1930 Oscars (April)

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Warner Baxter – In Old Arizona as The Cisco Kid

George Bancroft – Thunderbolt as Thunderbolt Jim Lang

Chester Morris – Alibi as Chick Williams

Paul Muni – The Valiant as James Dyke

Lewis Stone – The Patriot as Count Pahlen

I'm not against Warner Baxter here, and the win is justified. But I felt that George Bancroft in Thunderbolt delivered a more believable character that I could like and hate simultaneously.

Best Actress

Mary Pickford – Coquette as Norma Besant

Ruth Chatterton – Madame X as Jacqueline Floriot

Betty Compson – The Barker as Carrie

Jeanne Eagels (posthumous nomination) – The Letter as Leslie Crosbie

Corinne Griffith – The Divine Lady as Emma Hart

Bessie Love – The Broadway Melody as Harriet "Hank" Mahoney

I loved Norma Shearer in The Last Mrs. Cheyney. but I think Eagels performance stands the test of time. I think the only reason Mary Pickford got this Oscar was as a token of all her years of good work in the silent era. Also, there are a few that believe she bought her award. I think Garbo should have been nominated too. I found Ruth's performance too over-the-top, and Corinne's role wasn't very taxing or memorable.

Best Picture

The Broadway Melody – Irving Thalberg and Lawrence Weingarten for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Alibi – Roland West for United Artists

The Hollywood Revue of 1929 – Irving Thalberg and Harry Rapf for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

In Old Arizona – Winfield Sheehan for Fox Film Corporation

The Patriot – Ernst Lubitsch for Paramount Pictures

My choice - Thunderbolt

Thunderbolt wasn't nominated, but it was my highest-rating movie of the year. I think Broadway Melody got the nod as it was so innovative for the time, but now it looks dated and hasn't passed the test of time. My second choice (and the highest of those nominated) was In Old Arizona.

My top three movies of the year were 1) Thunderbolt, 2) Dynamite, and 3) Joint - In Old Arizona and The Divine Lady.

Worst Picture

My least favourite movie of the year was The Leatherneck. (Is there something about leather I don't like, as last year's worst picture for me was The Patent Leather Kid?!). Implausible, with terrible acting and no chemistry.

Best Art Direction

The Bridge of San Luis Rey – Cedric Gibbons

Alibi – William Cameron Menzies

The Awakening – William Cameron Menzies

Dynamite – Mitchell Leisen

The Patriot – Hans Dreier

Street Angel – Harry Oliver

Dynamite did a wonderful job of conveying the worlds of two different characters through sets and wardrobe.

Best Cinematography

White Shadows in the South Seas – Clyde De Vinna

Four Devils – Ernest Palmer

The Divine Lady – John F. Seitz

In Old Arizona – Arthur Edeson

Our Dancing Daughters – George Barnes

Street Angel – Ernest Palmer

While I liked the sets in Our Dancing Daughters and The Divine Lady, the feat of filming with new technology outside is of enough merit to get this award.

Best Director

Frank Lloyd – The Divine Lady

Harry Beaumont – The Broadway Melody

Frank Lloyd – Drag

Irving Cummings – In Old Arizona

Lionel Barrymore – Madame X

Ernst Lubitsch – The Patriot

Frank Lloyd – Weary River

I loved the feel of The Divine Lady. It did most things very well. The sets, cinematography, and story were great and the acting wasn't too bad. The sound was innovative for the time.

Best Writing

The Patriot – Hanns Kräly, based on Ashley Dukes' translation of the play Der Patriot by Alfred Neumann, and the story "Paul I" by Dmitry Merezhkovsky

The Cop – Elliot Clawson

In Old Arizona – Tom Barry, based on the story "The Caballero's Way" by O. Henry

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney – Hanns Kräly, based on the play by Frederick Lonsdale

The Leatherneck – Elliot Clawson

Our Dancing Daughters – Josephine Lovett

Sal of Singapore – Elliot Clawson, based on the story "The Sentimentalists" by Dale Collins

Skyscraper – Elliot Clawson, based on a story by Dudley Murphy

The Valiant – Tom Barry, based on the play by Halworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass

A Woman of Affairs – Bess Meredyth, based on the novel The Green Hat by Michael Arlen

Wonder of Women – Bess Meredyth, based on the novel Die Frau des Steffen Thromholt by Hermann Sudermann

I'm not impressed with any of the nominees and I haven't seen The Patriot, so I'll just agree with the Academy.