She turned down many movie roles that earned Academy Awards wins and nominations for the actresses who did play those parts, from Olan in "The Good Earth", to Pilar in "For Whom the Bell Tolls". Additionally, many of her roles in hit plays were successfully played by other great actresses, or were adapted as movies. As audiences were deserting live theater for the movies, Cornell became even more determined to stay in the theater in order to help keep it vibrant.