MovieChat Forums > Rio Bravo (1959) Discussion > Why No Oscar For Dean Martin?

Why No Oscar For Dean Martin?

posted 17 years ago by jmp418-1
25 replies | jump to latest

I don't know why Dean Martin didn't get an Oscar nomination. He did great for a light comedian.

Duke did good too. I liked his scenes with Ward Bond. It was their last movie together. They were best friends. Duke was in deep shock when Bond died. He lost 15 pounds in a week.

Walter Brennan was the comic relief. I liked a couple of his lines like "Hey, Dude! How do you like them apples?!" or "What's the password?" Watch near the ending when he talked like Duke "I told you to get back in there." and it sure looked like Dean Martin cracked up for real when Walter talked like Duke in a possibly one take or Walter ad-libbed it at the last minute.

The only thing that bothered me a bit that Ricky Nelson was miscast and was a lousy actor. It's just me. I think Angie as Feathers was a bit too talkative and was ok though she had great body and legs.

Overall, it's a pretty good movie!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] Kazichelle 17 years ago

Dear jmp418-1,

I totally agree. Every time that I see this wonderful movie I just shake my head as to why Dean Martin did not get an Oscar nomination for this movie.

He played that part to perfection.

I also agree that Ricky Nelson was miscast in this movie. James Cann would have done a MUCH better job. Not only his acting, but he wears his cowboy clothes sooooooooooo well. :-)

Take care!

[–] Bob-45 12 years ago

Some have argued Martin's role in "The Young Lions" (1958) was so similar that the Academy felt Martin did not really stray much from that performance. I cannot say, because I do not remember much about "The Young Lions". However, I really think Martin's best role was as "Bama" in "Some Came Running" (1958).

[–] c-huddleston 17 years ago

Although westerns were relatively big money in those days, they were not rated as serious enough, on the whole, for Academy Awards.

[–] hawks_senator 16 years ago

I thought I was the only one who thought of those! Dean Martin did a wonderful acting in the movie and it was so believable! I don't know much about how drunks act and behave, but as far as I know that hits the spot.

Casting Ricky Nelson was a terrible and such a desperate move!

"Well, we put in wine because it's less noticeable. When it's in tea it has a distinct odor."

[–] richsass 16 years ago

Dean Martin was very underrated. His natural abilities especially in Westerns was overlooked by many critics. I also agree that Ricky Nelson was horrible and the only negatve factor in the movie. He was a teenage idol and it was common for studios to cast a Fabian or Ricky Nelson to attract teenyboppers.

What are you gonna do? Kill me? Every body Dies. John Garfield (Body and Soul)

[–] John_T_Chance 13 years ago

Dean Martin was indeed very underrated. He needs more love from film fans.

[–] hnt_dnl 16 years ago

Martin was brilliant. Too bad he didn't get honored for this performance.

I actually think Angie Dickinson was sexier in the 70s and 80s than when she was very young in this movie.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] John_T_Chance 15 years ago

Dean was indeed masterful. Some even call this his movie.

[–] swanstep 15 years ago

Damned fine performance by Martin, that's for sure. It's made me want to learn more about him (and wish that Scorsese had got around to making his Dino movie).

[–] John_T_Chance 14 years ago

Howard Hawks > Scorsese

Seriously.

[–] riogarhed 14 years ago

In Deana Martin's memoir about her dad, "Memories Are Made of This," she writes that Dean "had beaten out" Frank Sinatra, James Cagney and Richard Widmark for the role of Dude. We have a sense of the Wayne-Widmark chemistry from "The Alamo." I have a feeling that Sinatra would jibe surprisingly well with Wayne, even though in life neither cared much for the other. It is the (by then) thick-set, middle-aged Cagney, for all that still a dynamo, that is the puzzler. What kind of chemistry would that have been? Aside from Bogart's remark vis-a-vis "The Oklahoma Kid" that Cagney in Western garb looked like a toadstool, a crack Cagney found unfunny, would we have had a shouting match? I'm thinking of Cagney and Dan Dailey in "What Price Glory?", with Dailey in a role the studio wouldn't let John Ford give to Wayne. Anyway, it's a fascinating thing to imagine. Howard Hawks meanwhile did pick Dean, but according to Deana when shooting was about to start Hawks was looking around the set for his chosen Dude. Martin had already grown a scruff of beard (which he took weekly to his TV show while "Rio Bravo" was being shot), and when he was pointed out to Hawks the director said, "I thought we were getting Dean Martin."

[–] figsgrandpa 13 years ago

While I agree that Dean Martin did a splendid job in Rio Bravo, the five actors nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 1959 were:

George C. Scott - Anatomy of a Murder
Arthur O'Connell - Anatomy of a Murder
Hugh Griffith - Ben-Hur (Winner)
Robert Vaughn - The Young Philadelphians
Ed Wynn - The Diary of Anne Frank

These were all outstanding performances and I'm not sure which one I'd have thrown out in favor of Dean Martin.

[–] the_little_fellow 13 years ago

Dean was an extremely good actor and the strange thing is that he was never entirely comfortable doing it.

tá áthas orm

[–] pawtrax67 12 years ago

Honestly I think Dean was a better actor than John Wayne.

Sorry Duke fans, it's my opinion.

[–] trevorh321 (5495) 3 years ago

Actually, I thought Hugh Griffith's performance in Ben-Hur was one of the weaker parts of the film. I was truly shocked to learn he was even nominated for that performance. I would have much rather seen Dean Martin nominated.