Tears and tantrums - and that was just the press. Film Writer Steve Pratt reviews who did what at the Oscars

THERE were tears, tantrums and the threat of a punch-up - and that was only in the press line outside the hottest Academy Awards party. Newly-crowned best actress Halle Berry's tear-stained acceptance speech paled alongside the jostling and elbowing for position among journalists in the queue to talk to stars arriving at the post-Oscar Vanity Fair shindig.

A shortage of early guests coincided with British TV's live morning shows - GMTV, BBC Breakfast Time and The Big Breakfast - competing for someone famous to talk to at the same time. Constantly pushed by a very tall woman standing next to her, GMTV's Jackie Brambles was in no mood for compromise. "She may be bigger but I'm tougher," she informed Eamonn Holmes, sitting cosily on the sofa in the London studio.

On BBC1, presenter Jeremy Bowen was suggesting that Berry's speech was a pretty good performance as she snivelled that her win, as the first black best actress Oscar winner, opened the doors for other actresses of colour.

No doubt she was speaking from the heart, carried away by the emotion of the moment, but she may look back and feel as embarrassed as Sally Field about her "you really love me" comments. Berry must have been surprised to be there. Sissy Spacek had already won every award going for In The Bedroom and was expected to add an Oscar.

Monster's Ball has yet to open over here but, as a death row inmate's wife, she does what other Hollywood actresses have done to win awards - look unglamorous and act serious. Until now, she's worked mainly in blockbusters such as X Men and Swordfish. Her next role will not tax her unduly. She plays 007 girl Jinx in the 20th James Bond film, Die Another Day.

Denzel Washington was much more dignified, picking up his best actor Oscar for police drama Training Day, not a big box-office success but one that saw the actor, already a best supporting actor winner, play against his nice guy image. He had a field day being nasty as a bent cop.

As usual, the British expected much and came away with little. Jim Broadbent collected supporting actor for Iris but might just as well have won for my favourite, Moulin Rouge, for which he wasn't nominated. Another Brit, Julian Fellowes, collected for his original screenplay for the period murder mystery Gosford Park.

All in all, it proved that the Americans do awards ceremonies so much better. The best controversy the British Film Awards could come up with the other week was a soggy red carpet.