Al Pacino, James Caan, or Robert Duvall in GFI?

Out of the three GFI nominees for Best Supporting Actor, which one would you have voted for?

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone.
James Caan as Santino Corleone.
Robert Duvall as Tom Hagen.

I think all three were magnificent and all very deserving (even though Pacino is lead) of that oscar, but I would have to say James Caan.

He was outstanding as Santino and stole every scene he was in.

Hard hard hard. Tom Hagen has always been one of my favorites and Robert Duvall did an awesome job portraying him. But I'll have to agree with you and go with James Caan. He really brought Santino to life.

I would not put Pacino as a "supporting" actor.

For me its Duvall hands down.

Agreed. Pacino would DEFINITELY be a leading role.

I also agree, BUT, that's not how the Academy saw it. The three were all nominated in the supporting actor category.

I say we get a time machine and teach the Academy a thing or two.

I actually think that was neat how the Don was in the Leading category, with his three sons Michael, Santino, and (yes) Tom in the Supporting category.

But yes, Pacino and Brando are lead, and Caan and Duvall supporting.

Also this race is FAR tighter than the GFII Best Supporting Actor race with Robert De Niro, Michael V. Gazzo, and Lee Strasberg. De Niro had that oscar hands down. Also, no nomination for John Cazale?

Don't get me wrong- Gazzo and Strasberg were fantastic, but Cazale should have been nominated over either of them, in my opinion (preferably Strasberg).

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My oscar clips for the four actors nominated for GFI.

Brando: "But I'm a superstitious man! If some unlucky accident should befall him- If he were to get shot in the head by a police officer...or if he were to hang himself in his jail cell... or if he's struck by a bolt of lightning... Then that I do NOT forgive!"

Pacino: "Only don't tell me you're innocent... Because it insults my intelligence... and it makes me very angry... Now who approached you, Tattallia or Barzini?"

Caan: "Hey... What are you gonna do? Nice college boy, huh? Didn't wanna get mixed up with the family business, now you wanna gun down a police captain! Why? Because he slapped you in the face a little bit. What do you think this the Army where you shoot them from a mile away? You're gonna get up close like this and BADA BING you blow their brains all over your nice Ivy League suit?"

Duvall: "I was about to come up and wake you just now and tell you... They shot Sonny on the causeway... He's DEAD!" (that WHOLE scene)

It was just last week, that I realized that the great thing about Caan's interpretation of Sonny is that it's so positive. Caan's Sonny enjoys every aspect of life - be it sex with Lucy, fighting with Carlo, discussing stuff with Hagen, even dying. The only thing he didn't care about was business.

Choosing among the three would be a happy contest--no losers. But, if pressed, I'd say Duvall.

I think we can all agree that all three performances were more deserving of the oscar than Joel Grey that year.

i believe that brando was the best compare to these three, and thats what the academy thought so too. if anything though duvall would had won it...caan would be in a close second.

Duvall...but like most of you feel too, there's no losers.

I'll add a vote for Caan, no disrespect towards the other two at all.

Disclaimer - I tend to prefer bombast to subtlety, especially for supporting roles.

... yeah i agree, james caan was great as hotheaded sonny ...

... speaking of robert duvall, his performance in apocalypse now as kilgore is absolutely unbelievable. it's like he's high on drugs or something yet he looks completely straight. where did that performance come from? he had that elvis, ultra-american thing going when he did the kilgore role ...

... i watch apocalypse now over and over, so amazing ...

It seems many say Caan or Duvall, as opposed to Pacino. Funny.

All three were outstanding in their roles and all deserved their nominations.

I would vote for Caan. It's definitely true that all three were outstanding. But I would choose Caan because I found Sonny to be, after Vito, the most memorable character in the movie. And Caan truly made Sonny Sonny. He injected him with a priceless sense of humanity that was wonderful and unforgettable.

I think Duvall's nomination was the surprise nomination that year.

I mean, the Academy COULD NOT ignore Brando, Pacino, and even Caan when it came to deciding the nominations, but I'm glad they were able to fit Duvall in there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEy-p-fO7JA

Something I would like to share with you all.

Notice how Al Pacino didn't show up.