Johnny Simmons

Last year June, when this blog was now taking baby steps I (misguidedly, I might add) ventured into compiling a list of my hundred favourite films. Of course, I knew the #1 choice immediately but as I compiled it, though it grew tedious on occasion, it was fun. I like to make lists. Certainly, I’m least qualified to create some veritable cannon of important cinematic works, but I have to start somewhere.

                 

A year later (and what a difference a year makes) the top ten are here, I wish I’d started this project now because some of my “reviews” were just horrible…but I digress. Some of you lovely readers know a few of my top ten already…I’ve invited a number of you to participate in helping me count down the ten (even though everyone already knows that The Graduate will be placing at #9). I shall be reviewing it again (hence the title of this post, which is somewhat misleading). I feel a tad embarrassed looking at the list, though. Me, the ultimate (well one of a few hundreds) Oscar dissenter has not one, not two, but three Best Picture winners – and every one of the last seven was a nominee in the category.* It does make the list look a little generic but I suppose I am more generic than I care to admit.

Of course the list is not static, it only covers films of 1939 to 2007 and I’ll be liable to keep tinkering with rankings, I promise myself if I live to January 2012 I’ll update it (well the world will be ending then, and I don’t want to go out without updating). So, I’m looking forward to hearing what you think as I unveil the top ten…one by one by one by one…beginning Monday with a Best Picture winner. In the meanwhile I’ll be continuing the meme and doing my random chatter that you folks like to think of as versatility (bless you).

* Bringing Up Baby happens to be the highest ranked film on the list to not attain an Oscar nod at #24 and Summertime at #21 is the highest ranked Oscar nominated film without a Best Picture nomination (oddly both are Hepburn’s).

So seeing that the list of my Favourite Best Actress nods was somewhat well received I’m done a companion piece...for the Best Actor race. If you’re lucky, I’ll continue the trend for the supporting categories. So here’s the list of my  favourite Leading Nominees – Actors...beginning with the thirteen runners up. [Click on the films for more information]

     

28 – James Dean in Giant 
27 – Robert DeNiro in Taxi Driver

26 – Al Pacino in Dog Day Afternoon

25 – Robin Williams in The Fisher King

24 – Montgomery Clift in A Place in the Sun

23 – Tom Hulce in Amadeus

22 – Jack Lemmon in Days of Wine & Roses

21 – Paul Newman in The Hustler

20 – Javier Bardem in Before Night Falls

19 – Peter O’Toole in Lawrence of Arabia

18 – Leonardo DiCaprio in The Aviator

17 – Spencer Tracy in Judgement at Nuremberg

16 – Paul Newman in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

                         

Yeah, I spoke about his awesomeness in my review of the film and he cracks the top 15. I haven’t seen him in that much but what I’ve seen him in he’s good. And then there’s the fact that French people are just great. But yeah, his Gregory is a despicable man, but he’s still incredibly charming. He would be a good friend to have a sticky situation – unless he turns on you, of course. I haven’t seen Going My Way but I really don’t think that Bing Crosby could have topped this. It's not the stock villainous role, he really is good in this. And he thoroughly deserved his Oscar nomination.

                                               

Along with The Ten Commandments they show this film every Easter here. This one is better, even though it’s a bit schmaltzy, it is a nice movie. And Burton is good [as usual]. I suppose he can be accused of being over the top. But Marcellus was going crazy, so it’s an occupational hazard. And this was the first Richard Burton performance that I saw, so it’s that much more special too. And Jean Simmons doesn’t hurt either. I'll admit it, those scenes when he goes crazy are my favourite. Yeah, they're total Oscar bait. But I can't help it. It's really good in a scary kind of way.

                                          

And here we have it, the greatest thing that Sean Penn has ever done – and probably ever will do. And he did it under the hand of Tim Robbins. I still cringe when I think he lost to Cage, not because Leaving Las Vegas was unworthy but because Cage is just despicable; but I digress. Matthew Poncelet truly is one of those incredibly complex characters and your reaction to him is completely subjective. Sean's work here is incredibly layered and it was so early in his career too. It's a truly incredible performance...not to be ignored.

                               

Are you fed up seeing him? Can't help it. I can't believe that he only has four nominations, he seems so ubiquitous. He has not starred in that many films either, but when he does he's outstanding. And Gerard is outstanding. I am a bit prejudiced against Scottish accents in film, they just make me want to implode. But Daniel made me make an exception. It's a sympathetic character, but he doesn't beat it over our head. He plays Gerard as just an ordinary guy - the good, the bad and the ugly. And that's what makes me like the performance. Gerard is not the stock hero. He is instead a real person.

                                                 

Tracy had all the charisma to play this role and he did it just right. Sure, I don’t know why Gene Kelly or Frederic March were not nominated too, but it’s all good. You can’t have everything, I suppose. Henry Drumond is a great character in print, and Spencer brings it effectively to life. Whatever your opinion on evolution [and if you’re smart you’ll realise the film is about more than that] it would do you good to at least experience this film and performance at least once. Stanley Kramer allowed Spencer to give three outstanding performances and this is probably the greatest of them all.

                                            

It’s my favourite performance from Sir Hopkins. The man is a legend and he’s done wonderful work for decades but I’ll always think of James Stevens when I hear his name. It’s a difficult character, we never see the man breakdown and he’s never spontaneous. That closing shot and the expression on his and Emma’s face is truly poignant. In a year of Liam Neeson and Daniel Day Lewis and Anthony I am slightly miffed that Hanks won, though his performance was fine but oh well. That's life. 

                                         

This is another one of those introverted roles, though Almasy does have some showier moments. It’s a real pity that this guy doesn’t have an Oscar. Of course losing to Geoffrey Rush is much more noble than losing to Tommy Lee Jones, it still is losing whichever way you put it. There’s a scene at the beginning where denounces the use of adjectives. Fast car, slow car, chuaffer driver car.... Someone asks, Broken car? He winces almost imperceptibly, still a car. It’s mot a particular groundbreaking part of the film, but it’s in moments as small as this that we see some truly good acting from Fiennes. And yes when he gets drunk at the dance he's just as good playing loud and angry.

                        

Do people really hate this guy? And if yes, ummm why? This is another guy that needs to do more movies...he's not getting any younger. What's so good about him in this role is that there are scenes where he's not the centre but his facial reactions are thoroughly convincing. Warren is somewhat underrated as an actor but he's really good in this. And for that matter, so is the movie.

                          

Did you do a double take? Sorry, don’t rub your eyes. You’re seeing correct. I won’t go into people’s hatred of this film... I like it, and well yeah, that’s about it. W. P. Inman. Jude's accent is so freakish in this movie [in a good way] and yeah though I kind of watched hoping to see more of him and Nicole it was all good. His part of the film is less interesting, and it depends purely on his talent [and Philip Seymour Hoffman a little] to make it work. It could have gone horribly wrong, and I know for some they feel it did, but for me Jude made it work. Kudos to him.

                                                   

It’s the best thing that he’s done; that I’ve seen at least. Yeah, I would have given him the Oscar. I mean if they weren’t going to give it to the oldie, why not give the fresh young’un? Don’t ask me. Benjamin Braddock is just hilarious. He carries the entire film on his shoulders and all the other cast members are just supporting to him. His movement and antics alone are enough to convince you of his feelings in those montages. And the line readings aren't half bad either, Mrs. Robinson, are you trying to seduce me? You think?

                                     

There’s a moment in the movie where Bud is sifting the channels. He tries to watch Grand Hotel, but the ad breaks keep annoying him. It’s not a big acting moment, but Lemmon’s facial expressions always sell me. People always say Some Like It Hot or Missing was where he was best, but The Apartment has always been it for me. Bud is just a great character and all of that [well most if it] rests on Jack. Sure the screenplay is good, but this is one of those roles that would have been empty if done right. And luckily, Jack does it right.

        

I sure wish that he would have won the Oscar, though I have nothing against William Hoden. Clift may not be the best actor in the world, but he doesn't deserve to be written off as only a looker. I thought he was really good in this and deserves praise. It's the tortured character that is his specialty, but he plays it just right. A heartbreaking performance that is even sadder when you think of how his life [and career] ended.
                                       

                                       
3 – Richard Burton in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

I am not drowning. Even though George won’t admit it, he is slowly, but surely a drowning man. The middle of the film where he rips into Nick during the macabre Get the Guests is one of the best parts of this already great film. He outdoes the entire cast [all of whom give career best performances] and he absolutely takes control of his role. Everyone marvels at Liz's age transformation, but Richard ages too. Just look at The Taming of the Shrew [shot after this to see how young he was]. It's a great performance from any angle.

                                         

What the hell is about this guy? But yeah, here’s to Stanley Kowalski. Tennesse Williams is a genius for writing this, and Brando is a genius for interpreting as well as he did. It’s one of the greatest male performances, and yeah Stanley is despicable but [be honest] don’t you wish you were him? And you can’t not remember that famous calling of Stella. Lolita was right that perhaps people love him just a little too much. He doesn't always ace it, but boy-oh-boy. When he does, it's just marvellous and he deserves all the recognition here.

                                                                  

I feel a bit generic to put this as the best, because so many people say that it’s the best...but maybe it really is the best. The fact that he’s about thirty years too young for the role always boggles my mind. What exactly prompted them to give him the role? And the fact that he’s just as good as Katharine Hepburn boggles my mind too. This is just an outstanding performance. I’ve never seen Charly and I never want to see it because I know that I will scream in anger when I see whatever crap it was ROBBED Peter O’Toole of his Oscar. Wrong, wrong, wrong!
                            
And know that somewhere someone's going to be ticked off by at least one of these choices. So have it. I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready...

The Graduate is a 1967 comedy starring Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. Mike Nichols won an Oscar [his only] for directing it. When a disillusioned college graduate [Hoffman] comes home after graduating from school he finds himself complete discontented with the suburbs. He enters into a sexual relationship with Mrs Robinson [Bancroft] an older woman who just happens to be a neighbour of his parents. With this relationship Benjamin thinks he has finally found that elusive something that he has long been looking for…that extra addition to his life that not only makes him a man, but a complete human being. The relationship though is not a walk in the park and sometimes Benjamin and Mrs. Robinson [which he continues to call her] experience some fierce arguments, the last of which centres on Mrs. Robinson’s daughter a college student about Benjamin’s age. Mrs. Robinson forbids Benjamin to ever date her, something he had never thought about. As fate would have it though Benjamin eventually does go on a date with Elaine which severs the ties of the relationship and leads to much suspense and hilarity as Benjamin finds that he has found his true love in Elaine.

The plot for The Graduate does not really sell it well. If they wanted to, Lifetime could take it and turn it into sappy sob fest. But despite a plot that’s not exactly groundbreaking the script for The Graduate is on point. It’s one of the best comedy scripts I’ve ever read and it’s incredibly easy filled with some snappy dialogue. And even though it’s a comedy it’s not vacuous like the so many of the comedies we are privy to today. It’s a true testimony to a script [and a film] when it becomes a part of pop culture and the phrase Mrs. Robinson has become a staple in modern dialogue. I mean of course The Graduate was based on a book but it wasn’t the book that made every one know who Mrs. Robinson was…

With a good script, a good cast is essentially. Dustin Hoffman bears the brunt of the work since this is essentially HIS film. I know that this was quite early in his career; but for me this film represents the quintessential Dustin Hoffman. As Katharine Hepburn said all the right actors win Oscars but for the wrong roles. I don’t know if that’s right for everyone, but it’s true about Dustin. With all due respect Kramer vs Kramer was not a bad performance – he actually does some good stuff but it’s not that good. And as for Rain Man – I just hate it. Maybe it’s Tom Cruise, but I despise the film and am not a big fan of Hoffman in it. Hoffman was at his best in the sixties with this, Midnight Cowboy and the mid seventies All the President's Men he was just marvellous. Anne Bancroft was not throwaway either, she actually reminded me of another Ann [Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments] with her vampish walk and her sultry voice. I’m not sure if I’d say she was robbed of the Oscar like so many are wont to say. I think Kate was the right person for it, and if not her I’d give the other Hepburn [Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark], but I digress. Anne Bancroft is marvellous in this, and although the second half of The Graduate is my favourite I kind of hate it that she’s off screen.

Her husband [Murray Hamilton] and Benjamin’s parents [William Daniels & Elizabeth Wilson] are also effective with little screen time, Hamilton has a biggish scene towards the end which he plays just right. I’ve always felt that Katharine Ross playing Elaine was at an inherent disadvantage. Mrs. Robinson is morally ambiguous, we cannot deny that, but she’s completely alluring and the audience is drawn to her. To an extent we’re already on her side and in the past I have judged her harshly. But watching it again last year I realised that she did give a good performance. It’s hard making good interesting on film and she does deserving that Oscar nomination. And at the end of the day you do root for her, you do want her to win,

I’ve always thought that it’s difficult saying so-and-so directing did a good job with that film but with The Graduate for some reason I can just felt that it was directed wonderfully. There was just the way some scenes were shot that had me enchanted including this famous one above. It was great to see Nichols get his due in a decade when so many good directors were snubbed [Kramer for Judgement at Nuremberg, Harvey for The Lion in Winter, Kazan without even a nomination for Splendor in the Grass].
The last sequence of The Graduate is so interesting and is open to much interpretation. Benjamin and Elaine escape the conformist and get on the bus, the adrenaline is pumping. Then they sit down at the back of the bus and they give each other a look. But what does that look say? This is fun. I love you. What the fuck did I just do? I don’t want anyone spoiling my happy ending so I’ll go with the second option but what’s interesting is no matter what it means it’s still a great film. And what’s more interesting is that this is my number nine and yet it’s not my favourite of the 60s. Imagine that.