Over the years
John DiLeo has become one of my favorite writers on the movies.
I've read most of
DiLeo's books - past reviews are linked at the end of this post - and something I especially love about his writing is that he takes "deep dives" into cinema history, often focusing on lesser-known movies and underappreciated performances. I love revisiting films I've enjoyed via his detailed analyses, and his writing also inevitably ends up with me jotting down lists of films to see for the first time.
As indicated by the book's subtitle, each chapter focuses on the work of an actor in a film for which a costar won the Oscar. 22 of the chapters focus on movies released prior to 1970, while 18 of the performances come from 1972 and after.
DiLeo had my attention from the beginning of the book, writing about Charles Farrell in
7th HEAVEN (1927) and especially
George O'Brien in
SUNRISE (1927). SUNRISE is often recognized as a masterpiece, yet I've often felt that O'Brien has not received the specific praise he is due for his role in the movie. The moment when he begins sobbing in church and the entire story changes direction is a transcendent piece of cinema which has always stayed with me.
DiLeo writes evocatively about each of the 40 performances, describing them in detail; he also places the films in the context of the performers' careers.
Performances spotlighted from more recent decades include Tommy Lee Jones in COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER (1980), Anthony Hopkins in HOWARDS END (1992), and Tom Hanks in
BRIDGE OF SPIES (2015).
While I enjoyed the entire book, which introduced me to a number of "newer" films I know little about, the first half was my favorite, given my personal preference for movies from the classic film era.
That said, the chapters on Michael Caine in CALIFORNIA SUITE (1978), Donald Sutherland in ORDINARY PEOPLE (1980), and Glenn Close in REVERSAL OF FORTUNE (1990) are among those which made me more interested in seeing those movies, given the author's admiration and detailed descriptions.
I can give no higher compliment than saying I find John DiLeo's writing similar to favorites
Jeanine Basinger and
Imogen Sara Smith, in that his top-drawer writing and enthusiasm combine to excite me about "the movies." Like all of DiLeo's previous titles, I recommend this book, which is both thought-provoking and an entertaining read.
NOT EVEN NOMINATED has been published by G. Letters & Editions. It's a compact yet hefty book with 320 heavy, glossy pages including an index; the book weighs in at about 2.5 pounds. It features well-produced black and white photos, one or two for each of the book's 40 chapters. I also love the built-in bookmark!
Previous reviews of books by John DiLeo: TENNESSEE WILLIAMS AND COMPANY: HIS ESSENTIAL SCREEN ACTORS (2010), SCREEN SAVERS: 40 REMARKABLE MOVIES AWAITING REDISCOVERY (2010), SCREEN SAVERS II: MY GRAB BAG OF CLASSIC MOVIES (2012), TEN MOVIES AT A TIME (2018), and THERE ARE NO SMALL PARTS: 100 OUTSTANDING FILM PERFORMANCES WITH SCREEN TIME OF TEN MINUTES OR LESS (2022).
2 Comments:
Dorothhy McGuire in A Tree Grows in Brookly tops the list, but what could anyone expect, she did not even make the AA obituaries when death came calling. I hate the Oscars. Run by arrogant morons.
Laura, thank you for your keen heads-up about John DiLeo's much needed book. There are so many good-great actors and actresses that have been overlooked by the academy awards. I always think of Fred MacMurray and Maureen O'Hara and there are others. I haven't viewed the academy awards since 1999 and then it was mainly to see who received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
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