Book Review: Not Even Nominated: 40 Overlooked Costars of Oscar-Winning Performances

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.

That's again the case in his brand-new book NOT EVEN NOMINATED: 40 OVERLOOKED COSTARS OF OSCAR-WINNING PERFORMANCES, which surveys relatively unheralded performances in nine decades' worth of films, spanning 1927 to 2015.

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.

My favorite entries included Joel McCrea in THE MORE THE MERRIER (1943), Dorothy McGuire in A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN (1945), Myrna Loy in THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946), and David Tomlinson in MARY POPPINS (1964).

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).

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