Grace Kelly was not bad in "The Country Girl". I have never seen the play so am not sure how old she is supposed to be.
Grace Kelly won due to money; as much as Judy Garland kicked ass in ASIB the film ran over budget due to her and was considered a flop due to its release in its long and shorter version. I think some people blamed her and Sid Luft for the film coming in long and overbudget.
Kelly had 4 hit films in 1954 in more than one studio: THE COUNTRY GIRL, DIAL M FOR MURDER, REAR WINDOW, and THE BRIDGES AT TOKO-RI. There is nothing Oscar likes more than someone who can bring in the bacon. If ASIB had been a hit JG would have won and done more films.
When Julie Andrews was nommed for MARY POPPINS, 20th Century Fox released THE SOUND OF MUSIC. When it became a huge hit she was bound for Oscar. I personally would have voted for Kim Stanley in SEANCE ON A WET AFTERNOON and given Julie an Oscar for THE AMERICANIZATION OF EMILY [for which she was not nommed].
Do you know what happens when you let Veal Prince Orloff sit in an oven too long?
