Best Actress in a Supporting Role 1957: Ranking

5. Miyoshi Umeki in Sayonara

Miyoshi Umeki gives a competent, occasionally moving performance but she is stuck with a thankless role that prevents her from leaving that much of an impression.

Best scene: Katsumi explains the reason why she wanted to undergo a surgery to make her face look Caucasian.

4. Diane Varsi in Peyton Place

Diane Varsi is very good at portraying her character's developement over the years but she does not share a particularly good chemistry with either her on-screen mother, or her on-screen best friend or her on-screen boyfriend and she falters in the more emotional scenes.

Best scene: Allison shows Norman her "secret place".

3. Elsa Lanchester in Witness for the Prosecution

It's a rather limited role but Elsa Lanchaster is a welcome presence whenever she appears, nicely acting as the movie's comic relief and sharing a pitch-perfect chemistry with Charles Laughton.

Best scene: Miss Plimsoll urges Sir Wilfrid to take a new case.

2. Hope Lange in Peyton Place

Hope Lange is by far the highlight of the movie making Selena an endearing and likeable character early on and then portraying her character's plight in a moving and honest fashion, nailing each of the challenging dramatic scene she's given.

Best scene: Selena visits Dr. Swain after the rape.

1. Carolyn Jones in The Bachelor Party

Carolyn Jones delivers a superb performance in just six minutes, beautifully and carefully revealing the desperation behind her character's alluring appearence. It's an incredible characterization that leaves a sad, haunting and unforgettable impression. 

Best scene: "Say you love me"

Honorable Omissions: Isuzu Yamada delivers a mesmerizing performance in Throne of Blood: she gives a chillingly effective portrayal of her character's ruthless, manipulative nature leading up beautifully to her final, outstanding scene that is both frightening and devastating to watch. She's also very good in a similar role in The Lower Depths, portraying extremely well the devious nature of Osugi while still presenting a bitterness that is fitting to her background. Simone Signoret is phenomenal in The Crucible portraying impeccably her character's growing exhaustion and desperation as her life is turned upside down but conveying a fierce dignity even in Elizabeth's lowest moments, It's a subtle, excellent turn from one of the very best actresses ever. Mylène Demongeot is equally outstanding in the same movie: she gives a captivating portrayal of Abigail's manipulations as she carries on her plan of vengeance while showing the vulnerabity and immaturity that motive her action, creating some sort of an understanding for what could have easily been a one-note monster. Ingrid Thulin is superb in Wild Strawberries sharing a lovely, poignant chemistry with Victor Sjostrom and slowly revealing the pain behind her character's reserved façade: it's a delicate portrayal that is one of the reasons why the movie is such an unforgettable masterpiece. In the same movie Bibi Andersson is also very good in her two roles: she brings energy, charm and life to her role as the hitchhiker and she is properly alluring yet sad in her segments as Isak's cousin. Marlene Dietrich is compelling as Christine in Witness for the Prosecution, making the viewer constantly trying to guess her character's movie and then selling perfectly the twist ending. Mitzi Gaynor is the standout of Les Girls: she delivers a luminous and charming turn and meets every challenge the role offers - she excels with her character's sassy one-liners, she is terrific in the musical moments and in the few dramatic moments she is heartwarming and moving. The supporting cast of Il grido is also extremely good: Alida Valli is fantastic at portraying her character's pain and conflicted emotions with raw realism, Betsy Blair is quietly heartbreaking as the leading character's former sweetheart who never got past her love for him and Dorian Gray remarkably portrays her character's seductiveness while hinting at the complicated history behind her character. 

Predictions: Congratulations to Calvin Law, moviefilm, Tahmeed Chowdhury, ruthiehenshallfan99 and Michael Patison for correctly guessing my ranking. You can now request a year (the years that have been already requested are 2001, 1968, 1975, 1992, 1940, 1945, 2014, 1997 and 1954) (Michael Patison can request two years as he has yet to give a request for a previous prediction contest he won). 

The next year: 2001.

My Best Supporting Actress Ballot:

1. Carolyn Jones, The Bachelor Party
2. Simone Signoret, The Crucible - 5/5
3. Mylène Demongeot, The Crucible - 5/5
4. Isuzu Yamada, Throne of Blood - 5/5
5. Ingrid Thulin, Wild Strawberries - 5/5
6. Isuzu Yamada, The Lower Depths - 4.5/5
7. Marlene Dietrich, Witness for the Prosecution - 4.5/5
8. Mitzi Gaynor, Les Girls - 4.5/5
9. Alida Valli, Il grido - 4.5/5
10. Hope Lange, Peyton Place