Here is the list of nominees, winners, and who, in my humble opinion, should have won the Oscar in all the categories.
The winner is in bold - my choice is underlined.
Outstanding Motion Picture
How Green Was My Valley – Darryl F. Zanuck for 20th Century Fox
Blossoms in the Dust – Irving Asher for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Citizen Kane – Orson Welles for RKO Radio
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Everett Riskin for Columbia
Hold Back the Dawn – Arthur Hornblow Jr. for Paramount
The Little Foxes – Samuel Goldwyn for RKO Radio
The Maltese Falcon – Hal B. Wallis for Warner Bros.
One Foot in Heaven – Hal B. Wallis for Warner Bros.
Sergeant York – Hal B. Wallis and Jesse L. Lasky for Warner Bros.
Suspicion – Alfred Hitchcock for RKO Radio
I didn't want to be like everyone else and cite Citizen Kane as the Best Film of the year. I wanted to dislike it. But I couldn't. While it's not my favourite film of the year, I believe it definitely was the year's most outstanding motion picture. It felt so different than the other movies up until this point. It felt like art! So I have to agree with all the critics. This scored 7.96/10 for me.
My second favourite movie was Suspicion, scoring 7.95/10, then Dumbo for third place (7.89/10).
My least favourite movie this year was All-American Co-ed (3.71/10).
Best Director
John Ford – How Green Was My Valley
Orson Welles – Citizen Kane
Alexander Hall – Here Comes Mr. Jordan
William Wyler – The Little Foxes
Howard Hawks – Sergeant York
Out of those nominated, I would go for Welles, but my favourite director for the year was Alfred Hitchcock for Suspicion. A fantastic example of a wonderful thriller.
Best Actor
Gary Cooper – Sergeant York as Alvin C. York
Cary Grant – Penny Serenade as Roger Adams
Walter Huston – All That Money Can Buy as Mr Scratch
Robert Montgomery – Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Joe Pendleton
Orson Welles – Citizen Kane as Charles Foster Kane
Technically, Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon was my favourite performance, but I'm a bit biased as I just think he's amazing. So out of the nominees, my favourite was Cary Grant. That scene in Penny Serenade where he was crying made me cry! All very strong performances though. My second Oscar for Grant in 2 years.
Best Actress
Joan Fontaine – Suspicion as Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth
Bette Davis – The Little Foxes as Regina Hubbard Giddens
Olivia de Havilland – Hold Back the Dawn as Emmy Brown
Greer Garson – Blossoms in the Dust as Edna Kahly Gladney
Barbara Stanwyck – Ball of Fire as Katherine "Sugarpuss" O'Shea
I loved Stanwyck in Ball of Fire. Annoyed Fontaine won as I really didn't like her performance very much. Not such a strong year for the actresses as it was for the actors.
Best Supporting Actor
Donald Crisp – How Green Was My Valley as Gwilym Morgan
Walter Brennan – Sergeant York as Pastor Rosier Pile
Charles Coburn – The Devil and Miss Jones as John P. Merrick
James Gleason – Here Comes Mr. Jordan as Max "Pop" Corkle
Sydney Greenstreet – The Maltese Falcon as Kasper Gutman
Difficult one as they were all so amazing!! I've always through comedy is harder to act than drama and I was really impressed with Gleason. I have a soft spot for Coburn because he shouldn't be in this category, as his role and performance was main star energy.
Best Supporting Actress
Mary Astor – The Great Lie as Sandra Kovak
Sara Allgood – How Green Was My Valley as Mrs Beth Morgan
Patricia Collinge – The Little Foxes as Birdie Hubbard
Teresa Wright – The Little Foxes as Alexandra Giddens
Margaret Wycherly – Sergeant York as Mary Brooks York
The Supporting Actress list is so much stronger than the main Actress list for this year. All very strong performances. Man, I loved Astor in the Great Lie, but my favourite performance was Sara Allgood in HGWMV. Such a moving performance.
Best Original Screenplay
Citizen Kane – Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles
The Devil and Miss Jones – Norman Krasna
Sergeant York – John Huston, Howard Koch, Abem Finkel, and Harry Chandlee
Tall, Dark and Handsome – Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware
Tom, Dick and Harry – Paul Jarrico
While not a massive fan of any of them, I have to agree that Citizen Kane should have won here.
Best Screenplay
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller, based on the play Heaven Can Wait by Harry Segall
Hold Back the Dawn – Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, based on "Memo to a Movie Producer" by Ketti Frings
How Green Was My Valley – Philip Dunne, based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn
The Little Foxes – Lillian Hellman, based on the play by Lillian Hellman
The Maltese Falcon – John Huston, based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett
I was a maasive fan of this screenplay and I think it rightly won the Oscar.
Best Original Story
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Harry Segall
Ball of Fire – Billy Wilder and Thomas Monroe
The Lady Eve – Monckton Hoffe
Meet John Doe – Richard Connell and Robert Presnell Sr.
Night Train to Munich – Gordon Wellesley
I've already expressed my love for the screenplay of Here Comes Mr. Jordan, but I believe in sharing around the Oscars if possible, and I really liked the story of Night Train to Munich so I'll go with that one here.
Best Documentary Short Subject
Churchill's Island – National Film Board of Canada and United Artists
Adventure in the Bronx – Film Associates
Bomber: A Defense Report on Film – U.S. Office for Emergency Management Film Unit and Motion Picture Committee Cooperating for National Defense
Christmas Under Fire – British Ministry of Information and Warner Bros.
A Letter from Home – British Ministry of Information and United Artists
Life of a Thoroughbred – Truman Talley and 20th Century Fox
Norway in Revolt – The March of Time and RKO Radio
A Place to Live – Philadelphia Housing Authority and Philadelphia Housing Association
Russian Soil – Amkino
Soldiers of the Sky – Truman Talley and 20th Century Fox
War Clouds in the Pacific – National Film Board of Canada and MGM
I couldn't watch all of these, but out of the ones I watched, my favourite was Christmas Under Fire.
Best Live Action Short Subject, One-Reel
Of Pups and Puzzles – MGM
Army Champions – Pete Smith and MGM
Beauty and the Beach – Paramount
Down on the Farm – Paramount
Forty Boys and a Song – Warner Bros.
Kings of the Turf – Warner Bros.
Sagebrush and Silver – 20th Century Fox
I couldn't find any of these so can't judge.
Best Live Action Short Subject, Two-Reel
Main Street on the March! – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Alive in the Deep – Woodard Productions, Inc.
Forbidden Passage – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
The Gay Parisian – Warner Bros.
The Tanks Are Coming – U.S. Army and Warner Bros.
I watched all except Alive in the Deep, and Main Street was my favourite.
Best Short Subjects – Cartoons
Lend a Paw – Walt Disney Productions and RKO Radio
Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B – Walter Lantz Productions and Universal
Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt – Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros.
How War Came – Columbia
The Night Before Christmas – MGM
Rhapsody in Rivets – Leon Schlesinger and Warner Bros.
Rhythm in the Ranks – George Pal Productions and Paramount
The Rookie Bear – MGM
Superman – Fleischer Studios and Paramount
Truant Officer Donald – Walt Disney Productions and RKO Radio
Tom and Jerry were absolutely robbed here. It was a spectacular cartoon. No way Disney should have won for that one!
Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture
All That Money Can Buy – Bernard Herrmann
Back Street – Frank Skinner
Ball of Fire – Alfred Newman
Cheers for Miss Bishop – Edward Ward
Citizen Kane – Bernard Herrmann
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Franz Waxman
Hold Back the Dawn – Victor Young
How Green Was My Valley – Alfred Newman
King of the Zombies – Edward J. Kay
Ladies in Retirement – Morris Stoloff and Ernst Toch
The Little Foxes – Meredith Willson
Lydia – Miklós Rózsa
Mercy Island – Cy Feuer and Walter Scharf
Sergeant York – Max Steiner
So Ends Our Night – Louis Gruenberg
Sundown – Miklós Rózsa
Suspicion – Franz Waxman
Tanks a Million – Edward Ward
That Uncertain Feeling – Werner R. Heymann
This Woman is Mine – Richard Hageman
OK, hear me out. A lot of these scores are amazing. But the movie with the score I really liked wasn't nominated so I'm going to stick with it. My winner was The Sea Wolf - Erich Wolfgang Korngold. My third Oscar for him!
Best Scoring of a Musical Picture
Dumbo – Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace
All-American Co-Ed – Edward Ward
Birth of the Blues – Robert Emmett Dolan
Buck Privates – Charles Previn
The Chocolate Soldier – Herbert Stothart and Bronisław Kaper
Ice-Capades – Cy Feuer
The Strawberry Blonde – Heinz Roemheld
Sun Valley Serenade – Emil Newman
Sunny – Anthony Collins
You'll Never Get Rich – Morris Stoloff
100% agree here. Absolute mastery.
Best Original Song
"The Last Time I Saw Paris" from Lady Be Good – Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein
"Baby Mine" from Dumbo – Music by Frank Churchill; Lyrics by Ned Washington
"Be Honest With Me" from Ridin' on a Rainbow – Music and Lyrics by Gene Autry and Fred Rose
"Blues in the Night" from Blues in the Night – Music by Harold Arlen; Lyrics by Johnny Mercer
"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" from Buck Privates – Music by Hugh Prince; Lyrics by Don Raye
"Chattanooga Choo Choo" from Sun Valley Serenade – Music by Harry Warren; Lyrics by Mack Gordon
"Dolores" from Las Vegas Nights – Music by Louis Alter; Lyrics by Frank Loesser
"Out of the Silence" from All-American Co-ed – Music and Lyrics by Lloyd B. Norlin
"Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye" from You'll Never Get Rich – Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Again, absolutely agree. This song was so poignant and hard hitting. It made me cry.
Best Sound Recording
That Hamilton Woman – Jack Whitney
Appointment for Love – Bernard B. Brown
Ball of Fire – Thomas T. Moulton
The Chocolate Soldier – Douglas Shearer
Citizen Kane – John O. Aalberg
The Devil Pays Off – Charles L. Lootens
How Green Was My Valley – E. H. Hansen
The Men in Her Life – John P. Livadary
Sergeant York – Nathan Levinson
Skylark – Loren L. Ryder
Topper Returns – Elmer Raguse
I've gone with Moulton here.
Best Art Direction – Interior Decoration, Black-and-White
How Green Was My Valley – Art Direction: Richard Day and Nathan H. Juran; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little
Citizen Kane – Art Direction: Perry Ferguson and Van Nest Polglase; Interior Decoration: Al Fields and Darrell Silvera
The Flame of New Orleans – Art Direction: Martin Obzina and Jack Otterson; Interior Decoration: Russell A. Gausman
Hold Back the Dawn – Art Direction: Hans Dreier and Robert Usher; Interior Decoration: Samuel M. Comer
Ladies in Retirement – Art Direction: Lionel Banks; Interior Decoration: George Montgomery
The Little Foxes – Art Direction: Stephen Goosson; Interior Decoration: Howard Bristol
Sergeant York – Art Direction: John Hughes; Interior Decoration: Fred M. MacLean
The Son of Monte Cristo – Art Direction: John DuCasse Schulze; Interior Decoration: Edward G. Boyle
Sundown – Art Direction: Alexander Golitzen; Interior Decoration: Richard Irvine
That Hamilton Woman – Art Direction: Vincent Korda; Interior Decoration: Julia Heron
When Ladies Meet – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell; Interior Decoration: Edwin B. Willis
Sis Hopkins – N/A (Nomination withdrawn)
I get why HGWMV won as it was really good, but my favourite was Lionel Banks and George Montgomery for Ladies in Retirement. The house was like another character.
Best Art Direction – Interior Decoration, Color
Blossoms in the Dust – Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons and Urie McCleary; Interior Decoration: Edwin B. Willis
Blood and Sand – Art Direction: Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright; Interior Decoration: Thomas Little
Louisiana Purchase – Art Direction: Raoul Pene Du Bois; Interior Decoration: Stephen Seymour
My favourite was Blood and Sand. Beautiful art design! My third Oscar for Day!
Best Cinematography, Black-and-White
How Green Was My Valley – Arthur Miller
The Chocolate Soldier – Karl Freund
Citizen Kane – Gregg Toland
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Joseph Ruttenberg
Here Comes Mr. Jordan – Joseph Walker
Hold Back the Dawn – Leo Tover
Sergeant York – Sol Polito
Sun Valley Serenade – Edward Cronjager
Sundown – Charles Lang
That Hamilton Woman – Rudolph Maté
Hands down, this was Citizen Kane's award! My fourth Oscar for Tolland. Gee, I must be a fan!
Best Cinematography, Color
Blood and Sand – Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan
Aloma of the South Seas – Wilfred M. Cline, Karl Struss, and William Snyder
Billy the Kid – William V. Skall and Leonard Smith
Blossoms in the Dust – Karl Freund and W. Howard Greene
Dive Bomber – Bert Glennon
Louisiana Purchase – Harry Hallenberger and Ray Rennahan
Not a lot to choose from. This was the best.
Best Film Editing
Sergeant York – William Holmes
Citizen Kane – Robert Wise
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde – Harold F. Kress
How Green Was My Valley – James B. Clark
The Little Foxes – Daniel Mandell
My favourite wasn't nominated. Mine was That Hamilton Woman - William Hornbeck
Best Special Effects
I Wanted Wings – Photographic Effects Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects: Louis Mesenkop
Aloma of the South Seas – Photographic Effects: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings; Sound Effects: Louis Mesenkop
Flight Command – Photographic Effects: A. Arnold Gillespie; Sound Effects: Douglas Shearer
The Invisible Woman – Photographic Effects: John P. Fulton; Sound Effects: John Hall
The Sea Wolf – Photographic Effects: Byron Haskin; Sound Effects: Nathan Levinson
That Hamilton Woman – Photographic Effects: Lawrence W. Butler; Sound Effects: William H. Wilmarth
Topper Returns – Photographic Effects: Roy Seawright; Sound Effects: Elmer Raguse
A Yank in the R.A.F. – Photographic Effects: Fred Sersen; Sound Effects: Edmund H. Hansen
Dive Bomber – Photographic Effects: Byron Haskin; Sound Effects: Nathan Levinson (replaced)
I can't remember why I scored that movie so highly for effects, but I liked it obviously!
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