Number 70: Ethel Barrymore as Ma Mott in "None but the lonely Heart" (Best Supporting Actress Ranking)

In my initial position of the winners in this classification, Ethel Barrymore created it up to placement fifty three but like Mary Astor, she, also, has long gone down a few places now.

Contemplating that Ethel Barrymore is called a single of the finest American actresses, I find her perform in films very…limited. She generally employs the exact same performing type in every single position she will take – a realizing smile, her head reduced to the front, a somewhat sarcastic line-delivery. All this operates and I have never observed a undesirable overall performance by this actress – but she doesn’t just blow me absent possibly.

In None but the lonely Coronary heart she performed the robust, bitter but eventually loving mother of excellent-for-absolutely nothing Cary Grant. None but the lonely Coronary heart is an really dated movement picture – the kind of motion picture that almost certainly was hailed as very sensible in the 40s but leaves a instead poor style these days. Cary Grant played his portion with appeal and simplicity but in the long run he was a lot greater suited for the sort of roles he is mostly acknowledged for – sophisticated comedy. Ethel Barrymore is probably the very best participant in this tale and it’s not challenging to see why the Academy honoured her – her managed and grim efficiency fits the motion picture and dominates it at the same time. But, as I explained, for me, it feels also dated and also constrained to be truly efficient.

We first satisfy Ma Mott when her son comes home once more and you quickly realize that there is not much adore between them. Ma Mott says to her son (following slapping him): “I really do not get far more respect from you than from that father of yours” and then she tells him “Stay or go!” Later, we uncover out that Ma Mott is seriously unwell and that there could not be considerably far more time – but she is also proud to tell her son. But he does locate out anyway and decides to keep with her and support her. Now we can see how the two of them start off to like each other and start getting together.

It is a part that permits Ethel Barrymore to display every thing that actors can dream of – anger, frustration, worry, really like, happiness, desperation. But in combination with Ethel Barrymore’s performing type, it all lacks lifestyle, energy and nearly every single fascinating facet. But she shines each time she lets the viewer see that underneath her grim face is in fact love and she is also quite remarkable when she tries to conceal her pain from her son – Ethel Barrymore tends to make Ma Mott an fatigued female, who by no means had an easy life and who is often concerned about the things close to her. And so she finished up as this bitter, no-nonsense girl who does not know what the future will carry.

Ethel Barrymore is not undesirable, certainly not. But it’s the kind of functionality that you most very likely truly feel ‘neutral’ about – not undesirable but not just great either and not a performance you would want to look at again.