And the nominees were ...
- Johnny Belinda. Warner Bros. Studio Sound Department, Nathan O. Levinson, sound director
- Moonrise. Republic Studio Sound Department, Daniel J. Bloomberg, sound director
- The Snake Pit. 20th Century-Fox Studio Sound Department, Thomas T. Moulton, sound director
And the Oscar went to ...
 |
| Olivia de Havilland in The Snake Pit |
Olivia de Havilland plays a woman whose mental breakdown lands her in a grim, primitive institution, from which she is finally rescued by a kindly psychoanalyst (Leo Genn), who helps her come terms with some unresolved emotions about the past, including her relationship with her father. It's a generally well-made message picture from the late-1940s era when Hollywood's idea of a prestige production was one that tackled -- or at least feinted at -- a social problem. The Snake Pit is said to have spurred many states to reform the treatment of the mentally ill, although it's hard to tell today how much of this is true or just good PR from 20th Century-Fox. The quick-fix therapy and the squeamishness of the Production Code date the film badly, however. Moulton had won two Oscars as Samuel Goldwyn's sound director. Then he moved to 20th Century-Fox, where he won two more -- for this film and for All About Eve.
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