tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post7117558981561661689..comments2023-12-26T05:26:08.512-05:00Comments on The Cinematic Spectacle: 1956 CinSpec AwardsJoshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-49628703171722012282014-09-01T12:21:21.417-04:002014-09-01T12:21:21.417-04:00Love the continued nods for The Searchers. Sloane ...Love the continued nods for The Searchers. Sloane would probably be my #6 choice in Best Supporting Actor, but I prefer Begley's performance in that film. I've never even heard of A Town Like Alice. I'll have to check it out.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-45982413955944225142014-09-01T12:15:51.267-04:002014-09-01T12:15:51.267-04:00I still can't believe The Searchers was comple...I still can't believe The Searchers was completely shutout at the Oscars. Though I'm not as enthusiastic on them, it's great to see The Man Who Knew Too Much and Written on the Wind get those nominations. I really must see Come Next Spring and Carousel!Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-92183260497385138272014-08-31T12:12:03.221-04:002014-08-31T12:12:03.221-04:00Supporting Actor:
Peter Finch-A Town Like Alice
Je...Supporting Actor:<br />Peter Finch-A Town Like Alice<br />Jeffrey Hunter-The Searchers-Winner<br />Lee Marvin-Seven Men from Now<br />Everett Sloane-Patterns<br />Hank Worden-The Searchers<br />Marvin and Sloane both put memorable spins on their villains and Finch adds a touch of humanity during his brief screen time in the grueling Alice. My main choices came from the neglected Searchers though. I love Worden's performance of the gentle Mose he's a catalyst for much of the action then recedes into the background but you remember him when the picture is over, he's one of those great character actors who is consistently good but never acknowledged. Nevertheless my winner is Hunter. His extreme attractiveness worked against his acceptance as a serious performer, I would never say he was a great actor but certainly competent, but his callowness suited the role and flashes of anger and grim determination in the face of Wayne's callousness provide dimension to their scenes adding to the tension of their journey. <br /><br />Supporting Actress:<br />Dorothy Malone-Written on the Wind-Winner<br />Patty McCormick-The Bad Seed<br />Vera Miles-The Searchers<br />Mildred Natwick-The Court Jester<br />Debbie Reynolds-The Catered Affair<br />Quite a varied crop of performances. McCormick makes the dead eyed Rhoda chilling in her creepy perfection and uncomprehending indifference to human life. Miles's performance contains a very real mixture of exasperation and longing for the errant Martin. Debbie in one of the few chances she had at straight drama is affecting as the young girl caught between her own wish for a simple wedding and her mother's dreams in The Catered Affair and Mildred Natwick steals every scene she's in against the formidable trio of Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns and Angela Lansbury. But Dorothy Malone deserved her Oscar. Her rich but common as dirt Marylee is one of the drollest performances every committed to celluloid. Understanding that the part is seething with frank suggestiveness she wrings it for everything it's worth with an arch of those mink stole eyebrows and line readings dripping in venom effectively wiping her castmates off the screen.<br /><br />My biggest misses of this year: The Harder They Fall and Bigger Than Life. I saw Jubal and liked it but it didn't knock me out. joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-50284264224056445852014-08-31T12:11:18.141-04:002014-08-31T12:11:18.141-04:00It makes my head hurt that the truly awful Around ...It makes my head hurt that the truly awful Around the World in 80 Days won Best Picture and so many other worthies went completely unacknowledged. But then my ballot and the academy's are very dissimilar this year, sharing few of the same nominees and only one winner in any category.<br /><br />Picture:<br />Carousel<br />Giant<br />The Man Who Knew Too Much<br />The Searchers-Winner<br />Written on the Wind<br />With Man Hitchcock returns to his own well and improves on it making a tense nail biter with a simple premise. Giant lives up to its name and Carousel tells a dark story through beautiful songs and somehow makes it poignant instead of ugly while Written on the Wind is a fever dream told in bold colors set to a jazzy score. All are great but none match the elegiac ode Ford creates to the West in The Searchers.<br /><br />Director:<br />Cecil B. De Mille-The Ten Commandments<br />John Ford-The Searchers<br />Alfred Hitchcock-The Man Who Knew Too Much<br />Douglas Sirk-Written on the Wind-Winner<br />George Stevens-Giant<br />Commandments is a grandiose, overbaked but highly entertaining amusement park ride that De Mille keeps on track with his customary skill at handling elephantine excess. Ford trains his camera firmly on the journey of the dogged pair of Wayne and Hunter capturing breathtaking vistas as he goes but Sirk commands the camera to observe the heightened situations his characters find themselves in at bold angles making them more compelling though vantage point, use of color and his perfomers skill.<br /><br />Actor:<br />Steve Cochran-Come Next Spring<br />Kirk Douglas-Lust for Life<br />Danny Kaye-The Court Jester<br />James Stewart-The Man Who Knew Too Much<br />John Wayne-The Searchers-Winner<br />Douglas portrayal of Van Gogh's genius is big and flashy but ultimely exhausting. Stewart's is one of well observed, contained fear but a bit reserved. On the other end of the spectrum Kaye has the role of a lifetime as the hapless Hubert/daring Giacomo to which he gives his all in a sprightly, necessarily hammy, thoroughly captivating piece of work that leaves little room for nuance. But my choice was between Wayne and Cochran. Cochran's atypical work as the errant wanderer returned home full of regret and apprehension is beautifully realized, proof that he was more than the thugs and gangsters that were his usual lot. Ethan Edwards though is the Duke's signature role and is probably the most complex performance he ever gave far worthier of the award than the winning True Grit. Naturally the academy ignored it.<br /><br /><br />Actress:<br />Ingrid Bergman-Anastasia<br />Doris Day-The Man Who Knew Too Much<br />Judy Holliday-The Solid Gold Cadillac<br />Virginia McKenna-A Town Like Alice<br />Ann Sheridan-Come Next Spring-Winner<br />As good as Ingrid was in her return to Hollywood her win for Anastasia was a forgiveness gift for her perceived "sin". Vinginia McKenna is gritty and real during the murderous trek that takes place in Alice. Doris balances the required hysteria and level headedness of her role expertly while Judy as usual is a comic marvel getting more out of one look than most actresses can with reams of dialog. But Ann Sheridan was never better than as the careworn, steadfast Bess Ballot matching Cochran's superlative performance.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-54665323130933314832013-10-16T19:30:28.541-04:002013-10-16T19:30:28.541-04:00I had that recorded from TCM forever ago, and I wa...I had that recorded from TCM forever ago, and I watched about the first 20 minutes until the recording got scrambled due to bad weather. I really need to see it, but I didn't have time beforehand. :( Really excited about it now. I'll let you know when I see it.Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-43396682886539052882013-10-16T12:45:35.956-04:002013-10-16T12:45:35.956-04:00OK, I just watched The Harder They Fall in prepara...OK, I just watched The Harder They Fall in preparation for the 56 Fistis, and MY GOD was it good, and Steiger and Bogart may be my acting winners that year. They are exceptional. I know you love Bogart, so you need to see it. It was his final film role (he died 9 months after the film was released) and I think it may be his finest performance. Steiger steals the show (as expected) as the flashy villain. Great movie all around.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-80928436061503011102013-10-04T17:24:08.762-04:002013-10-04T17:24:08.762-04:00Dean only appeared in 3 theatrical films, and I lo...Dean only appeared in 3 theatrical films, and I love all of his performances. I might name Rebel Without a Cause as his best, though. I haven't seen the remake of And God Created Woman, but I'd imagine Bardot is better. :)Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-29264511116633073422013-10-04T17:20:25.242-04:002013-10-04T17:20:25.242-04:00It was so close, but Dean barely edges him out.
I...It was so close, but Dean barely edges him out.<br /><br />Indeed. :)Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-6364136149892988042013-10-04T14:08:29.669-04:002013-10-04T14:08:29.669-04:00Still need to see GIANT, I remember my late mom ta...Still need to see GIANT, I remember my late mom talking about that one as being one of Dean's best roles. Oh I actually saw the remake of 'And God Created Woman,' I thought Rebecca DeMornay was good but I figure Bardot is hard to top, eh?ruthhttp://flixchatter.netnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-17547298057398145502013-10-04T12:37:41.895-04:002013-10-04T12:37:41.895-04:00Steiger is great, isn't he! Love him and that...Steiger is great, isn't he! Love him and that performance. <br /><br />So glad you put Eraserhead back! That movie is epic.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-64048698727969125682013-10-04T11:53:16.863-04:002013-10-04T11:53:16.863-04:00Saw your Amazon review of High Society a while bac...Saw your Amazon review of High Society a while back, and I wish I loved it that much. Honestly, I thought it was terrible, but I think my expectations were too high since I love The Philadelphia Story so much.<br /><br />Ugh. I wish I'd seen it. If Welles makes my ballot, he'll knock Brynner off. Stack is actually my #4, and Steiger is my runner-up.<br /><br />Random: You'll be happy to know that I just updated my '77 ballot and put Eraserhead back in my Best Picture and Director lineups. Seriously, how did I EVER put A Bridge Too Far ahead of it?!Joshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08596682195753811295noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030627662498151745.post-21908961702487898552013-10-04T08:44:21.925-04:002013-10-04T08:44:21.925-04:00I'm currently working on this year too! Right...I'm currently working on this year too! Right now my acting winners are Doris Day, Bing Crosby (High Society) and both supporting players from Written in the Wind. This year is great, far better than I was initially expecting.<br /><br />I just finished Moby Dick last night, and while the film is almost terrible, Orson Welles has a ONE SCENE cameo that is BRILLIANT and he is going to easily snag a nomination on my Supporting Actor ballot. He's freaking amazing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com