Wendy Hiller, Pygmalion

as ELIZA DOOLITTLE

Wendy Hiller had a "spirited radiance" that prompted George Bernard Shaw to cast her as Eliza Doolittle on stage. And it was Shaw's insistence that led to her being cast in the film version of Pygmalion, where she'd soon became the first British actress to nab an Academy Award nomination for a performance in a British film. In a lot of ways, Hiller is quite perfect for the role--she's not your most conventional beauty, and there's an ordinariness to her that's fitting with the character, unlike future Eliza Doolittles Julie Andrews and Audrey Hepburn, who both have an innate regal quality to them that seems inappropriate for a character that's frequently called a "guttersnipe".

Leslie Howard, Pygmalion

as PROFESSOR HENRY HIGGINS

Won: Venice Film Festival - Volpi Cup for Best Actor

By now, there've been two types of performances I've seen from Leslie Howard. That of the thankless supporting character (re: A Free Soul, Gone with the Wind) where the focus of the film is geared toward the leads and thus doesn't have much room for Howard to shine, and that of the thankless lead part (re: Of Human Bondage, Romeo and Juliet) where Howard comes off as stiff and dull because the films themselves are stiff and dull and because his female counterparts are the scene-stealers. And then there's Berkeley Square, a film anchored by Howard which completely sinks because both actor and picture are so devoid of life...but we'll forget that one ever happened. So I hadn't any expectations going into Pygmalion, and I was pleasantly surprised watching him here because for once Howard looks as though he's actually having fun with a part.

James Cagney, Angels with Dirty Faces

as ROCKY SULLIVAN

Won: New York Film Critics Circle - Best Actor

I'm assuming that James Cagney didn't really stand much of a chance at winning the Oscar, if only because his Rocky Sullivan is the most flawed individual out of 1938's Best Actor lineup and the Academy was a long way's away from being privy to rewarding wicked characters. Cagney's got the perfect mug for bad guy roles, with the structure of his face giving him an unusual look and feel, such that when Cagney grimaces or is even slightly displeased he looks positively sinister. That's what I think is so interesting about him in this film--he's innately threatening yet coolly charming, quite a nice personification of an irresistible type of danger that's alluring but lethal.

Happy Birthday Oscargasms!

Today my little blog turns a year old! I'm nowhere near as seasoned as some other bloggers, but I've been blogging about Oscar related performances spastically since 2010 and this marks the first full year where I've remained consistent and devoted to one blog. I pour a lot of my time into Oscargasms, (probably more than I should) and it's rejuvenating to be able to exercise my Oscar-obsessed mentality into an outlet as well as having others willingly read and contribute to my ramblings. So thank you to anyone and everyone who's given me words of support! We are a niche little group of like-minded individuals and I'm glad we've found each other in our love of this little gold statue.

So here's to many more years of Oscargasms--though not too many more years, because I mean, I'd like to get this all done sooner rather than later...I don't want be 50 and still doing this.

Charles Boyer, Algiers

as PEPE LE MOKO

Prior to watching Algiers, I figured I had to first see 1937's Pépé le Moko as a way of honoring the original. And as it would turn out, I ended up really enjoying the picture as well as Jean Gabin's performance. But I should have known better--as is usually the case with remakes, Pépé le Moko was all I could think about while I was watching Algiers, and what Gabin did as Pépé le Moko was all I could think of while watching Charles Boyer. So the challenge here lies in separating Boyer's work from my own biased idea of what the work really ought to be.