1928-29 – George Bancroft
Thunderbolt
This was an ok movie, and the lead, George Bancroft, turned in an ok performance. The movie, especially the sound design, had several strong points, but several weak points as well. And unfortunately, the same could also be said about Bancroft’s general performance. He was good as the hard-nosed gangster who allows love to soften his heart as he is led away to face his death sentence, and he could have been great, but he just wasn’t. And I think I know why.
I’m aware that I can only make this assessment with my modern eyes. The voters in 1928 would have had a very different perspective. This movie was an early example of a talkie, and it was clear that synchronized sound was a new concept. Directors were still figuring out how to use this new dimension in their filmmaking, and actors were still learning how to deliver their lines. After all, they didn’t necessarily have to worry about their vocal performances in the silent era, though I suppose live stage work would have given them some experience in the matter.
I’ve observed that in silent films, in order to convey emotional intensity, actors would often deliver their performances in slow motion. Whether they were cowering in fear, intimidating another character, or feeling sad and dejected, everything was done slowly and deliberately. But in talkies, this just wasn’t as necessary. Vocal inflection could convey the needed emotional poignancy, so the acting could move along at a more natural pace.
Most of the time, Bancroft did just fine, but there were times when he would suddenly slow down and take on some of those silent film mannerisms. And it was like flipping a switch. In one moment, he was delivering a line as natural as real life. The next, he was moving and speaking as slow as molasses. But all that being said, I actually thought his performance was better than that of the 1928-29 Best Actor Oscar winner, Warner Baxter. The role was a bit deeper, and there was actual character development written into the part. More than that, the actor gave us a wider range of emotions and created a more complex character. I think maybe, Bancroft should have taken home the statue.