Soooo, it's been too quiet lately on the Board, eh? Maybe we've exhausted the subject of Bogie, have we? (I read that, Slim).
Well, it's true, I certainly haven't been doing MY part. Let's try to change that.
I don't remember us batting this topic around, and if we have, pardon the hell outta me. Memory ain't what it used to be. Booze is a lovely thing, but it comes with a price (in more ways than one).
So here goes. Bogart was thrice nominated for an Oscar. We know that. He won one (a sin against God, man and nature, and we know that, too).
I'm throwing down the gauntlet: Which, out of all his performances, was the ONE that was truly Oscar-worthy, if we're not going to change history and award him more than one (though I have no objection to that).
I'll climb further out on the limb: I've always felt his win in "African Queen" was a make-up award. Bogart's never given a bad performance - even in some bit of nonsense like "Conflict" - but I don't think "Queen" is anything all that special.
The role that gets MY vote for Bogart's Best All-Time Best Actor Performance is "In A Lonely Place." He is quite amazing as that burnt-out, drunked-up, rage-filled hack Dixon Steele. It took great artistic courage for a "romantic lead" to play that part, and do it so flawlessly. Dix Steele is scary and pathetic and totally understandable, which also makes him sympathetic. An amazing acting job.
I won't say yet what my No. 2 choice of Bogie's Oscar-worthy-performances would be. Let's see what you have to say.
You out there, suspects? Fire away....