Ridiculous that John Mills got the Oscar (or was it just a nomination?) for "Tunes of Glory".

Not quite true to say that Sir Alec didn't bitch. A few years ago, he accepted a publisher's opportunist proposal that he should keep a diary for a few months. In the course of this project, he made any number of caustic remarks about some of his acquaintances - always in the certain knowledge that these remarks would be published. Maybe he was strapped for cash.