1970 was somewhat of a replay of 1969 at the Oscars, albeit one with a different outcome.

Again there were two critically acclaimed films embraced younger audiences and Academy members (Robert Altman’s M*A*S*H and Bob Rafelson’s Five Easy Pieces), two by the older crowd (Franklin J. Schaffner’s Patton and George Seaton’s Airport) and one squarely in the middle (Arthur Hiller’s Love Story). The difference was that one of he older skewing films, Patton, was so brilliantly scripted and meticulously filmed that it was the clear favorite of that group and easily beat the two younger skewing films to the win.

Patton also had George C. Scott’s brilliant star turn in its corner. Even though he famously refused the nomination, the Academy refused to accept his refusal.

Airport’s best shot was a possible sentimental award for Helen Hayes as Best Supporting Actress. She, in fact, did win 38 years after taking home the Best Actress award for The Sin of Madelon Claudet, a record that still stands.

Five Easy Pieces established Jack Nicholson as a major star after his breakthrough performance in Easy Rider the year before and M*A*S*H made longtime director Robert Altman’s name a household word. It was, in fact, the biggest hit of his long career.

Love Story, which had been written as a screenplay, was released as a book in novel form and became a huge best-seller earlier in the year. It was not exactly a work of art but it was an easy read with likeable characters. The film was nicely photographed with good performances by Ryan O’Neal as the boy and Ray Milland as his cold father, but Ali MacGraw as the girl and John Marley as her loving dad just grated. Oddly enough, they were liked well enough to receive nominations for their performances, perhaps by Academy members who hadn’t bothered to see the film but liked the characters as written. MacGraw was even favored to win, but in the end cooler heads prevailed and the award went to Glenda Jackson for Ken Russell’s film of D.H. Lawrence’s Women in Love.

What then would have been the other five nominees had Oscar gone to a ten nominee Best Picture slate? Certainly David Lean’s Ryan’s Daughter, nominated for four Oscars and winner of two (Best Supporting Actor John Mills and Best Cinematography), would have been there. So would Women in Love, nominated for four including Best Director and winner of one (Jackson).

With three nominations and one win, Lovers and Other Strangers would have been a likely contender as would I Never Sang for My Father with its three nods. Beyond that it gets problematic.

Certainly Arthur Penn’s Little Big Man would have been considered. Even though it received only one nod for Supporting Actor Chief Dan George, it was highly popular as was Fellini’s Satyricon which also received one nod, for Fellini’s direction. Since domestic films always have a better chance than foreign entries, I’d give the upper hand to Little Big Man.