Alternate Best Supporting Actor 1964: James Mason & Christopher Plummer in The Fall of the Roman Empire

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James Mason did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Timonides in The Fall of the Roman Empire. 

The Fall of the Roman Empire falls into the middle of sword and sandals epic for me, doesn't hit the heights of Spartacus or Ben-Hur, but is superior to something truly dull like Quo, Vadis or Cleopatra. 

 

One of the assets to "Fall" is its star studded cast that features a slew of notable performers to grant gravitas to the proceedings. The greatest deliverer of such gravitas comes from James Mason himself, whose regal presence is always welcomed, and his voice itself makes any words come from it seem somewhat justified to begin with. Now that is largely Mason's role here and he provides for it as you would expect. That is Mason delivers on the role of the benevolent advisor to the  elderly Marcus Aurelius (Alec Guinness). Mason grants that innate dignity to the part and any line that needs a bit more emphasis Mason is more than eager to deliver. This with his calm assertiveness and here also bringing this engaging empathetic manner to the part. Mainly though I'm talking about this performance in part to fill this lineup as a proper five, and just to talk about his one major scene. This being when Timonides must negotiate with a barbarian tribe for their surrender. That which they take it upon themselves to torture him in some test that he be tortured with a flame that will be pressed against him until he touches the statue of their deity. Mason is great throughout the scene first in portraying a natural loss of usual dignified manner just to quietly and urgently try to speak the men out of the test given with such brutality. It is then some remarkable physical acting from Mason as he writhes in pain while doing so in a silent scream, and infusing within his delivery this sense of compassion for the men actually who are torturing him. It is notable, as he manages to show the goodness of the man even as he faces a theoretical enemy creating a believable scene of victory in seeming defeat. It is Mason's one major scene, but a strong one. Otherwise though he brings his always reliable presence as usual to give this film just a bit more credence by his mere existence. 

Christopher Plummer did not receive an Oscar nomination for portraying Commodus in The Fall of the Roman Empire. 

Christopher Plummer now gets the most important roles it seems in these Rome adjacent epics, that being the typical best part of any of them, that being the dastardly Roman fiend of one kind or another. Here playing the role that would eventually be played by Joaquin Phoenix, in this film's remake that doesn't call itself a remake in Gladiator. This as we even get the same introduction to his character as Commodus is noted as a bit of a disappointment/loose cannon by his wise father as he joins the Roman army at the edge of the frontier where barbarians await. While I praised his turn as Hamlet the same year I did note the degree of theatricality in his work, there really are no worries here related to that, not because his performance isn't theatrical, rather less of an issue, though actually Plummer is remarkably quieter at times. A part that opens less as a mad emperor actually though and slightly more closely to Stephen Boyd's work as Messala in Ben-Hur, which is fitting as this time Boyd plays the heroic role here as the commoner turned general Livius, who like Ben-Hur is friends with the chief villain in Commodus. This appears to be directly referenced as we get a cross arm mutual cup drink between the two friends in this film too, although really one, even don't watch the whole film, needs to watch this scene for the sheer insanity of it. This as they don't just have a drink they gulp down sack full as a kind of strange contest. It is such a bizarre scene that does need to be seen to be believed in a certain sense. Plummer makes a statement early on though in the demented glee of it, though with it creating a similar kind of Messala kind of affection towards Livius, as a man who seems to truly enjoy their friendship to say the least. 

Plummer is really excellent in these early scenes actually to create a dramatic baseline, for what will be a rather showy performance overall, this in creating that eagerness to see his friend that is genuine, and actually is followed up by genuinely rather powerful scene from Plummer as he hears that his father wants to give Rome to Livius not Commodus his actual heir. Plummer's initial reaction actually is great in its initial subtlety of disbelief but also real sadness, that illustrates a sense of a son realizing the lack of care his father actually has for him. This before going a bit more theatrical, though quite effectively so, as he giggles to himself with a mad laughter that Plummer denotes with pain of the man almost cracking at attempting to come to terms with his father's view of him, yet failing. Plummer does show a mad man here, but with that mad man there is a potent sympathy he actually does elicit in the moment to show that Commodus for his flaws did wish to believe that his father could've believed in him, and in his view love him. Plummer in his following scene, where Commodus wants to take the vanguard of the attack, he conveys the sense of a despairing conviction, a man who wants to risk his life to prove himself, but also seems almost to wish to die as though it is a fruitless effort in his view. The moment allowing Plummer to express a lot more than you might've in this role, and does really create a sense of depth to Commodus. He isn't just the bad son of the emperor, he does actually make you bother to see the tragedy in a son trying and failing to live up to his father's expectation. And unlike the later depiction, Commodus is far less active in his father's demise, and perhaps even only indirectly even unknowingly so. His final scene with him, there is no spite, rather Plummer delivers his last words of the son pensively of the son genuine still trying to understand his failure. 

Of course when he is made Caesar, we get what we were expecting to have from a performance like this, in the vein of Jay Robinson in The Robe, Peter Usitnov in Quo, Vadis, that being in the truly mad emperor, and this sense Plummer does not disappoint. Plummer giving a great indication of this from the scene of being declared ruler, and a most magnificent grin falls upon the face, that can only be described as a man glowing in the powers he will most readily wish to abuse. Plummer is magnificent, and this is where one does not mind Plummer throwing in that theatrical power of is for all its might. His grand voice, and just his impressive presence being ideal in creating a force of a man in his Commodus. Plummer beautifully playing this up in his physical language in just posturing in every step of a man loving his power, and loving the show of it. Plummer then speaking of his tyrannical demand with complete abandonment for shame, literally dancing on his map of the world, and Plummer prancing around in such a delightfully demented way. His casual and just bright way of mentioning that he will simply "destroy" his enemies without a hint of shame. Like Robinson, and Ustinov, it is just fun to watch Plummer every time he appears, as he is having so much it seems, that it is hard not to have it with him. He's incredibly entertaining in playing up these moments for all their worth, but also wholly realizing his character. When speaking with his sister (Sophia Loren), Plummer's grin couldn't be more perfect as he reminds her of his unlimited sway in the empire, however Plummer still successfully segues to a moment of emotional desperation as he questions the lack of affection ever shown by his sister. Plummer consistently finds this though as when he tries to get Livius to run his armies, Plummer's eyes bring forth a striking desire, of camaraderie perhaps to put it too lightly, while still realizing the ferocity and derangement of his ambition at the same time. Plummer doesn't waste a juicy line, in fact he basically is the one that makes them juicy in just portraying the increasingly evil state of the man, but again as fun as this is, he doesn't lose a bit more to the characterization. This found in the last act twist where he learns he is in fact the son of a gladiator (Anthony Quayle, in a role I can only assume had deleted scenes) and not of the emperor. Plummer hits just the right tone of camp in the writhing around of the emperor as he confronts this truth, while also actually finding some real emotion in showing the break in his voice of a man, who was already on an edge, wholly losing his grasp on reality. Through this I have to say Plummer created more complex feelings in me than just a "kill the bastard" in the final duel with Livius, (again Gladiator is definitely a remake) that is the climax of the film. This as much as Plummer is an enjoyable fiend, he does find the degree of pity for a man who was broken by circumstances that by right were never meant for him. I expected Plummer to be fun here, and that he doesn't disappoint in, but he doesn't stop there, creating a far more tragic villain than I would ever have expected.

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