5. Jennifer Jones, Love Letters
4. Greer Garson, The Valley of Decision
3. Gene Tierney, Leave Her to Heaven
2. Ingrid Bergman, The Bells of St. Mary's
IN CONCLUSION: I hated this year's category as well. Aside from La Crawford's performance, everything else was as plain as they come. Who cares about another Greer Garson nominated work? Or another Jennifer Jones? And even though I actually enjoy Ingrid Bergman, I sure as hell don't want to watch her play a sweet nun. And Gene Tierney, try as she might, just didn't kill it as much as I hoped. It's years like these that make it tough on me to review my way through, because barely any of the films/nominees inspired me to write. Bergman just squeezes by Tierney on the basis that she's a better actress; same with Garson over Jones. In regards to other nominees--the pickings look slim. There's Peggy Anne Garner or Dorothy McGuire in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Lauren Bacall in To Have and Have Not. Bergman might have picked up a vote or two for Spellbound or Saratoga Trunk. Might Jeanne Crain have been in the running for State Fair? And of course, there's Oscar Prom Queen Bette Davis for The Corn is Green, and I'm just sure that with a baity role like that she probably landed in 6th place. And isn't that horridly sad and dull as all hell, when all the contenders in the running are quite literally the same contenders year after year?
On to the next, I guess.
On to the next, I guess.
This was not a year for strong candidates on any front. Only Crawford and Bergman were in contention here due to Crawford's comeback and Bergman's being the hot female star in the year's most popular film. The '40s was THE decade for automatic nominations (Davis, Fontaine, Garson, Cooper, Wright, Jones, Bergman). Many of these roles and performances have not stood the test of time and this category is a good example of that. It's a very weak field and only Crawford and (maybe) Bergman are remembered for their work. The second half of the decade contains some interesting nominations but the winners weren't always deserving. I find the 1940s blander and much less memorable than the thirties or the fifties (when Method acting came in. Other than Crawford (who justifiably won) and Bergman, this category's a wash.
ReplyDeleteThe tough time I'm having trying to feel enthusiastic about the rest of 1940s must be like what Jeb Bush campaign workers are going through right now. Thank you Allen for pushing forward with the dull candidates you've been saddled with.
ReplyDeleteWell Joan, you did it. Marie and Jean passed away, Greta and Norma hung it up, and there you are on your sickbed clutching that Oscar, home delivered. Now your only enemy is time.