Best Actor 1940

[Damien]

So, I can imagine how easy it is to be overlooked when you're around all the time.

Actually, Fonda was off the screen for two substantial periods: 1943-1946, when he was in the Navy in WW 2; and then from 1948 to 1955 (Fort Apache to Mister Roberts) when he concentrated on stage work.

[nightwingnova]

I've been able to catch again snippets of Henry Fonda's work over the past several months. He was a prolific actor and did not appear too choosy - a healthy mix of good, mundane and bad works. So, I can imagine how easy it is to be overlooked when you're around all the time. Still, from what I have seen recently, he's excellent - full human work, if not better.

The Great Dictator? Caught a couple of scenes. Bored. And almost offended by how flat and/or bad they were.

[Damien]

I simply cannot abide Charlie Chaplin, so he immediately gets scratched. And, besides, Jack Oakie stole The Great Dictator.

Tom Joad is Henry Fonda's signature role, of course, and The Grapes of Wrath is an outstanding film, and Henry Fonda was one of the all-time best actors (he's magnificent in Young Mr. Lincoln and My Darling Clementine, to name the first two films that came to mind). But for me Fonda comes up short in The Grapes of Wrath. The problem isn't with his performance, but rather the way the character is written in the film. Tom Joad seems less a real flesh-and-blood person than a conceit, a symbol of, and spokesperson for, all the decent people who are downtrodden because of economic injustice. Despite Fonda's acting skills, I have just never bought his Tom Joad.

I have a soft spot in my heart for Raymond Massey because my father was often told he looked like the actor, and was even asked for his autograph. He's very good in Abe Lincoln In Illinois, but his work is solid rather than thrilling.

Rebecca is probably my favorite non-Shakespearean performance of Laurence Olivier's. He is perfectly cast, and broods to the hilt, while still having the requisite romantic charisma. But Rebecca is really Joan Fontaine's picture, and an Oscar for the leading man here doesn't feel right.

James Stewart's Oscar win is always attributed to his loss in 1939, and that probably did have some influence on his win here. But the fact remains that he's utterly delightful in The Philadelphia Story; it's a charming, funny, beautifully modulated performance. Granted he was even more impressive this year in The Shop Around The Corner, but of the nominated performances, I think Stewart's is the best. (He also has Destry Rides Again and The Mortal Storm in 1940 -- what a year!)

My Own Top 5:
1. James Stewart in The Shop Around The Corner, et al
2. Brian Donlevy in The Great McGinty
3. Ray Milland in Arise, My Love
4. Laurence Olivier in Rebecca
5. Bing Crosby in Rhythm On The River

[ITALIANO]

I haven't seen Massey, but yes, this is Henry Fonda's year, obviously.

[Big Magilla]

Prior to Fonda's late career win for On Golden Pond, Fonda was generally regarded as the best actor never to win an Oscar and Robinson the best actor never to be nominated for one. I agree it's a blight on the Academy's record that Robinson was never nominated.

I never quite got the anti-gangster bias of 1931 considering that both Little Caesar and The Public Enemy were nominated for their screenplays, but what was the excuse for ignoring Robinson's performance in Five Star Final in 1931/32?

I think he might have gotten a nomination for 1940's Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, arguably his best performance, if Raymond Massey hadn't gotten the bio slot. John Huston was nominated for his screenplay about the German doctor who spent his life searching for a cure for syphilis.

1945 was a year in which Robinson may have gotten votes for both Scarlet Street and The Woman in the Window but not enough for either to obtain a nomination.

Ditto 1948 with All My Sons and Key Largo.

MGM probably listed him as eligible for best actor for 1965's The Cincinnati Kid in the days when studios made the call, but had he best listed in support he might not have only been nominated, but may have actually won.

He was an early favorite for a long overdue nomination for 1973's Soylent Green, but the Academy didn't want to leave it to chance and announced that he would receive a career achievement award. The award was announced while he was still alive but he died before he could accept it.



Edited By Big Magilla on 1297885014

[Mister Tee]

The even greater mystery is the fact that Edward G. Robinson was never recognized. In both cases it's probably because they both were so constantly good they were taken for granted I guess, but still it's bizarre.

I'd add, in Robinson's case, that, in the Little Caesar era, gangster movies were viewed as not respectable (except by the always-ahead-of-the-curve writers' branch). Cagney's breakthrough that year was ignored as well.

And I'd hope there was some category controversy/split voting in 1944. Because it's hard for me to believe voters could totally ignore Robinson's glorious Double Indemnity performance.



Edited By Mister Tee on 1297870457

[Mister Tee]

--- I almost criticized Mister Tee for saying Jack Lemmon wasn't fit to hold Stewart's coat. Then I remembered Lemmon didn't win in 1959. Hopefully we rectify that.

I've long thought of the '59 race as having among the worst outcome-to-available-choice ratios ever. For both the Stewart Anatomy of a Murder and Lemmon Some Like It Hot performances to fall to Charlton Heston seems cruel. (Per Damien & Mason's book, even Aldo Ray thought it was ridiculous)

[Uri]

The problem with Fonda's lack of nominations has a lot to do with timing, i.i. they occurred in years where the competition was extremely tough, but The Ox-Bow Incident; Fort Apache and Twelve Angry Men are certainly films he should have been nominated for, and Young Mr. Lincoln; The Fugitive; Mister Roberts; The Wrong Man and Once Upon a Time in the West were all worthy of consideration as well.

At least he was nominated twice and eventually won. The even greater mystery is the fact that Edward G. Robinson was never recognized. In both cases it's probably because they both were so constantly good they were taken for granted I guess, but still it's bizarre.

[Uri]

Whether it's the already established historical perspective or the fact that we all were exposed to these films and performances with at least a certain degree of common cultural awareness, but still we tend to possess kind of consensus when discussing these early races. I guess as we get closer to the present we'll have more varied opinions. Anyway, once again I find myself in agreement with most people here. Fonda's performance was the best of the year, the best among the nominees and the best of his career. How often does this happen. A very easy choice, certainly in a parallel universe in which Stewart has already got an Oscar.

Stewart would have been the only possible alternative had he been nominated for Shop. But his turn in TPS is actually great too. In this nearly perfect film all three leads are brilliant and it an indication of the fact that this was a phenomenal year and of how amazing actors they were that Stewart and Grant were even better elsewhere. Still, their mutual scene in Dexter's home is one of my favorite ever – Stewart's self aware playful drunkenness and especially Grant's amused reaction to him are priceless. Anyway, though like anyone else I know he won that year for all the wrong reason this is really a win I can't be resentful of.

[Big Magilla]

It should be noted that Stewart also had Destry Rides Again within the eligibility period. Although released in New York in 1939, it was a 1940 release in L.A.

The problem with Fonda's lack of nominations has a lot to do with timing, i.i. they occurred in years where the competition was extremely tough, but The Ox-Bow Incident; Fort Apache and Twelve Angry Men are certainly films he should have been nominated for, and Young Mr. Lincoln; The Fugitive; Mister Roberts; The Wrong Man and Once Upon a Time in the West were all worthy of consideration as well.

[Okri]

1. I don't like Chaplin's work all that much.

2. Massey is fine.

3. The other three are amazing. I don't think Stewart's a terrible win by any means, but yeah - I'd prefer Grant here/His Girl Friday and Stewart in his other two films. Olivier is terrific in Rebecca. But yeah - Fonda's awesome. Knowing that we'll get another 8 times for Olivier and have already recognized Stewart, makes what was already a reasonably easy choice even easier.

--- I almost criticized Mister Tee for saying Jack Lemmon wasn't fit to hold Stewart's coat. Then I remembered Lemmon didn't win in 1959. Hopefully we rectify that.

[Mister Tee]

Richard Dreyfuss, is his post-Oscar-win speech in 1978, said he appreciated winning, but the fact that Henry Fonda (with whom he'd worked onstage) had at that point just one nomination made whole thing seem arbitrary.

Yeah, you glance over Fonda's filmography and see all sorts of spots where he might have been cited (You Only Live Once, Young Mr. Lincoln, The Lady Eve, My Darling Clementine, Fort Apache, The Wrong Man), but, even if you just look for a typical Academy spot...how did they pass on him in Twelve Angry Men, when they were going hog-wild for the picture?

[Okri]

Stewart's five nods may be paltry, but when you realize that Fonda only has two acting nods.....

I really don't understand how that happened. I think Fonda should be up in the 7-9 range personally.

[Mister Tee]

Couldn't you make the case Jimmy Stewart's encounters with Oscar illustrate the limitations of the award? Never nominated for any of his work with Hitchcock, or one of his westerns. Winning only once, for a performance no one would claim represented his top work, let alone the best available that year.

At least his four other nominations are for iconic roles, but, even there, in '50 and '59, he lost to actors really not fit to hold his coat. And five nominations just doesn't seem enough for an actor of his stature. (Consider: Paul Muni has as many, from far fewer films)

[Big Magilla]

I doubt that either Stewart or Sullavan were "pushed" for either The Mortal Storm or The Shop Around the Corner as both had already made as much money as MGM expected to make from them while The Philadelphia Story was a year-end release that MGM was more interested in pushing.

Also keep in mind that Stewart was an MGM contract player while Cary Grant was not. Neither was Margaret Sullavan. MGM had o interest in pushing either.