Your Favourite Performances from 1929 to present are...

[kingrat]

I need to re-visit both The Bad Seed and The King and I for various acting categories. I'll agree that the lead actress category is a bit sketchy this year. The supporting categories are strong, however. The King and I is scheduled on the big screen later this month in various cities in TCM's ongoing series.

 

Best Actor for 1956:

 

James Mason, BIGGER THAN LIFE****

Jean Gabin, VOICI LE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS

Yul Brynner, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Yul Brynner, THE KING AND I

John Wayne, THE SEARCHERS

George Sanders, DEATH OF A SCOUNDREL

 

Honorable mention: Bourvil, LA TRAVERSEE DE PARIS; Kirk Douglas, LUST FOR LIFE; Jean Gabin, LA TRAVERSEE DE PARIS; Fred MacMurray, THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW

 

Best Actress for 1956:

 

Jane Wyman, MIRACLE IN THE RAIN****

Maria Schell, GERVAISE

Deborah Kerr, THE KING AND I

Audrey Hepburn, WAR AND PEACE

Ingrid Bergman, ANASTASIA

 

Honorable mention: Daniele Delorme, VOICI LE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS; Nancy Kelly, THE BAD SEED; Vera Miles, THE WRONG MAN; Barbara Stanwyck, THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW

 

Best Supporting Actor for 1956:

 

Elisha Cook, Jr., THE KILLING****

Mark Rydell, CRIME IN THE STREETS

Timothy Carey, THE KILLING

Cedric Hardwicke, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Jay C. Flippen, THE KILLING

 

Honorable mention: Ed Begley, PATTERNS; Lee Marvin, SEVEN MEN FROM NOW; Anthony Quinn, LUST FOR LIFE; Edward G. Robinson, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS; Robert Stack, WRITTEN ON THE WIND

 

Best Supporting Actress for 1956:

 

Marie Windsor, THE KILLING****

Marisa Pavan, DIANE

Brenda de Banzie, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH

Nina Foch, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

Helen Hayes, ANASTASIA

 

Honorable mention: Lucienne Bogaert, VOICI LE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS; Gabrielle Fontan, VOICI LE TEMPS DES ASSASSINS; Eileen Heckart, THE BAD SEED; Celeste Holm, HIGH SOCIETY; Keiko Kishi, EARLY SPRING; Dorothy Malone, WRITTEN ON THE WIND; Mercedes McCambridge, GIANT; Martha Scott, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS; Jane Withers, GIANT

 

Couple of the Year: Elisha Cook, Jr. and Marie Windsor in THE KILLING

 

Star of the Year: Yul Brynner

 

Juvenile Performance: Patty McCormack, THE BAD SEED

 

Best Costumes: Walter Plunkett, DIANE

 

Tightest Costumes: TRAPEZE

[Bogie56]

There have been some great lines of dialogue in 1956:

"Dance you mud turtles!" and

"Moses, Moses, Moses" from The Ten Commandments.

"God was wrong" from Bigger Than Life

[skimpole]

Actor

David Niven, Around the World in Eighty Days
John Wayne, The Searchers
Henry Fonda, The Wrong Man
Gene Kelly, Invitation to the Dance
Roger Duchense, Bob le flambeur

Runner-ups:  Laurence Oliver (Richard III), Sterling Hayden (The Killing), Ryo Ikebe (Early Spring), James Stewart (The Man who Knew too Much), Smaran Ghosal (Aparajito), James Mason (Bigger than Life), Gary Cooper (Friendly Persuasion), Renato Mikini (The Burmese Harp), Tyrone Power (The Eddy Duchin Story),


Actress

Karuna Banerjee, Aparajito
Ingrid Bergman, Elena and Her Men
Marilyn Monroe, Bus Stop
Barbara Stanwyck, There's Always Tomorrow
Audrey Hepburn, War and Peace
 

Runner-ups:   Chikage Awashima (Early Spring), Deborah Kerr (The King and I), Vera Miles (The Wrong Man)

,

Supporting Actor

 

Robert Stack, Written on the Wind
Cantinflas, Around the World in Eighty Days
Yul Brynner, The Ten Commandments
Ward Bond, The Searchers
Kanu Banerjee, Aparajito


Runner-ups:  Herbert Lom (War and Peace), John Gielgud, (Richard III), Robert Newton (Around the World in Eighty Days) Edward G. Robinson (The Ten Commandments), Elisha Cook, Jr., (The Killing), Timothy Carey (The Killing), John Carradine (Around the World in Eighty Days), Daniel Cauchy (Bob la Flambeur),


Supporting Actress

Dorothy Malone, Written on the Wind
Joan Bennett, There's Always Tomorrow
Keiko Kishi, Early Spring
Vera Miles, The Searchers
Marie Windsor, The Killing

Runner-ups:  Shirley MacLaine (Around the World in Eighty Days), Anne Baxter (The Ten Commandments),


Not seen:  Anastasia, The Rainmaker, The Bold and the Brave,

 

 

---For the first time I agree with the Academy for best supporting actress.  Since the award is about a decade younger than the big two, the real outlier is best Actress, with which I first agreed with in 1951, while I agreed with Actor in 1942 and Supporting Actor in 1947. 

[speedracer5]

1956

 

Winner in BOLD

 

BEST PICTURE

 

Anything Goes

The Bad Seed

Bus Stop

The Catered Affair

Giant

The Harder They Fall

High Society

The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Swan

There's Always Tomorrow

Trapeze

Written on the Wind

The Wrong Man

While the City Sleeps

 

BEST ACTOR

 

Bing Crosby, Anything Goes

Donald O'Connor, Anything Goes

Ernest Borgnine, The Catered Affair

James Dean, Giant

Rock Hudson, Giant

Humphrey Bogart, The Harder They Fall

Bing Crosby, High Society

Frank Sinatra, High Society

James Stewart, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Fred MacMurray, There's Always Tomorrow

Burt Lancaster, Trapeze

Tony Curtis, Trapeze

Rock Hudson, Written on the Wind

Henry Fonda, The Wrong Man

Dana Andrews, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST ACTRESS

 

Nancy Kelly, The Bad Seed

Marilyn Monroe, Bus Stop

Bette Davis, The Catered Affair

Elizabeth Taylor, Giant

Grace Kelly, High Society

Doris Day, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Grace Kelly, The Swan

Barbara Stanwyck, There's Always Tomorrow

Gina Lollobrigida, Trapeze

Lauren Bacall, Written on the Wind

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

 

Dennis Hopper, Giant

Rob Steiger, The Harder They Fall

Robert Stack, Written on the Wind

George Sanders, While the City Sleeps

Vincent Price, While the City Sleeps

Thomas Mitchell, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

 

Mitzi Gaynor, Anything Goes

Patty McCormack, The Bad Seed

Eileen Heckhart, The Bad Seed

Debbie Reynolds, The Catered Affair

Mercedes McCambridge, Giant

Celeste Holm, High Society

Agnes Moorehead, The Swan

Joan Bennett, There's Always Tomorrow

Pat Crowley, There's Always Tomorrow

Dorothy Malone, Written on the Wind

Vera Miles, The Wrong Man

Rhonda Fleming, While the City Sleeps

Ida Lupino, While the City Sleeps

Sally Forrest, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST SONG

 

"Que Sera Sera," Doris Day's signature song in The Man Who Knew Too Much

 

MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM

 

Forever Darling.  It stars my favorites, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, but this film is not very good.  Lucy and Desi spend much of the film fighting.  Their marriage was strained by this point and I think it shows in their performances.  Overall, I think this film is kind of depressing, even though it's supposed to be a comedy.

 

BITTERSWEET SWAN SONGS

 

Grace Kelly leaving Hollywood after High Society, Humphrey Bogart, unfortunately, being too ill to work after The Harder They Fall and James Dean's tragic death during the filming of Giant. 

 

BEST ALL-STAR CAST

 

While the City Sleeps.  This was an excellent film starring Dana Andrews, Vincent Price, Rhonda Fleming, Thomas Mitchell, Ida Lupino, Howard Duff, George Sanders and John Drew Barrymore.

 

BEST MELODRAMA

 

Written on the Wind.  This movie is so over the top, it's captivating and funny at times as well.

 

BEST VOICE

 

Robert Stack in Written on the Wind.  Every time I heard him speak in his films, I cannot help but think of Unsolved Mysteries. 

 

BEST STUNTS

 

Burt Lancaster's stunts in Trapeze

 

BEST BODY

 

Burt Lancaster in Trapeze.  Though, Gina Lollobrigida looks pretty good too.

 

BEST USE OF EYES

 

The constant close ups and emphasis on Henry Fonda's eyes in The Wrong Man.  His eyes made his case of mistaken identity even more heartbreaking. 

 

MOST BORING FILM

 

Gene Kelly's pet project, Invitation to the Dance.  Sorry Gene, I love you, but no. 

 

BEST MUSICAL GUEST

 

Louis Armstrong in High Society

 

WORST CASTING

 

Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope together in The Iron Petticoat

 

WORST REMAKE

 

The Opposite Sex, remake of 1939's The Women

 

STRANGEST WAY TO REKINDLE A ROMANCE:

 

Barbara Stanwyck essentially telling Fred MacMurray that she was thinking about him randomly, looked up his address and just showed up at his doorstep, in There's Always Tomorrow.  

 

SPEEDRACER'S TAKEAWAY FROM "THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW"

 

About the oldest son, Vinnie:

 

"Who peed in his Cheerios this morning?!" 

[CoraSmith]

ACTOR:

1. James Stewart - The Man Who Knew Too Much

2. Kirk Douglas - Lust for Life

3. David Niven - Around the World in 80 Days

4. James Mason - Bigger Than Life

5. Henry Fonda - The Wrong Man

6. John Wayne - The Searchers

7. Yul Brynner - The Ten Commandments 

8. Gregory Peck - Moby Dick

9. Leslie Nielsen - Forbidden Planet

10. Austin Spencer - Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

 

ACTRESS:

1. Doris Day - The Man Who Knew Too Much

2. Brigitte Bardot -  And God Created Woman

3. Deborah Kerr - Tea and Sympathy

4. Audrey Hepburn - War and Peace

5. Grace Kelly - High Society

6. Deborah Kerr - The King and I

7. Elizabeth Taylor - Giant

8. Ingrid Bergman - Anastasia

9. Gina Lollobrigida - Notre Dame de Paris

10. Anne Francis - Forbidden Planet

 

SUPPORTING ACTOR:

1. Anthony Quinn - Lust for Life

2. Orson Welles - Moby Dick

3. Bernard Miles - The Man Who Knew Too Much
4. Walter Matthau - Bigger Than Life

5. Cantiflas - Around the World in 80 Days

6. Frank Sinatra - High Society

7. Elisha Cook Jr. - The Killing

8. Anthony Quayle - The Wrong Man

 

SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

1. Natalie Wood - The Searchers

2. Anita Ekberg - War and Peace
3. Brenda De Banzie - The Man Who Knew Too Much

4. Vera Miles - The Wrong Man

5. Dorothy Malone - Written on the Wind

6. Zsa Zsa Gabor - Death of a Scoundrel

7. Celeste Holm - High Society

8. Shirley MacLaine - Around the World in 80 Days

BEST JUVENILE PERFORMANCE: 

1. Pascal Lamorisse - The Red Balloon

2. Christopher Olsen - The Man Who Knew Too Much

3. Christopher Olsen - Bigger Than Life

 

BEST EXTRA: Bess Flowers - Giant

BEST ANIMAL PERFORMANCE: My Lady of the Congo, Basenji in Good-bye, My Lady

BEST MUSICIAN IN AN ACTING ROLE: Louis Armstrong - High Society

BEST ROBOT: Robby the Robot - Forbidden Planet 

BEST MULTI-STAR CAST: Around the World in 80 Days

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE: War and Peace (Nino Rota)

BEST NON-ORIGINAL SONG: You'll Never Walk Alone (Shirley Jones & Claramae Turner in Carousel)

BEST ORIGINAL SONG: 

1. Whatever Will Be (Doris Day in The Man Who Knew Too Much) 

2. True Love (Bing Crosby & Grace Kelly in High Society)

BEST QUOTE: 

1. They're here already! You're next! You're next! You're next! (Invasion of the Body Snatchers)

2. Follow that ostrich! (Around the World in 80 Days)

[Film Friend]

Because she and I share a birthday (in different years), my choice:

[Bogie56]

The BAFTA winners for 1956 were ….

 

Best Actor (British)

Peter Finch, A Town Like Alice*

Jack Hawkins, The Long Arm/The Third Key

Kenneth More, Reach For the Sky

 

Best Actor (Foreign)

Francoise Perier, Gervaise*

Karl Malden, Baby Doll

Pierre Fresnay, The Unfrocked One (54)

Frank Sinatra, The Man With the Golden Arm (55)

Spencer Tracy, The Mountain

William Holden, Picnic (55)

James Dean, Rebel Without a Cause (55)

Gunnar Bjornstrand, Smiles of a Summer Night (55)

 

Best Actress (British)

Virginia McKenna, A Town Like Alice*

Dorothy Alison, Reach For the Sky

Audrey Hepburn, War and Peace

 

Best Actress (Foreign)

Anna Magnani, The Rose Tattoo* (55)

Carroll Baker, Baby Doll

Ava Gardner, Bhowani Junction

Maria Schell, Gervaise

Jean Simmons, Guys and Dolls (55)

Susan Hayward, I’ll Cry Tomorrow (55)

Kim Novak, Picnic (55)

Marisa Pavan, The Rose Tattoo (55)

Eva Dahlbeck, Smiles of a Summer Night (55)

Shirley MacLaine, The Trouble With Harry (55)

 

Interesting that Jean Simmons is considered a foreign actress and Peter Finch a British actor.  Cary Grant will be considered a foreign actor in another year while they recognize that Elizabeth Taylor is a British actor.

[Bogie56]

The Golden Globe Awards for 1956 were …

 

Best Actor in a Drama

Kirk Douglas, Lust For Life*

Karl Malden, Baby Doll

Gary Cooper, Friendly Persuasion

Burt Lancaster, The Rainmaker

Charlton Heston, The Ten Commandments

 

Best Actress in a Drama

Ingrid Bergman, Anastasia*

Helen Hayes, Anastasia

Carroll Baker, Baby Doll

Katharine Hepburn, The Rainmaker

Audrey Hepburn, War and Peace

 

Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical

Cantiflas, Around the World In 80 Days*

Danny Kaye, The Court Jester (55)

Yul Brynner, The King and I

Marlon Brando, The Teahouse of the August Moon

Glenn Ford, The Teahouse of the August Moon

 

Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical

Deborah Kerr, The King and I*

Debbie Reynolds, Bundle of Joy

Marilyn Monroe, Bus Stop

July Holliday, The Solid Gold Cadillac

Machiko Kyo, The Teahouse of the August Moon

 

Best Supporting Actor

Earl Holliman, The Rainmaker*

Eli Wallach, Baby Doll

Anthony Quinn, Lust For Life

Eddie Albert, The Teahouse of the August Moon

Oscar Homolka, War and Peace

 

Best Supporting Actress

Eileen Heckart, The Bad Seed*

Mildred Dunnock, Baby Doll

Patty McCormack, The Bad Seed

Marjorie Main, Friendly Persuasion

Dorothy Malone, Written on the Wind

[TomJH]

Gary Cooper's performance as Jess Birdwell in Friendly Persuasion has always been a special one to me because he reminds me so much of my grandfather.

 

My grandfather was a soft spoken, gentle man who usually sat in the background. Grandma pretty well ruled the roost in their home in many ways.

 

But there was always a mischevious wink in Grandpa's eye and, when the occasion demanded it, on a few occasions of importance to him he would put his foot down. My grandfather had an iron will then and Grandma knew better than to protest, always backing down.

 

I was always told by my parents to not accept money from Grandpa (they lived on a limited budget) but whenever we parted and Grandpa extended his hand for me to shake there was always a quarter stuck between his fingers. It was our little secret and Grandpa would smile at me conspiratorially. I loved my Grandfather. We all loved him.

 

Years later, as my mother watched Cooper work his quiet magic on screen in Friendly Persuasion, she would smile and laugh at times, at other moments perhaps get teary eyed and soon afterward start talking about her father.

 

We all have regrets in our lives but Grandpa would always remain a positive memory for my mother, as he has been for me. Watching Cooper's beautifully nuanced performance always reminds me how fortunate I was to have known him.

 

[Bogie56]

Here are my choices of the 95 films I've seen from 1956 for…

 

Best Actress of 1956

 

1.  MARILYN MONROE (Cherie/"Cherry"), Bus Stop

2.  CARROLL BAKER (“Baby Doll” Meighan), Baby Doll

3.  INGRID BERGMAN (Anna Koreff/“Imperial Highness, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of                               Russia”/"Anna Anderson"/"Anna Toy"), Anastasia

4.  KATHARINE HEPBURN (Lizzie Curry), The Rainmaker

5.  JUDY HOLLIDAY (Laura Partridge), The Solid Gold Cadillac

 

6.  ELIZABETH TAYLOR (Leslie Benedict), Giant

7.  PIER ANGELI (Norma Graziano), Somebody Up There Likes Me

8.  DORIS DAY (Josephine "Jo" Conway McKenna), The Man Who Knew Too Much

9.  LAUREN BACALL (Lucy Moore Hadley), Written on the Wind

10. DEBORAH KERR (Anna Leonowens), The King and I

 

and...

 

ISUZU YAMADA (Otsuta), Flowing

VIRGINIA MCKENNA (Jean Paget), A Town Like Alice

VERA MILES (Rose Balestrero), The Wrong Man

GABRIELLA PALLOTTA (Luisa Pilon), The Roof

MARI TOROCSIK (Mari Pataki), Merry Go Round

DANA WYNTER (Valerie Russell), D-Day, the Sixth of June

NANCY KELLY (Christine Penmark/”Ingol Danker”), The Bad Seed

 

 

+ A bit of King and I trivia.  If you go to the Five Fishermen restaurant in Halifax, Nova Scotia its upstairs dining room is where Anna Leonowens had an art school after her Siamese adventure.  It was later purchased and turned into a funeral home and became the emergency mortuary for the Titanic victims.  Don't let that put you off.  The food was fantastic.

[Bogie56]

Here are my choices of the 95 films I've seen from 1956 for…

 

Best Actor of 1956

 

1.  KIRK DOUGLAS (Vincent Van Gogh), Lust for Life

2.  JOHN WAYNE (Ethan Edwards), The Searchers

3.  JAMES MASON (Ed Avery), Bigger Than Life

4.  ELI WALLACH (Silva Vacarro), Baby Doll

5.  HUMPHREY BOGART (Eddie Willis), The Harder They Fall

 

6.  YUL BRYNNER (“the King of Siam”/King Mongkut, Rama IV of the Chakri dynasty), The King and I

7.  PIETRO GERMI (Andrea Marcocci), The Railroad Man

8.  GARY COOPER (Jess Birdwell), Friendly Persuasion

9.  JAMES DEAN (Jett Rink), Giant

10. DON MURRAY (Beauregard "Bo" Decker), Bus Stop

 

and ...

 

PAUL NEWMAN (Rocky Barbella/”Rocky Graziano”), Somebody Up There Likes Me

VAN HEFLIN (Fred Staples), Patterns

RICHARD WIDMARK (Michael ‘Mike’ Latimer), Run For the Sun

STERLING HAYDEN (Johnny Clay), The Killing

JAMES STEWART (Doctor Ben McKenna), The Man Who Knew Too Much

SPENCER TRACY (Zachary Teller), The Mountain

YUL BRYNNER (General Sergei Palvonich Bounine), Anastasia

GIORGIO LISTUZZI (Natale Pilon), The Roof

HENRY FONDA (Christopher Emmanuel “Manny” Balestrero), The Wrong Man

[ChristineHoard]

1956

 

Winner in BOLD

 

BEST PICTURE

 

Anything Goes

The Bad Seed

Bus Stop

The Catered Affair

Giant

The Harder They Fall

High Society

The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Swan

There's Always Tomorrow

Trapeze

Written on the Wind

The Wrong Man

While the City Sleeps

 

BEST ACTOR

 

Bing Crosby, Anything Goes

Donald O'Connor, Anything Goes

Ernest Borgnine, The Catered Affair

James Dean, Giant

Rock Hudson, Giant

Humphrey Bogart, The Harder They Fall

Bing Crosby, High Society

Frank Sinatra, High Society

James Stewart, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Fred MacMurray, There's Always Tomorrow

Burt Lancaster, Trapeze

Tony Curtis, Trapeze

Rock Hudson, Written on the Wind

Henry Fonda, The Wrong Man

Dana Andrews, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST ACTRESS

 

Nancy Kelly, The Bad Seed

Marilyn Monroe, Bus Stop

Bette Davis, The Catered Affair

Elizabeth Taylor, Giant

Grace Kelly, High Society

Doris Day, The Man Who Knew Too Much

Grace Kelly, The Swan

Barbara Stanwyck, There's Always Tomorrow

Gina Lollobrigida, Trapeze

Lauren Bacall, Written on the Wind

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

 

Dennis Hopper, Giant

Rob Steiger, The Harder They Fall

Robert Stack, Written on the Wind

George Sanders, While the City Sleeps

Vincent Price, While the City Sleeps

Thomas Mitchell, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

 

Mitzi Gaynor, Anything Goes

Patty McCormack, The Bad Seed

Eileen Heckhart, The Bad Seed

Debbie Reynolds, The Catered Affair

Mercedes McCambridge, Giant

Celeste Holm, High Society

Agnes Moorehead, The Swan

Joan Bennett, There's Always Tomorrow

Pat Crowley, There's Always Tomorrow

Dorothy Malone, Written on the Wind

Vera Miles, The Wrong Man

Rhonda Fleming, While the City Sleeps

Ida Lupino, While the City Sleeps

Sally Forrest, While the City Sleeps

 

BEST SONG

 

"Que Sera Sera," Doris Day's signature song in The Man Who Knew Too Much

 

MOST DISAPPOINTING FILM

 

Forever Darling.  It stars my favorites, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, but this film is not very good.  Lucy and Desi spend much of the film fighting.  Their marriage was strained by this point and I think it shows in their performances.  Overall, I think this film is kind of depressing, even though it's supposed to be a comedy.

 

BITTERSWEET SWAN SONGS

 

Grace Kelly leaving Hollywood after High Society, Humphrey Bogart, unfortunately, being too ill to work after The Harder They Fall and James Dean's tragic death during the filming of Giant. 

 

BEST ALL-STAR CAST

 

While the City Sleeps.  This was an excellent film starring Dana Andrews, Vincent Price, Rhonda Fleming, Thomas Mitchell, Ida Lupino, Howard Duff, George Sanders and John Drew Barrymore.

 

BEST MELODRAMA

 

Written on the Wind.  This movie is so over the top, it's captivating and funny at times as well.

 

BEST VOICE

 

Robert Stack in Written on the Wind.  Every time I heard him speak in his films, I cannot help but think of Unsolved Mysteries. 

 

BEST STUNTS

 

Burt Lancaster's stunts in Trapeze

 

BEST BODY

 

Burt Lancaster in Trapeze.  Though, Gina Lollobrigida looks pretty good too.

 

BEST USE OF EYES

 

The constant close ups and emphasis on Henry Fonda's eyes in The Wrong Man.  His eyes made his case of mistaken identity even more heartbreaking. 

 

MOST BORING FILM

 

Gene Kelly's pet project, Invitation to the Dance.  Sorry Gene, I love you, but no. 

 

BEST MUSICAL GUEST

 

Louis Armstrong in High Society

 

WORST CASTING

 

Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope together in The Iron Petticoat

 

WORST REMAKE

 

The Opposite Sex, remake of 1939's The Women

 

STRANGEST WAY TO REKINDLE A ROMANCE:

 

Barbara Stanwyck essentially telling Fred MacMurray that she was thinking about him randomly, looked up his address and just showed up at his doorstep, in There's Always Tomorrow.  

 

SPEEDRACER'S TAKEAWAY FROM "THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW"

 

About the oldest son, Vinnie:

 

"Who peed in his Cheerios this morning?!" 

FUNNY!  My thoughts exactly.  Vinnie and his ungrateful bratty siblings, along with a wife who doesn't seem to give two *****, always make me root for Barbara and Fred to get together.

[Bogie56]

Here are Danny Peary’s Alternate Oscar choices for 1956.  Winners in bold.  

 

Best Actor

Laurence Olivier, Richard III* (55)

Yul Brynner, The King and I

Kirk Douglas, Lust For Life

Sterling Hayden, The Killing

Burt Lancaster, The Rainmaker

James Mason, Bigger Than Life

John Wayne, The Searchers

 

Best Actress

Katharine Hepburn, The Rainmaker*

Carroll Baker, Baby Doll,

Ingrid Bergman, Anastasia

Judy Holliday, The Solid Gold Cadillac

Marilyn Monroe, Bus Stop

 

 

And here are Michael Gerbert’s Golden Armchair choices for 1956:

 

Best Actor

John Wayne, The Searchers*

 

Best Actress

Eva Dahlbeck, Smiles of a Summer Night* (55)

[Kay]

1956 - A modest sized list. One favorite film this year boasts five marvelous performances and takes up all my categories, an' how. Fortunately the winning lead Actor is good enough to match them so the list isn't lop-sided. As we go ahead in years I'm finding that there may be more films that I love, but less that I like.
 

Actor

James Mason - Bigger Than Life***
Burt Lancaster - The Rainmaker
Eli Wallach - Baby Doll
Karl Malden - Baby Doll

Van Heflin - Patterns

Sterling Hayden - The Killing

 

Actress

Patty McCormack - The Bad Seed (juvenile)***
Nancy Kelly - The Bad Seed
Bette Davis - The Catered Affair

 

Supporting Actor

Henry Jones - The Bad Seed***

Elisha Cook, Jr. - The Killing
Ken Curtis - The Searchers

Timothy Carey - The Killing

Wendell Corey - The Killer is Loose

Vincent Price - While the City Sleeps

 

Supporting Actress

Evelyn Varden - The Bad Seed***

Eileen Heckart - The Bad Seed

Marie Windsor - The Killing

[kingrat]

When I saw The Ten Commandments this March on the big screen as part of the series TCM is showing across the country, I was surprised at how good a film it is. It held my attention consistently through nearly four hours. The actors are mostly good, the color cinematography of Loyal Griggs is outstanding, the parting of the Red Sea is one of the memorable special effects, and DeMille knows how to mix romance, religion, showmanship, politics, and a little comedy.

 

In some ways, the screenplay was the biggest surprise. Perhaps because of the immense significance of Moses to both Judaism and Christianity, and the dangers involved in favoring certain religious interpretations of the story over others, the film foregrounds political matters. What makes a good leader? The Pharoah Seti (Cedric Hardwicke) has been an effective and well-liked ruler, and he must decide on his successor: Ramses (Yul Brynner) or Moses (Charlton Heston). Seti refrains from choosing too early. The portrayal of Ramses is a surprisingly subtle and penetrating study of an ambitious man with plenty of charisma, one who wants to rule and can inspire people to follow him, but who is ruled by his emotions and his natural bent for cruelty.

 

According to some sources, the studio pushed Yvonne DeCarlo, Debra Paget, and John Derek for Oscar nominations--to my mind, the handsome Derek gives the weakest performance in the film--rather than Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Cedric Hardwicke, or Edward G. Robinson.

 

Anne Baxter's Nefretiri is the Lizabeth Scott of ancient Egypt, falling for the good Moses, but when spurned by him, ready to use some femme fatale wiles. She has the ripest--overripe--dialogue.

 

In some ways The Ten Commandments is the Biblical version of Gone With the Wind, and like its predecessor it gives us lots of memorable characters. Watching this in bits and pieces on television does not do it justice.

[speedracer5]

When I saw The Ten Commandments this March on the big screen as part of the series TCM is showing across the country, I was surprised at how good a film it is. It held my attention consistently through nearly four hours. The actors are mostly good, the color cinematography of Loyal Griggs is outstanding, the parting of the Red Sea is one of the memorable special effects, and DeMille knows how to mix romance, religion, showmanship, politics, and a little comedy.

 

In some ways, the screenplay was the biggest surprise. Perhaps because of the immense significance of Moses to both Judaism and Christianity, and the dangers involved in favoring certain religious interpretations of the story over others, the film foregrounds political matters. What makes a good leader? The Pharoah Seti (Cedric Hardwicke) has been an effective and well-liked ruler, and he must decide on his successor: Ramses (Yul Brynner) or Moses (Charlton Heston). Seti refrains from choosing too early. The portrayal of Ramses is a surprisingly subtle and penetrating study of an ambitious man with plenty of charisma, one who wants to rule and can inspire people to follow him, but who is ruled by his emotions and his natural bent for cruelty.

 

According to some sources, the studio pushed Yvonne DeCarlo, Debra Paget, and John Derek for Oscar nominations--to my mind, the handsome Derek gives the weakest performance in the film--rather than Nina Foch, Martha Scott, Cedric Hardwicke, or Edward G. Robinson.

 

Anne Baxter's Nefretiri is the Lizabeth Scott of ancient Egypt, falling for the good Moses, but when spurned by him, ready to use some femme fatale wiles. She has the ripest--overripe--dialogue.

 

In some ways The Ten Commandments is the Biblical version of Gone With the Wind, and like its predecessor it gives us lots of memorable characters. Watching this in bits and pieces on television does not do it justice.

 

I'm not big on the bible movies, so I'm going to ask this question and hope that it doesn't come across the wrong way:

 

I know that The Ten Commandments is considered one of the all time best "epics."  Outside of the Bible context, is this movie a good film on its own? Or is it only considered a good film by those who are heavily devoted to religion and the idea of "The Ten Commandments" ? 

 

I'm not trying to be a heathen or start any sort of religious discussion, I'm just curious if the film could stand on its own with a plot, good character development, etc.

[LawrenceA]

Speed, I'm an atheist, and I really like the movie. It has fantasy/"biblical" moments, but it works best as a period piece epic, with colorful costumes, sets, characters, and performances. A lot of it is corny, but not in a cloying way, and the corniness adds to the charm, imo.

 

I don't mind religious films at all if they are well made and/or interesting in some way.

[Bogie56]

The 1956 Cannes Film Festival winner was…

 

Best Actress

Susan Hayward, I’ll Cry Tomorrow (55)

 

—————————————————————————————

 

The 1956 Venice Film Festival winners were:

 

Best Actors

Bourvil, The Crossing of Paris

 

Best Actress

Maria Schell, Gervaise

 

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The Berlin International Film Festival began in 1951 but it wasn’t until 1955 that it gave out an acting award.  It simply went to Helmut Kautner.  In 1956 they started to give awards to actors for specific films.  Here are its acting choices for that year:

 

Best Actor

Burt Lancaster, Trapeze

 

Best Actress

Elsa Martinelli, Donatella

[TomJH]

Although he was never a favourite of the critics and subtlety was hardly his thing, Cecil B. DeMille had his finger on the pulse of what movie audiences wanted for years, with a larger-than-life tapestry of various historical periods (ancient Rome, the American West, Biblical times). He would hire the best actors he could find and trusted and largely let them do their thing. His mastery was truly in the direction of crowd scenes, and there were some memorable moments.

 

No film in his career was bigger, more expensive or took longer to make than his '56 remake of The Ten Commandments. It was, in spite of its cost, his biggest money maker and it remains the film by which he is best remembered today. 

 

Truth is, I've never been a particular fan of this four hour epic (there are a number of earlier DeMille films that I like far more), but it is certainly entertaining, at least in spots. But the last time I saw this film I was struck, as kingrat indicates in his review, by how astoundingly good Yul Brynner is as Rameses. He brings dignity, intelligence and great pride to the role and, even with this monarch's great failings in character, I can feel some pity for him.

 

 

Charlton Heston said in an interview that he felt Brynner gave the best performance in the film, and I couldn't agree with him more. So much so, in fact, that once Rameses is gone from the film my interest in the production starts to dissipate to a degree in spite of all the splashy spectacle (and no one did it splashier than DeMille).

 

One performance in the film that has been humourously derided by many is that of Edward G. Robinson as Dathan. Great character actor that he was, he was also fighting his tough guy Little Caesar image to a degree here, and his cry, "Where's your Messiah now?" has provided a field day for impersonators (including Billy Crystal) over the years.

 

Aside from that getting cast in this film was important for Robinson. He had been brown listed for some years due to his leftist political beliefs during the McCarthy era. Having a powerful, arch conservative like DeMille cast him in his epic was sending a signal to Hollywood that Robinson had his official stamp of approval. I suspect that the actor must have been very grateful to the producer director for that.

 

[Bogie56]

Italy’s David di Donatello Awards for 1956 were …

 

Best Foreign Actor

Laurence Olivier, Richard III (55)

 

Best Actress

Ingrid Bergman, Anastasia

 

[Bogie56]

Japan’s Blue Ribbon Awards for 1956 were …

 

Best Actor

Keiji Sada, Typhoon and I Will Buy You

 

Best Actress

Isuzu Yamada, A Cat, Two Women and One Man and Flowing

 

Best Supporting Actor

Jan Tatara, Typhoon and I Will Buy You

 

Best Supporting Actress

Yoshiko Kuga, Farewell to Dream, The Rose on His Arm and Women In Prison

 

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Japan’s Mainichi Awards for 1956 were …

 

Best Actor

Keiji Sada, Typhoon and I Will Buy You

 

Best Actress

Isuzu Yamada, A Cat, Two Women and One Man and Flowing

 

Best Supporting Actor

Eijiro Tono, River of the Night and Farewell to Dream

 

Best Supporting Actress

Sadaka Sawamura, Street of Shame, The Rose on His Arm and A Wife’s Heart

[Bogie56]

Here are some performances from 1956 that will be recognized in subsequent years …

 

John Kitzmiller will win the Cannes Best Actor Award in 1957 for Valley of Peace (1956).

 

Jean Gabin will be nominated for the BAFTA Best Foreign Actor Award in 1957 for The Crossing of Paris (1956).

 

Deborah Kerr will be nominated for the BAFTA Best Actress Award in 1957 for Tea and Sympathy (1956).

 

Lili Palmer will be nominated for the BAFTA Best Foreign Actress Award in 1957 for Anastasia - The Czar’s Last Daughter (1956).

 

Katharine Hepburn will be nominated for the BAFTA Best Foreign Actress Award in 1957 for The Rainmaker (1956).

 

Karuna Bannerjee will be nominated for the BAFTA Best Foreign Actress Award in 1958 for Aparajito (1956).

 

Ed Wynn will be nominated for the Golden Globe Best Supporting Actor Award and the BAFTA Best Foreign Actor Award in 1957 for The Great Man (1956).

[kingrat]

Concerning three outstanding French films from 1956:

 

La Traversee de Paris (The Crossing of Paris, aka Four Bags Full, aka A Pig Across Paris): It's not surprising that Bourvil and Jean Gabin received various awards or nominations for this film. Truffaut did everything he could to wreck Claude Autant-Lara's reputation, but even Truffaut considered this film a masterpiece. Paris is under Nazi occupation, and the locals are starving. Bourvil acquires four suitcases full of pork, which would be worth a lot of money on the black market. Of course, if the Nazis catch him, he'll be shot. Unfortunately, he must rely on a stranger (Jean Gabin) to carry the other two suitcases across Paris. Imagine a French Billy Wilder comedy and you'll have a good idea of what this film is like. About three years ago Bruce Goldstein was supposed to bring out a restored version to be called A Pig Across Paris, but I'm not sure if that ever happened.

 

Gervaise: Maria Schell received much acclaim and a Venice Film Festival award for her performance in the title role. Adapted from Zola's novel L'Assommoir and very well directed by Rene Clement. Gervaise and her husband, hard-working blue collar types, are getting by until the husband is injured in a fall. Things begin to go bad, and Gervaise slips into alcoholism. One of the most memorable scenes is a fight between Maria Schell and Suzy Delair. Less depressing than it sounds, mainly because of Clement's direction. This is available from Criterion.

 

Voici le temps des assassins: This Julien Duvivier film noir has been praised by Truffaut, Chabrol, and Bertrand Tavernier, among others. Strongly recommended to noir enthusiasts. The film opens with an extended scene set in Les Halles, which is now a mostly underground shopping area of no particular distinction. Jean Gabin owns a restaurant nearby. Who should turn up looking for work but the daughter of his ex-wife, an attractive young woman played by Daniele Delorme (she had starred in the non-musical film of Gigi). She says that her mother (Lucienne Bogaert) has died. A young medical student played by Gerard Blain (Le Beau Serge, Les Cousins) falls for her, but she seems to be more interested in her former stepfather. Things develop from there. I like the way we can't be sure early in the film what direction it will take. Great performances by Gabin, Delorme, Bogaert, and Gabrielle Fontan as a cranky old lady known as Madame Jules who works for Gabin. I'm getting to be a big fan of Duvivier. This film was seen online.

 

By the way, I don't understand why Gerard Blain didn't become a big international star. He had the looks and the talent.

[LawrenceA]

Here are the 1956 films I haven't seen:

 

Anything Goes

Bhowani Junction

Carousel

The Catered Affair

D-Day, the Sixth of June

Death of a Scoundrel

Diane

Early Spring

Elena and Her Men

Flowing

Forever Darling

Gervaise

Good-bye, My Lady

The Green Man

Invitation to the Dance

The Iron Petticoat

A Kiss Before Dying

The Last Hunt

Merry Go Round

Miracle In the Rain

Notre Dame de Paris

The Opposite Sex

Patterns

The Railroad Man

Reach for the Sky

The Red Balloon

The Roof

Run for the Sun

Sailor Beware

The Solid Gold Cadillac

Tea and Sympathy

There's Always Tomorrow

23 Paces to Baker Street

Voici le Temps des Assassins

 

 

I have taped/acquired, but have not yet watched:

 

Aparajito

La Traversee de Paris/Four Bags Full

The Swan

[TomJH]

Here are the 1956 films I haven't seen:

 

The Last Hunt

 

The Last Hunt is an above average western involving buffalo hunters with no great love for one another (Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger). The most intriguing part of the film is the effectiveness of Taylor, cast against type as a cold blooded killer/Indian hating racist with a quick temper. For my money, it may well be the performance of his career. True, Taylor is not anyone's idea of a great actor, but that's all the more reason why some might be surprised at just how convincing he is in this (for him) very unconventional role. I wish he had played a nasty like this more often.

 

Lloyd Nolan also scores well as a peg legged buffalo hunter, the cast also including Debra Paget (playing an Indian maiden once again) and Russ Tamblyn as a red headed Indian. This beautifully photographed Technicolor western comes on TCM quite often and is definitely recommended viewing.

 

A warning to animal lovers, though: the filmmakers filmed buffalo herds being thinned so the deaths here are, unfortunately, real. To the best of my knowledge, though, none were killed because of the making of the film. The film does, in fact, have a powerful and sympathetic message about the senseless waste of the animal as it was decimated on the Dakota plains in the 1880s, Taylor playing a man who enjoys the kill.