A great 1945 war movie calledThe Story of G.I. Joeled to Robert Mitchum’s only Oscar nomination even though the celebrated actor deserved at least one more.Mitchum has starred in some of the best film noirsof all time, such asThe Big Sleep(1978),Cape Fear(1962), andThe Night of the Hunter(1955). Mitchum was so exceptional in his prime thatRoger Ebert called him his favorite movie star.Despite his acclaim, Mitchum was only nominated for one Oscarin his career for 1945’sThe Story of G.I. Joe.
Mitchum’s acting career left a legacy as a classic figure in both film noir movies and Westerns. He starred alongside John Wayne in the Western dramaEl Dorado(1966) and in the classic war filmThe Longest Day(1962).He first rose to prominence in 1944’sThirty Seconds Over Tokyoalongside Spencer Tracey and Van Johnson. Because of his overwhelming influence on both Western and film noir genres, it’s quite surprising he only has one Academy Award nomination – Supporting Acor for his role as Lt. Walker inThe Story of G.I. Joe– and zero Oscar wins.
The Story Of G.I. Joe Was Robert Mitchum’s Only Oscar Nomination (& A Well-Deserved One)
He lost the award to James Dunn for A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
The Story of G.I. Joemay not be Robert Micthum’s greatest movie but it is the only movie he has starred in that received individual acknowledgment from the Academy. Directed by William A. Wellman,The Story of G.I. Joewas nominated for a total of four Oscarsin 1946, including Best Writing, Screenplay and Best Original Song. The film received an 82% on Rotten Tomatoes, which is well below some of Micthum’s best movies such asThe Lusty Men,Pursued, andThe Friends of Eddie Coyle.
Robert Mitchum’s 10 Best Western Movies, Ranked
While he’s most famous for playing antagonistic morally gray characters in noir films, Robert Mitchum also had a major impact on the Western genre.
Even though the film doesn’t rank among Mitchum’s all-time best movies, the actor still deserved the Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He ultimatelylost the Oscar to James Dunn for his role as Johnny Nolan inA Tree Grows in Brooklyn, the dramatic film directorial debut of Elia Kazan ofEast of EdenandOn the Waterfrontacclaim. In retrospect, it’s understandable how Mitchum – and other actors such as John Dall forThe Corn Is Greenand Michael Chekhov forSpellbound– lost the award that year.
He was outstanding in Crossfire and Out of the Past
Mitchum could have been nominated for another Oscar at several pointsin his career. However, two films from 1947 could have also been in contention to win the acclaimed actor his first Oscar. EitherCrossfire, which picked up multiple nominations but did not include Mitchum, orOut Of The Past, which is an all-time great film noir, could have been Mitchum’s best bets at an Oscar. Of course, Mitchum’s villain roles inThe Night of the HunterandCape Fearshould have been acknowledged by the Academy. Instead,The Story of G.I. Joeremains his only Academy nom.
Story of G.I. Joe
Cast
Set during World War II, Story of G.I. Joe portrays war correspondent Ernie Pyle joining Company C, 18th Infantry, as they advance across North Africa. The film explores Pyle’s connection with the soldiers and his effort to capture their experiences for American readers.
