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Your Favourite Performances from 1929 to present are...


Bogie56
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I don't always go by screen time alone.  For me it also depends on who's story it is.

 

I recall thinking that the relationship between Niven and Kerr was the most compelling in Separate Tables, but the film is about Hayworth and Lancaster just as much with, if memory serves me properly, more screen time. I should perhaps watch the film again to confirm this is really the case.

 

Still, I definitely recall being surprised at how limited Niven's screen time was, which was a shame, since I very much enjoyed this unusual character turn by him.

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It's been a while since I last saw the film, I admit, but I'm hard pressed to think of any actor who won the Oscar as best actor who had less screen time than Niven in this film. 

 

 

I think the record for that is still Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs.(25 minutes of screen time)

 

Edit: I am wrong! The shortest is Niven in Separate Tables, at 24 minutes!

 

The other categories: Best Actress - Patricia Neal in Hud (22 minutes) Best Supporting Actor - Anthony Quinn in Lust for Life (8 minutes) Best Supporting Actress : conflicting info...some say Beatrice Straight in Network (5 minutes) but other sources say she had 10 minutes of screen time, and the shortest was Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love (8 minutes)

 

The shortest ever nominated performance in any category was Hermione Baddeley in Room at the Top (2 minutes, 30 seconds)

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I think the record for that is still Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs.(25 minutes of screen time)

 

Edit: I am wrong! The shortest is Niven in Separate Tables, at 24 minutes!

 

The other categories: Best Actress - Patricia Neal in Hud (22 minutes) Best Supporting Actor - Anthony Quinn in Lust for Life (8 minutes) Best Supporting Actress : conflicting info...some say Beatrice Straight in Network (5 minutes) but other sources say she had 10 minutes of screen time, and the shortest was Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love (8 minutes)

 

The shortest ever nominated performance in any category was Hermione Baddeley in Room at the Top (2 minutes, 30 seconds)

 

Had she won for Supporting Actress (and I wish she had), Sylvia Miles would have been a contender for shortest screen time in Midnight Cowboy. About six minutes I think.

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I think the record for that is still Anthony Hopkins in The Silence of the Lambs.(25 minutes of screen time)

 

Edit: I am wrong! The shortest is Niven in Separate Tables, at 24 minutes!

 

The other categories: Best Actress - Patricia Neal in Hud (22 minutes) Best Supporting Actor - Anthony Quinn in Lust for Life (8 minutes) Best Supporting Actress : conflicting info...some say Beatrice Straight in Network (5 minutes) but other sources say she had 10 minutes of screen time, and the shortest was Judi Dench in Shakespeare in Love (8 minutes)

 

The shortest ever nominated performance in any category was Hermione Baddeley in Room at the Top (2 minutes, 30 seconds)

 

Thanks for the info, Lawrence.

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Japan’s Blue Ribbon Awards for 1958 were …

 

Best Actor

Raizo Ichikawa, Enjo/Conflagration

 

Best Actress

Fujiko Yamamoto, The White Heron and Equinox Flower

 

Best Supporting Actor

Ganjiro Nakamura, Enjo/Conflagration and Summer Clouds

 

Best Supporting Actress

Misako Watanabe, Endless Desire

 

—————————————————————————————

 

Japan’s Mainichi Awards for 1958 were …

 

Best Actor

Keiju Kobayashi, The Naked General

 

Best Actress

Chikage Awashima, Hotarubi and Summer Clouds

 

Best Supporting Actor

Ganjiro Nakamura, Enjo/Conflagration and Summer Clouds

 

Best Supporting Actress

Mariko Okada, Season of the Witch

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Thanks to everyone for all the posts about length of screen time. One of my honorable mentions, Marie Versini in A Tale of Two Cities, is probably in the Hermione Baddeley range. She has only one scene, playing a young woman who is going to the guillotine with Sidney Carton, but this is one of the most memorable scenes in the film.

 

I believe most viewers somewhat prefer Jack Conway's bigger budget 1930s version of A Tale of Two Cities, but the 1958 version with Dirk Bogarde is also good. Rosalie Crutchley, always a favorite, is a great choice to play Madame Defarge, even though she is smaller and less terrifying than Blanche Yurka in the earlier film.

 

 

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Thanks to everyone for all the posts about length of screen time. One of my honorable mentions, Marie Versini in A Tale of Two Cities, is probably in the Hermione Baddeley range. She has only one scene, playing a young woman who is going to the guillotine with Sidney Carton, but this is one of the most memorable scenes in the film.

 

I believe most viewers somewhat prefer Jack Conway's bigger budget 1930s version of A Tale of Two Cities, but the 1958 version with Dirk Bogarde is also good. Rosalie Crutchley, always a favorite, is a great choice to play Madame Defarge, even though she is smaller and less terrifying than Blanche Yurka in the earlier film.

 

I think Jack Conway is a fine director. Not one of the big names, but one of the big talents. I'd like to see some of his many silent films. 

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Here are the films from 1958 that were mentioned that I have not seen as yet. 

 

And the Wild Wild Women/Nella Citta Linferno with Anna Magnani

The Black Orchid with Sophia Loren

Bonjour Tristesse with Jean Seberg, David Niven and Deborah Kerr

The Brink of Life/Nara Livet  with Eva Dahlbeck, Babro Hiort af Ornas and Ingrid Thulin

Cairo Station with Yousef Chahine and Hend Rostom

Carve Her Name With Pride with Virginia McKenna and Paul Scofield

Damn Yankees with Gwen Verdon

Desire Under the Elms with Sophia Loren

The Doctor’s Dilemma with Dirk Bogarde and Robert Morley

Endless Desire with Misako Watanabe

Enjo/Conflagration with Raizo Ichikawa and Ganjiro Nakamura

Equinox Flower with Shin Saburi, Chishu Ryu and Fujiko Yamamoto

The Goddess with Kim Stanley and Elizabeth Wilson

Harry Black and the Tiger with I.S. Johar

Home Before Dark with Jean Simmons and Efram Zimbalist, Jr.

Hotarubi with Chikage Awashima

Hostile Witness with Ray Milland [i think this is a 1968 film]

Innocent Sinners with June Archer

Kings Go Forth with Leora Dana

Les Grandes Families with Jean Gabin

The Lineup with Robert Keith

Lonelyhearts with Maureen Stapleton

The Lovers with Jeanne Moreau

Maigret Lays a Trap with Jean Gabin and Jean Desailly

A Matter of Dignity with Ellue Lambeti

Me and the Colonel with Danny Kaye

Murder by Contract with Vince Edwards

The Naked General with Keiju Kobayashi

Orders to Kill with Irene Worth

The Philosopher’s Stone with Tulsi Chakraborty

The Proud Rebel with Olivia de Havilland and David Ladd

The Quiet American with Michael Redgrave

The Reluctant Debutante with Rex Harrison, Kay Kendall, Angela Lansbury and Sandra Dee

Season of the Witch with Mariko Okada

The Sheepman with Glenn Ford

Summer Clouds with Fujiko Yamamoto, Chikage Awashima and Ganjiro Nakamura

Thunder Road with Robert Mitchum

A Time to Love and a Time to Die with Lilo Pulver and Thayer David

Too Much Too Soon with Errol Flynn and Dorothy Malone

The Tunnel of Love with Doris Day

The White Heron with Fujiko Yamamoto

 

And I would like to see these again …

 

The Key for Trevor Howard

The Last Hurrah for Edward Brophy

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The Proud Rebel with Olivia de Havilland and David Ladd

 

The Proud Rebel is a sensitive, character driven western starring Alan Ladd as a Civil War veteran who travels through the west, accompanied by his mute son, hoping to find a doctor who can perform an operation to restore his boy's speech to him. His son is played by Ladd's real life son, David, the latter wonderfully natural in a performance which steals the film. It's a pleasure, too, to see the on screen chemistry between the two Ladds, with the father, perhaps because of the inspiration of his son being with him on the set (he was a devoted father) responding with one of his best performances, as well.

 

Emotional highlight of the film is a wonderful scene between the two Ladds, when the father must break some heart breaking news to his son regarding a dog, who is the boy's best friend and  companion. Olivia de Havilland is terrific as an independent farm woman who hires Ladd to work on her property. This film began a real life friendship between Olivia and the two Ladds. Years later David (on his honeymoon, I believe) would visit Olivia in her Paris home.

 

This film was also a reunion for Olivia with director Michael Curtiz, their first film together since 1940's Santa Fe Trail. Curtiz is in fine form here in a film more sensitive in its character development than one would normally expect to see from him. But The Proud Rebel also ends with a genuinely suspenseful action finale which wraps this most satisfactory show up very nicely. Even this action sequence, however, climaxes with a moment of unexpected sensitivity which, I think, will touch most viewers' hearts.

 

Finally, the film is blessed to have a superior musical score by Jerome Moross, composed the same year that Moross wrote one of the great western musical scores for William Wyler's The Big Country.

 

The Proud Rebel failed to make money at the 1958 box office, a disappointment to all involved, particularly Ladd, since they knew they had produced a quality film, and had great hopes for its popularity. Nor has The Proud Rebel been a film whose reputation has grown over the years. (It has been on TCM a couple of times in the past few years, and hopefully will be again).

 

If ever a film qualified to be called a neglected little gem, The Proud Rebel, one of the few genuinely good films in Alan Ladd's career, is it.

 

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I thought you would all enjoy hearing Wendy Hiller's reaction to winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for Separate Tables, interviewed by the London News Chronicle as recounted in Inside Oscar:

 

"All you could see of me in the picture was the back of my head. Unless they give some award for acting with one's back to the camera, I don't see how I could have won. They cut my best two scenes and they gave one to Rita Hayworth." When asked what she thought of the tribute, she said, "Never mind the honor, though I'm sure it's very nice of them. I hope this award means cash--hard cash. I want lots of lovely offers to go filming in Hollywood, preferably in the winter so I can avoid all the horrid cold over here."

 

You gotta love Wendy Hiller, offscreen as well as onscreen.

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Bonjour Tristesse with Jean Seberg, David Niven and Deborah Kerr

Cairo Station with Yousef Chahine and Hend Rostom

Kings Go Forth with Leora Dana

Lonelyhearts with Maureen Stapleton

The Lovers with Jeanne Moreau

Murder by Contract with Vince Edwards

Thunder Road with Robert Mitchum

The Tunnel of Love with Doris Day

 

 

I've seen these from your list, Bogie. Tunnel of Love was very light fluff with Richard Widmark struggling to do a rom-com, although Gia Scala was very beautiful in it. Murder By Contract was a solid little crime thriller. Lonelyhearts  was an overheated drama with a stiff Monty Clift in the lead, but Stapleton was terrific. Kings Go Forth was a better-than-expected WW2 romantic drama dealing with racial issues that's worth checking out. Bonjour Tristesse has been discussed thoroughly already.

 

The Lovers was controversial in its time, but seems a bit tame now. Louis Malle directs Jeanne Moreau, Alain Cluny, and Jean-Marc Bory as bored upper-class people engaged in illicit affairs. Thunder Road is a chunk of hillbilly heaven, with Robert Mitchum as a backwoods moonshine runner. Mitchum was heavily involved in this one, also producing and writing the film, as well as singing in the soundtrack. It's just shy of pure drive-in exploitation, and fits in with the rise of "Rural" themed fare that was becoming more popular on the drive-in and grindhouse circuit. Thunder Road  played in some area drive-ins in the Deep South for decades!

 

My pick out of your listed movies, though, is Cairo Station, a moving, well-acted character study of various people living and working around the title edifice. It may be the sole Egyptian-made film I've seen, but I thought it was wonderful.

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These are the films from 1958 that I have not seen:

 

And the Wild, Wild Women

The Black Orchid

Brink of Life

Carve Her Name with Pride

Damn Yankees

Desire Under the Elms

The Doctor's Dilemma

Elevator to the Gallows

Endless Desire

Enjo

Equinox Flower

The Goddess

Harry Black and the Tiger

Home Before Dark

The Horse's Mouth

Hostile Witness

Hot Spell

Hotarubi

I Accuse!

Ice Cold In Alex

Indiscreet

Innocent Sinners

Les Grandes Families

The Lineup

The Littlest Hobo

The Magician

Maigret Lays a Trap

Marjorie Morningstar

The Matchmaker

Me and the Colonel

The Naked General

A Night to Remember

No Time for Sergeants

Orders to Kill

Party Girl

The Philosopher's Stone

The Proud Rebel

The Reluctant Debutante

St. Louis Blues

Sea of Sand

Season of the Witch

Summer Clouds

A Tale of Two Cities

A Time to Love and a Time to Di

Too Much Too Soon

The White Heron

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Lawrence, your description of Thunder Road is perfect. Cinematic art it isn't, but among a certain audience it was one of the best-loved films ever.

 

I'm adding Cairo Station to my must-see list, and Murder by Contract sounds good.

 

I have seen Enjo/Conflagration, but only on a poor VHS tape, so it's hard to say what this would look like when properly seen.

 

Carve Her Name With Pride stars Virginia McKenna as a woman sent by the British into occupied France to link up with the Resistance. Paul Scofield is her handler, who clearly has a soft spot in his heart for her. A well-made film.

 

The Doctor's Dilemma is a good version of the Shaw play, with Dirk Bogarde as an obnoxious painter of genius, Leslie Caron as his beautiful wife, and Robert Morley as an incompetent doctor whose catchphrase is "Stimulate the phagocytes!"

 

Kings Go Forth benefits from Delmer Daves' sensitive direction. Tony Curtis and Frank Sinatra are GI buddies both interested in beautiful French girl Natalie Wood. Leora Dana as Natalie's mother plays a woman who has married a black man (he's conveniently dead by the time our story starts).

 

The Goddess is a Paddy Chayefsky script loosely based on Marilyn Monroe. Some people admire Kim Stanley's performance; others find it a bundle of Method-y twitterings. She's doing lots of stuff every second she's on screen. Lloyd Bridges has a nice turn as one of the men in her life, and Elizabeth Wilson has a nice small role as the personal assistant who has a crush on her.

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These are the films from 1958 that I have not seen:

 

Hot Spell

 

A Night to Remember

 

A Night to Remember is a near perfect film in my book.  It owes a lot to the British documentary tradition in its dry (no pun intended) factual approach to the Titanic disaster.  It is dripping in ironies which is always a plus in my book.  And it boasts one of the most creative sound effects soundtrack by the master craftsman, Harry Miller.

Re, Hot Spell.  Somebody should try to get TCM to show this one!

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**Announcement**

We will be starting 1959, tomorrow, Friday August 26 in order to fit in a decade review the following Thurs/Friday before moving on to 1960.  So, please think of your number one choices for the performances of the 1950's for next week.

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A Night to Remember is a near perfect film in my book.  It owes a lot to the British documentary tradition in its dry (no pun intended) factual approach to the Titanic disaster.  It is dripping in ironies which is always a plus in my book.  And it boasts one of the most creative sound effects soundtrack by the master craftsman, Harry Miller.

 

 

Not the most famous Titanic film, perhaps, but still the best.

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It’s time for 1959.  We will be on 1959 until next Thursday when we will do the Best of the 1950's review so plenty of time for everyone to respond.

 

Here are Oscar’s choices for 1959.  Winners in bold. 

 

Best Actor

 

Charlton Heston, Ben-Hur*

Laurence Harvey, Room at the Top (58 IMO)

Jack Lemmon, Some Like It Hot

Paul Muni, The Last Angry Man

James Stewart, Anatomy of a Murder

 

Best Actress

 

Simone Signoret, Room at the Top* (58 IMO)

Doris Day, Pillow Talk

Audrey Hepburn, The Nun’s Story

Katharine Hepburn, Suddenly, Last Summer +

Elizabeth Taylor, Suddenly, Last Summer

 

Best Supporting Actor

 

Hugh Griffith, Ben-Hur*

Arthur O’Connell, Anatomy of a Murder

George C. Scott, Anatomy of a Murder

Robert Vaughn, The Young Philadelphians

Ed Wynn, The Diary of Anne Frank 

 

Best Supporting Actress

 

Shelley Winters, The Diary of Anne Frank*  

Hermione Baddeley, Room at the Top (58 IMO)

Susan Kohner, Imitation of Life

Juanita Moore, Imitation of Life

Thelma Ritter, Pillow Talk

 

IMO Katharine Hepburn belongs in the supporting actress category for Suddenly, Last Summer.

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My choice for the Juvenile Acting award for 1959 is NOT

 

Millie Perkins (Anne Frank), The Diary of Anne Frank.  

 

Thanks to CoraSmith for pointing out that Millie was 20 years old!

 

------------------------------------------------------

 

My choice for the Juvenile Acting award for 1959 is …

 

Jean-Pierre Leaud, (Antoine Doinel), The 400 Blows

 

Leaud was 15.

Edited by Bogie56
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For 1959 I have clear favorites in all four acting categories. The best supporting actress played two wildly different characters this year.

 

Best Actor for 1959:

 

Jack Lemmon, SOME LIKE IT HOT****

James Stewart, ANATOMY OF A MURDER

Yul Brynner, THE JOURNEY

Cary Grant, NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Peter Finch, THE NUN'S STORY

 

Honorable mention: Dirk Bogarde, LIBEL; Richard Burton, LOOK BACK IN ANGER; Gary Cooper, THE HANGING TREE; Gary Cooper, THEY CAME TO CORDURA; Anthony Franciosa, CAREER; Alec Guinness, OUR MAN IN HAVANA; Eiji Okada, HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR; Serge Reggiani, MARIE-OCTOBRE; Robert Ryan, DAY OF THE OUTLAW; James Shigeta, THE CRIMSON KIMONO

 

Best Actress for 1959:

 

Audrey Hepburn, THE NUN'S STORY****

Lee Remick, ANATOMY OF A MURDER

Eva Marie Saint, NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Deborah Kerr, THE JOURNEY

Marilyn Monroe, SOME LIKE IT HOT

 

Honorable mention: Danielle Darrieux, MARIE-OCTOBRE; Emmanuelle Riva, HIROSHIMA MON AMOUR; Maureen O'Hara, OUR MAN IN HAVANA; Lee Remick, THESE THOUSAND HILLS; Maria Schell, THE HANGING TREE

 

Best Supporting Actor for 1959:

 

Burl Ives, DAY OF THE OUTLAW****

Ed Begley, ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW

Joe E. Brown, SOME LIKE IT HOT

Ben Gazzara, ANATOMY OF A MURDER

George C. Scott, ANATOMY OF A MURDER

 

Honorable mention: Bernard Blier, MARIE-OCTOBRE; James Cagney, SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL; Leo G. Carroll, NORTH BY NORTHWEST; Noel Coward, OUR MAN IN HAVANA; Karl Malden, THE HANGING TREE; Dean Martin, CAREER; James Mason, NORTH BY NORTHWEST; Robert Vaughn, THE YOUNG PHILADELPHIANS; Lino Ventura, MARIE-OCTOBRE

 

Best Supporting Actress for 1959:

 

Edith Evans, THE NUN'S STORY****

Edith Evans, LOOK BACK IN ANGER

Carolyn Jones, CAREER

Joan Copeland, MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT

Jessie Royce Landis, NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Sybil Thorndike, SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL

 

Honorable mention: Peggy Ashcroft, THE NUN'S STORY; Colleen Dewhurst, THE NUN'S STORY; Susan Kohner, IMITATION OF LIFE; Shirley MacLaine, CAREER

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