carney better than pacino (godfather II) and nicholson (chinatown)??

How could someone rate a performance if he/she has not seen the movie?

I loved Harry and Tonto. I thought Art Carney's performance with the cat (I'm biased since I have two) was brilliant and he carried the film. The film was not only about Harry and Tonto, it was about how families treat our aging population. It is more relevant now because the baby boomers are retiring and getting much older and families are more disfunctional than every before.

I am also a huge Godfather fan, read the book and thought Pacino should have won since he was inadvertenly placed in the supporting actor category for the first Godfather, and not the Best Actor category, where he carried that film more so than Brando. I was very young and did watch the Awards ceremony in 1975 when Carney won and was shocked although I did not see Harry and Tonto until it premiered on television. Yet, when it comes to the Academy Awards, nothing is ever shocking, esp in the last 40 years.

I have always thought that the votes were so close or dead even btwn Pacino and Nicholson that Carney, possibly in third place, came out from behind to beat the two of them. I heard this happens a lot but am not privy to the Oscar voting since there have only been two ties in history - Hepburn/Streisand 1968, and Frederic March/Wallace Beery in 1932(?).

Finally, I must say that in most cases, once an actor wins an Oscar, it is very rare to see that actor top that particular performance. These days, it is rare for them to make another movie worth watching, although there are a few exceptions. If Pacino would have won an Oscar in the 1970s (Nicholson did win in 1975 for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest), would he have gone on to make some of the best films in the later part of the 20th century? Nicholson has 3 Oscars. Pacino only has one which is very shocking BUT he is still making films.

Time of writing: haven't seen the movie. You say it yourself right there at the top. If you've seen it by now and still have the same opinion, fine. Otherwise, everything you say is void. The post might be 5 years old but it applies everywhere. If you haven't actually seen the movie, then for *beep* sake, don't judge it. I don't believe anyone would actually need to be told that.

Wow, you've never heard of Josh Mostel or Larry Hagman? How about Ellen Burstyn? Oscar nominations and wins are ALWAYS a matter of opinion. In most voters' minds in 1974, Art Carney was the Best Actor. And how about actually watching a film before you comment on it? It's a wonderful film and Mr. Carney and Tonto are both wonderful in it.

My take: Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino were so close in the final tally they cancelled each other out, giving the Oscar to Carney, who would have been in third position. It happens, folks.

This seemed like a very competitive year for Oscar. I've only seen Carney's performance so can't fairly compare, however I believe he gave an Oscar worthy performance. This seemed like a more "lower budget" and simple movie than Chinatown and The Godfather Part 2 and I think a certain art for acting in movies like that deserves a lot of credit. Harry and Tonto is a beautiful movie that should not be missed. The character of Harry is about as good a human being as they come.

Why not try WATCHING a movie before commenting on something you know absolutely NOTHING about? Just and idea?
What makes me laugh is how mouth breathers like you reach for your keyboard faster than the remote and start talking s**t about things you clearly know sweet fa about.
There's a thing called 'Netflix'. Pleb.

No. It is a sweet, but utterly forgettable movie and if not for the fact that Art Carney beat Pacino, Nicholson, Hoffman, and HACK-man (who in the second most head scratching moment of those Oscars wasn't even nominated) this movie would be completely consigned to the waste bin. As it is each new generation says "I have to see this to see how he won" only to find it was Old Hollywood railing against New Hollywood. Honestly there is no other explanation. Even if the voters were split by the actual good performances, this did not deserve a nomination. In fairness, neither did Albert Finney, but.... As I said this is a movie that is quaint. If you think Ernest Borgnine deserved to win for Marty as opposed to James Dean for East of Eden of Frank Sinatra for The Man With the Golden Arm, then yeah, you'll probably like this. Otherwise you'll probably say "Yeah, I guess that was good, buuuuut..." I think Marty is a really good comparison; nice film, not particularly great, an absolute head scratcher how it won any awards, especially since, as bland a story as it is, the TV movie was MUCH better. But do watch Harry and Tonto, if for no other reason then to know why Jack, Al, Gene and Dustin were scarewed!

In this world theres two kinds of people my friend, those with loaded guns and those who dig