...as has sometimes been suggested. Holliday had some things going for her: first, she gives a great performance. She's not undeserving of the Oscar. Second, she'd had rave reviews in a successful run of Born Yesterday on Broadway, and several Broadway stars were at that time doing the...

...film versions of their Broadway roles. Third, the Academy sometimes likes to reward up-and-comers with an Oscar. Bette Davis already won twice by then and was well established. Swanson hadn't won, but was likely perceived to be at the end of her career and less in need of a win professionally...