 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea defeat the giant ants in Them!. No complaints here.
Up Next
1948
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