Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1976: Ranking

5. Jane Alexander in All the President's Men

Jane Alexander squanders a potentially strong role by giving an incredibly stiff and uninspired performance that is probably the weakest element of this otherwise flawless movie. 

Best scene: None.

4. Lee Grant in Voyage of the Damned

Lee Grant has a couple of fine moments but overall her performance is nothing more than a bunch of clichés and theatrics that never really comes together as a cohesive piece of work, and her big scene towards the end is unintentionally laughable. 

Best scene: Lili tries to comfort her husband.

3. Beatrice Straight in Network

Beatrice Straight is a hurricane in her few minutes on-screen in this terrific film: she is the movie's conscience and heart and in a movie filled with either deranged or soulless characters her devastating and raw performance easily stands out.

Best scene: Max confesses his infidelity to Louise.

2. Piper Laurie in Carrie

Piper Laurie gives a brilliant performance in this movie as she manages to be downright terrifying yet funny in a very dark and twisted way. She creates one of the most unique and memorable characters in movie history and gives a deliciously over-the-top performance that never becomes hammy or unbearable. 

Best scene: Mrs. White tells Carrie about the night she was conceived.

1. Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver

Before rewatching Taxi Driver I was sure Piper Laurie would have been my winner but Jodie Foster completely won me over this time: she gives an outstanding performance in her few scenes, gradually revealing the broken soul behind Iris' façade. She is haunting, heartbreaking and unforgettable and the more I think about her work the more I love it.

Best scene: Iris and Travis have breakfast together. 

Honorable Omissions: I might be a little less enthusiastic about her than other people but still there is no denying that Billie Whitelaw's performance in The Omen is nothing short of fantastic: she subtly suggests her character's devious qualities behind her proper façade and when her true nature is revealed she couldn't be more chilling, the hospital scene being one of the scariest scenes ever. Geraldine Chaplin is terrific in her dual roles in Cria Cuervos - she is quietly touching in her scenes as the older Ana but she is even more powerful in her few haunting scenes as the lonely, dying Marìa. I found The Man Who Fell to Earth an interesting but problematic movie, but I thought Candy Clark's performance was excellent as she shares such a great chemistry with David Bowie and she nails her character's transition from sweet, naive girl to alcoholic, pathetic woman. Shelley Winters is excellent in Next Stop, Greenwich Village: as the overbearing mother of the leading character, Winters is absolutely hilarious but she also gives the role a touching amount of warmth and heart, avoiding the potential clichés of the role. Lauren Bacall shows the tenderness behind Bond's stern façade in The Shootist and her chemistry with John Wayne is nothing short of amazing. Katharine Ross is deeply moving in the extremely brief role in Voyage of the Damned with her second and last scene being the easy highlight of the movie thanks to her heartbreaking display of shame and regret. I didn't care much for The Ritz, I thought it became a little tiresome in its third act and not all of the actors are able to pull off the broad approach the movie requires - thankfully Rita Moreno does, and she's a hoot as the hilariously untalented Googie Gomez. I thought Eileen Brennan was the standout of Murder by Death along with Peter Falk and I thought the two of them stole every scene they were in with their incredibly entertaining performances, while Theresa Russell is charming and poignant as the sweet Cecelia in The Last Tycoon. 

Predictions: Congratulations to Calvin Law for predicting my ranking! You can choose a year.

The next year: 1994.

My Best Supporting Actress Ballot:

1. Jodie Foster, Taxi Driver
2. Piper Laurie, Carrie
3. Billie Whitelaw, The Omen - 5/5
4. Candy Clark, The Man Who Fell to Earth - 4.5/5
5. Geraldine Chaplin, Cria Cuervos - 4.5/5
6. Shelley Winters, Next Stop, Greenwich Village - 4.5/5
7. Lauren Bacall, The Shootist - 4.5/5
8. Beatrice Straight, Network
9. Rita Moreno, The Ritz - 4/5
10. Katharine Ross, Voyage of the Damned - 4/5