Back about 14 years ago, when Martin Landau was doing interviews promoting his dazzling turn as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood, I told him he was a cinch to win a Best Supporting Actor Oscar. "Do you really think so?" he asked, doubtfully. I insisted that there was no competition. Besides, he’d paid his dues — a long career as a character actor, and two unsuccessful nominations in recent years (1988 and ‘89). I felt vindicated, months later, when he won, but he must have felt especially so, given that his Oscar-nominated bid in 1988’s Tucker: The Man and His Dream marked the beginning of a career comeback for him.
1988 was a good year for striking supporting performances by character actors like Landau in films that, unfortunately, too few voters seemed to have watched. Besides Landau’s turn as the voice of age and experience in Tucker, there was Alec Guinness’ heartbreaking turn as the woebegone father in Little Dorrit, River Phoenix’s first mature performance as a teen who tires of his fugitive family’s rootlessness in Running on Empty, and Dean Stockwell’s surprisingly sympathetic and goofy turn as a villainous Mafia don in Married to the Mob. Guinness already had an Oscar and several nominations to his credit, but 1988 saw the only career nomination for Phoenix (sadly, the Academy must have imagined there would be many more chances to nominate him) and the only nomination to date for Stockwell, who was outshone that year by another comical thug.
That was Kevin Kline, of course, whose dimwitted, short-tempered, live-fish-swallowing thief in A Fish Called Wanda was perhaps the year’s most exuberant screen performance. Wanda was also the biggest hit among the nominees’ five films. I’d say Kline deserved the award that year, though it’s too bad the others had to settle for the honor of just being nominated. At least Landau’s vampire eventually earned him a day in the sun.
Looking back from today’s perspective, which of these performances doyou think was the best? Vote in our poll, and list your comments below.(For a refresher, watch the clips embedded after the jump, whichmay contain some NSFW language.) Remember, we’ll be running the Recall the Gold surveys every Tuesdayand Thursday until January, so you may go back at any time and vote inthe other polls (click hereto see them all), reexamining the Oscar races of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25years ago. On Tuesday, Dec. 9, we’ll look at the controversial 1998 Best Actorcompetition. Watch also for commentary and context throughout EW.com,including on Dave Karger’s Oscar Watch blog.
Clips of all five nominees at the presentation of the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor of 1988
Alec Guinness in Little Dorrit
Kevin Kline in A Fish Called Wanda
River Phoenix in Running on Empty
Dean Stockwell in the trailer for Married to the Mob
Comments (1-30) of 64 Add your comment
Another category where “None of the Above” should have won. Alan Rickman should have won for Die Hard.
Another category where “None of the Above” should have won, particularly in 1988. Alan Rickman should have been nominated and won for Die Hard.
Kevin Kline hands down – his performance is sheet brillance!
Please Please PLEASE do 1993 (?) when Gene Hackman bested Jaye Davidson’s heartwrenching performance in “The Crying Game”. Also 1999 (?) when Michael Caine beat Haley Joel Osment. All four were good performances but the very popular elder actors (who already each had an Oscar) won over the highly emotional soul searing breakthroughs of 2 newcomers.
Kevin Kline was brilliant, but River Phoenix’s performance continues to break my heart to this day.
Pretty fine year for supporting performances. I’m gonna leave it with Kevin, that was a different turn for him and he totally sold it.
I will never argue against Kevin Kline’s win. Brilliant comedic performances are rarely even acknowledged by the Academy, so it’s even rarer (and awesome) for one to win.
Michael Keaton should have been pushed for supporting for Beetlejuice, and then he could have won!
Do enjoy the clip of Connery, Caine and Moore together, one of the few highlights of an otherwise wretched Oscar show.
River Phoenix’s performance in this was so powerful. In almost every role, River was outstanding–one of the most talented actors there was. It was a true tragedy what happened to him–would have been so interesting to see where his career would have went. He should have one the Oscar hands-down.
Kevin Kline all the way, although every one else was terrific as well. BUT – I have one issue with the start of this piece: There was no competition for Landau? I may be wrong ( and too lazy to look it up) but I think that was the year Samuel L. Jackson was nominated for Pulp Fiction. Yes, it should have been a Best Actor nod, but “no competition”? Career bump and stuff like that aside, that is arguably the definitive indie movie and indie movie performance of the decade! Seriously, “no competition”?
Great performances all, but giving the Oscar to Kevin Kline was one of the best Academy decisions I’ve ever seen.
And to echo another comment here, I have no issue with Landau winning in ‘94, but to call Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction (and I’ll add Gary Sinise in Forrest Gump) “no competition” is absurd. Sentiment and a strong performance gave Landau the momentum, but there certainly was worthy competition in that race (which also included Chazz Palminteri in Bullets over Broadway and Paul Scofield in Quiz Show).
Of the 5 nominees, the only one I agree with is River Phoenix, so he gets my vote for “Running”. The other performances were totally unmemorable for me, except Kline in “Wanda” which I tried rewatching the other day and still didn’t like. My picks ?: Morgan Freeman in “Clean and Sober”, Harvey Keitel in “Last Temptation of Christ”…and the winner–either Alan Rickman in “Die Hard” or Brad Dourif in “Mississippi Burning”. All of these performances remain vivid for me even after 20 years. As for the four actual nominees other than Phoenix, I can’t remember one thing about them in their respective films, hardly a good recommendation for an acting award.
I think River should of won for running,one of the greatest actors of my generation
I agree with Brie. Comedy is rarely recognized, and Kline’s turn is fantastic. “It’s K-K-K-K-Ken! C-C-C-Coming to k-k-k-ill me!”
you know which year deserves a do-over? 1999!
All of the other 4 nominees were so much better than Caine that year
River Phoenix should have won! I remember yelling at the TV!LOL! Heath Ledger should have won for Brokeback Mountain too! Dumb-azz Academy! Hopefuly they do right by him in 09.
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I greatly admire Kevin Kline, but I think the Academy made a mistake. Stockwell owned that category. Truly a great comedic performance.
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