Evening star., 1949-03-27
All Hail Hollywood
Movie Awards Cover 1t With Glory,
Its Critics With Confusion
By Joy Cormody

Sir
Of the nonlest words in the English LANGUAGE yet none more
bunty gallant than those with which he greeted the Of his
Academy Awards last week
incredibly generous Hollywood
the British film industry he sad speaking particularly Of
the Hamlet" the best Aim of ls4s.
Incredibly generous the precisely right words to
describe Holywood brave and gracious bow to Hamlet"
Occasion Proud One.
They define perfectly spirit which the American movie
colony proude
life spirit which should lot of Holywoods critics dn
cudng this one) eat many an acdcoaed word 1t was these
critics. the especially who said that matter
how much Hamlet might merit the prize could not
the provnciasm and arrogance the Academys voters
might thinking particularly
he said incredibly And he might well have added Hoywoods
own dozens of coumnsts who never gave
Hamlet" or THE
.spectve Oscar winners the years screenplays
In Hollywood achieved almost much drama in its
his production
merely the excitement surprise Of international generosity
time almost nonexsent but also of real
sacrifice:
found the that Hoywoods three
pictures years nominations represented
mens 1t could have been proud
Pit Johnny Belinda" and The Treasure of Sierra Madre 1t
might have chosen of the three without
own Pictures Win Other Honors
had the of pretentiousy artistic
groups choosing Hamlet
Critics Circle members had rhapso-
Olivier Shakespaean production nevertheless
Made THE Snake
Johnny Belinda each had the recommendations of
reputable groups the best picture of the year.
1t Academy Awards
Hollywood Thursday night when voted for
Hamlet"
doubtful colony has done a
spectabe thing. And few that more dramatic
that the of dSarming its critics. the
Academy complete job OF it, Each OF Its
apparently the precisely right candidate
certainly of Overs selection the ousand-
the his performance Shakeseares
melancholy For this the role which every
universally rated the outstanding
English speaking heater Naturally every did
spite the pictures record everywhere 1t has
been shown but the majority those VINO oo couo
nnd no equivalent achievement in acting.
Victory Is Popular.
between Jane Wyman and Olivia de Havland for
performance competition closer and
weeks of Stories largely nnuendo
eleconeerng the part OF the several
candidates. The critical reaction to Miss Wymans work IN
Johnny Havlands in THE Snake PITT
equally divided dozens of lesser awards
country Academy Award might have to
either without controversy That the way did go to Miss
Wyman who had the honor before.
critics. of whom get intense about their
judgments spite proteaon obectvity effectively
gagged in the secondary award verdicts.
Huston Trevor VIM
these poised to howl foul in supporting
Walter Huston for Treas
Sierra Madre and Claire Trevor for Key Largo
Academy simply stunned these into silence
by overwhelming agreement Miss Trevor
BY way of making Holywoods glorious night complete-a
usual oppoonwa the universal accept
condemned split decisions The idea
that simple logic requires that the
best picture direction prize Yet when
Hamlet the former and John Huston the latter for his
brilliant Sierra Madre" work. one said a word
once Holwoods critics speechless and Hollywood
itself proud and happy.
1t might well be-