9 Brilliant Performances That Were Robbed Of Best Actor Oscars

3. Jack Lemmon - The Apartment

Billy Wilder produced one of the most impressive bodies of work to ever come out of Hollywood. Wilder had incredible range; his work veered from film noir (Double Indemnity) to quirky WWII films (Stalag 17) to uproarious comedies (Some Like It Hot). Wilder's 1960 film The Apartment, however, towers over all of Wilder's other work. The film is a perfect encapsulation of Wilder's worldview, blending cynicism with biting wit and a tender core.

Every element of this film is excellent, but it's Jack Lemmon's portrayal of C.C. "Bud" Baxter that really makes the film work. Baxter, a lonely bachelor who whiles away his days as a nameless number-cruncher for an insurance corporation, climbs the company ladder by lending out his apartment to his managers, who use Baxter's apartment to entertain their extra-marital sex partners. They thank Baxter through promotions and glowing personnel reports.

Baxter eventually secures a major promotion after lending out his apartment to Jeff Sheldrake (Fred MacMurray), the company's personnel director. Baxter's victory turns sour, however, when he discovers that Sheldrake's beau is Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), Baxter's own love interest. Baxter, depressed, returns to his apartment to find Fran sprawled on his bed, fresh off a suicide attempt. The film shows us how the aftermath of Fran's suicide attempt affects Baxter, Fran, and Sheldrake. The film ends on a perfect note; there's a touch of cynicism, but it's underlined by a hopefulness that leaves us feeling uplifted.

We have to be interested in Baxter to like this film, and Lemmon does a good job of making us like him. As Lemmon stands in the rain, staring up at his apartment window and imagining what's going on behind the shades, it's impossible to not feel pity for him. Lemmon adds to Baxter's likability through his innocent flirting with Fran. By the end of the film, we're rooting for Baxter to step out from under Sheldrake's thumb and get together with Fran.

Lemmon's performance is a masterwork of quiet, understated acting, one that certainly deserved the 1960 Best Actor Oscar. Unfortunately, the Oscar went to Burt Lancaster for his over-the-top portrayal of the title character in Elmer Gantry. Lancaster is generally a fine actor, but he seems to have lost his acting skill for the duration of Gantry's filming; he seems to confuse "emoting" with "yelling." Lancaster's performance is amateurish; it looks silly in comparison to Lemmon's nuanced, understated performance.