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!

[–] 12 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Ariane67 12 years ago

I fully agree ! Dean Martin's performance as Dude has always been one of my own favorites, I just only have eyes for him all through this masterpiece - and knowing that Rio Bravo is my alltime favorite western, it's a huge compliment ;-)

-°-°-°-°-°-°-°-°-°-°-°-

"Don't act, be !" (Kate Winslet)

[–] telestial 12 years ago

Too many people bought Dino's drunk act as reality and thought he was just playing himself. He was always seen as the boozy layabout playboy, who never worked at anything, and never taken seriously as an actor. Of course he did work very hard at making everything look easy! I think it's a great loss that he only made a handful of serious dramatic movies, and all very early in his acting career. But on the other hand if he'd devoted himself to serious acting we would've missed out on his music and his tv show. Dean was a great and under-rated talent as a singer, actor and comedian and he absolutely nailed his performance as Dude.

[–] bradford-1 12 years ago

Martin's "serious" film career pretty much ended with "Toys in the Attic," released in 1963. After that it was B-Westerns, Matt Helm flicks and insipid comedies, unless you want to set "Kiss Me Stupid" in another category. Why he stopped stretching his acting chops can only be answered by Dino.
"May I bone your kipper, Mademoiselle?"

[–] PussyCrusher_Principal 11 years ago

I'd never argue that Dino was the actor Monty Clift was, but this would have been a much different (lesser?) film had the role gone to Clift. Dean Martin was so good in this that I don't even wanna think that Dude could've. been played by anyone else.

"Everything's so green..."

[–] steelywulf 10 years ago

He may not have gotten an Oscar nomination, but he received the next best thing. People praising his performance many years later, and probably many more years to come.

"But, that's just one fellow's opinion." - George Carlin

[–] coloradotex (769) 7 years ago

I concur . It boggles the mind. Dean Martin's performance is some of the finest acting I have ever seen. - jmho

[–] [deleted] 7 years ago

I never considered his performance oscar worthy - but I will have another look as I have this on DVD