 After this Olivier played three more stage roles : James Tyrone in Eugene O 'Neill 's Long Day 's Journey into Night ( 1971 – 72 ) , Antonio in Eduardo de Filippo 's Saturday , Sunday , Monday and John <unk> in Trevor <unk> 's The Party ( both 1973 – 74 ) . Among the roles he hoped to play , but could not because of ill @-@ health , was Nathan Detroit in the musical <unk> and Dolls . In 1972 he took leave of absence from the National to star opposite Michael <unk> in Joseph L. <unk> 's film of Anthony Shaffer 's <unk> , which The Illustrated London News considered to be " Olivier at his <unk> , eye @-@ rolling best " ; both he and <unk> were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor , losing to Marlon Brando in The <unk> . 
