Discussion

First of all:

Academy Award Winners and Nominees - Actress in a Leading Role!

Have you always agreed with the decision of the Academy?
Have you ever asked yourself or other film enthusiasts why that particular actress went home with the Oscar statuette that year?
Have you ever wondered who were the runners-up and in what order?

I have established my own rankings, starting from 1950 (the whole work is still in progress, though). What authorizes me to do this? Nothing; this is just my opinion as long as I have two eyes to see, two ears to hear and my devotion to classic movies and acting. I have three important viewpoints to decide which performance is the best: character development, peculiarity/uniqueness and great emotional appeal.
My judgment is objective. Though I have favorite actresses; I judge every one of the nominees by their performances and nothing else.

I want to share it with all of You - the debate is open; everybody can agree or disagree with me.

1950 (the nominees and the winner in alphabetical order):

Anne Baxter - All about Eve (Eve Harrington)
Bette Davis - All about Eve (Margot Channing)
Judy Holliday - Born yesterday (Emma 'Billie' Dawn) - WINNER
Eleanor Parker - Caged (Marie Allen)
Gloria Swanson - Sunset Boulevard (Norma Desmond)

1950 - my rankings:

1. Eleanor Parker - Caged

A very serious issue is at the heart of this movie and Miss Parker really lived up to the requierements of her role. She shows an extraordinary character development through her acting - the awkward, defenceless, young girl (who only gets involved in a crime by accident) changes into a strong woman, hardened by her circumstances by the end of the movie. She gets stuck in the LIFE and peremptorily becomes a criminal. Parker had the chance to show many different faces in the role: helplessness in the beginning when she's put behind bars; fear from the new environment; the "excitement" of having a baby in prison; tenderness when she first holds the boy in her arms or as she treats and shields the kitten; immense anger when her mother cannot undertake the raising of the child or when the cruel jailer takes the kitten away; refrainment from criminal life in the beginning; despair when they shave her hair; suffering in the solitary and finally a completely changed, hardened herself when she leaves the jail. Though the performance as an overall could not always reach the point of catharsis for me; I think she would have deserved the Academy Award this year!

Download link:

http://www.firedrive.com/file/E9D06FEB3978BAC4

2. Judy Holliday - Born yesterday

Miss Holliday deploys a wide range of acting skills here from sheer comedy to serious drama. Her character is a fastidiously elaborated one with fine characteristics (for example: the constant adjusting of her hair, unique walking, strange almost shrilling speaking voice), and flawless interpretation. And yet it is not overacted at all; moreover her performance thus give a lot more sense to the dialogs of the movie. Her character has developed as well (the dumb blonde who is unable to have independent thoughts, outsmarts her corrupt, ambitious and rich fiancé who is a bastard and leaves with her gentle and solid teacher).
I put her behind Parker, because for me, sense of drama was too little.

Download link:

http://uploaded.net/file/uyj245m0/Born.Yesterday.1950.480p.WEB-DL.x264-mSD.mkv

3. Bette Davis - All about Eve

In the person of Margo Channing we can see a detailed, very memorable character. The fine stage actress who are frightened of getting old and her private life is just as difficult as her professional one, comes to life in the sure body of Miss Davis. She knows every trick to make this character working and be grand. Her every scene is unique, her tone is multi-dimensional, she has style and her character develops on some level (towards the end of the movie she understands that her acting career is not that important anymore, but rather to find happiness on the side of the beloved man). In much lesser hands this role would have hammed, but Miss Davis is much more better than that.
I put her in the third place, because the victim of the surprising twist in the end was not her character.

Download link:

http://rapidgator.net/file/2349ba90724f0ebe331f7b7645f93f5c 
http://rapidgator.net/file/6af09f25cdd56c4e5aa24382ae6ba99f

Or:

(720p Blu-Ray):
http://rapidgator.net/file/1b892accdbdc82c54c25e125f25933c3

3. Gloria Swanson - Sunset Boulevard

(tied with Davis for the third place)

This is a very theatrical performance, typical of silent movies; but its grandiosity and uniqueness just lie in it. The character of Norma Desmond is complex and memorable. Swanson is looking great; she was a perfect choice for the role - one of my favorite parts was when she imitated Chaplin (good job). There are many elements in her portrayal of character that we now call clichés (for example: being lit up, suicide attempts with the purpose of blackmailing, scenes of jealousy), but she manages to evoke emotion in the audience even if it's nothing more than compassion. Her last scene is poignant; perhaps the most impressive closing scene of a movie from the point of acting. The reason I put her in tie with Davis is that both actresses played similar characters.

Download link:

http://uploaded.net/file/yr68pk3n/Sunset_Boulevard_1950_DVDRip_DivX_MDX.rar

Or:

(720p Blu-Ray rip)
http://www.firedrive.com/file/11E6300E4366D443

5. Anne Baxter - All about Eve

Miss Baxter had the chance to play a fantastic titular role, but unfortunately she could not always make the best of her opportunities. Her performance is too one-dimensional, her speaking is monotonous, her voice is veiled and without any emotion. Naturally her character required such mystery, to be so enigmatic; but she should have performed these with greater feelings. Apart from this, her sentences and overall portrayal were good and true (maybe the director asked her to be low-key), but this time - for me - it was not enough.