No Oscar nomination for Jennifer Jones??

I don’t get why this film only got one bone of a nomination for Black and White Art Direction. Huh?? Where are the nominations for Best Picture, Vincent Minnelli’s observant direction, the costumes and cinematography, music and of course - Jones herself? (Not to mention the strong supporting cast like Van Heflin and Gladys Cooper).

Considering 1949 was already a weak year for film (the best picture winner was the long forgotten All the King’s Men) does anyone have insights as to why this one didn’t make any other shortlist? It got screwed big time! People still talk about it today and no one even blinks when I mention other films from that year.

Only The Heiress deserves to be in the same company, and luckily it did win Oscars for Olivia de Havilland and the black and white art direction and costumes.

Still, Madame Bovary seemed tailor made for Oscar’s, and Jennifer Jones was quite popular among voters- even scoring a nomination for the infamous Duel in the Sun, and winning best actress seven years earlier in The Song of the Bernadette.

Thoughts ?