The Oscar-worthy kids of 1987
Saturday, November 7, 2020 at 6:00PM 
The kids of Best Picture nominee Hope and Glory
It's not often that we see child actors recognized in the film awards race. In many regards, that's understandable. Kids aren't known for being the most disciplined of performers and it seems unfair to expect them to deliver complex characterizations, or to embody concepts and ideas that they're still learning. Furthermore, while every acting job is a fruit born out of several people's labor – the actors themselves, directors, writers, editors, sound mixers, etc. – when the performer is as lacking in agency as a child, it's easier to attribute excellence to those other folks' craft. Nonetheless, good work is good work, and we should celebrate the greatness we see on-screen, regardless of how it came to be.
That brings us to 1987, the year of the next Smackdown, and a rare vintage that's stock full of brilliant performances by young artists. Curiously enough, the three Leading Actor performances paid special homage in this write-up all come from films about boys facing the harsh realities of World War II. First up, we have:
Christian Bale, EMPIRE OF THE SUN