SUBMITTED BY Timbo

January 27, 2004 — Russell Crowe was a towering presence in "Master and Commander", as was Paul Bettany, but neither received recognition from the Academy when the nominations were announced today. "Master and Commander" received 10 nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, just one behind "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King". But the nominations acknowledge the tremendous technical achievement that it took to put the seafaring epic on the big screen.

The Napoleonic era naval adventure Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was right behind [Lord of the Rings] with 10 nominations, among them best picture and director.