For 95 years, the Academy Awards have honored the best in filmmaking. They have also served as a time capsule reflecting what was going on in the world and/or in the entertainment industry each year. In the 21st century, Oscar has lost much of its TV audience, but the name recognition remains as strong as ever.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences handed out the first awards in 1929, with winners announced in advance. There were 12 categories, which has grown to the current 23. Hardcore film fans are interested in all of them, but the general public is most interested in three: best picture, actor and actress.
The first event, on May 16, 1929, was mostly a dinner for 270 people at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood; the ceremony itself lasted only 15 minutes. Most winners simply accepted the trophy, but Warner Bros. executive Darryl F. Zanuck did something radical: He gave a few words of thanks, thus inventing the acceptance speech. And the ceremony began to get longer.
Starting with the second event, in 1930, it was broadcast on radio, and then made its television debut in 1953.
The media often portrays campaigning as a newer invention, but after some actors saw the attention that the first winners received, they began to woo other Academy voters with dinners and parties.
Now, campaigns last roughly seven months, though planning starts even earlier. It’s become a mini-industry in terms of campaigners, consultants and event planners. While campaigns garner a lot of media attention, Oscars in the 21st century basically comes down to the same factors as the first ceremony: AMPAS voters see the nominees and vote with their conscience about what is best.
Of course, “best” is a subjective term.
Some of the early best picture winners seem creaky and dated (“Broadway Melody,” “Cavalcade”). Others, like “All Quiet on the Western Front,” hold up remarkably well.
In the 1940s, three BP winners were centered on World War II. In the 1950s, when many film workers felt threatened by television, they voted for big Technicolor spectacles that TV couldn’t offer, such as “The Greatest Show on Earth,” “Around the World in 80 Days” and “Gigi.” Most of these wouldn’t get made in the 21st century, much less win an Oscar. But voters are hard to predict: They also gave a best picture Oscar to “Marty,” a small-scale project that had originated on TV.
For most of the first seven decades, the best pic winner was also the year’s top-earning film. There were greats like “The Best Years of Our Lives,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” “The Godfather” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” — films that are still revered today. But in the 21st century, voters tended to favor small “arthouse” films that many home viewers hadn’t heard of.
Winning an Academy Award is the highest honor in the film world, and best picture is always the top prize. The fundamental things still apply as time goes by.
Click through for a look back at every Oscar best picture winner since 1927.
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Everything Everywhere All at Once
Image Credit: Courtesy of Allyson Riggs/SXSW After winning a slew of precursor awards, “Everything Everywhere All at Once” swept the 2023 Oscars with seven trophies, becoming the most-awarded best picture winner since 2008’s “Slumdog Millionaire.”
“Everything Everywhere” took home Oscars for best picture, director, original screenplay, lead actress, supporting actress, supporting actor and editing. Michelle Yeoh became the first Asian best actress winner for her role as a laundromat owner dealing with family turmoil.
Though it built momentum throughout awards season, the A24 film’s win still felt surprising — not only had “Everything Everywhere” premiered a full year ago at SXSW, but with its multiverse storyline and surreal touches didn’t seem like the traditional Oscar-bait type of film. Its win seemed to prove that with hundreds of new voting members from all over the world, the Academy is finally embracing a diverse bunch of acting nominees as well as rewarding risk-taking directing choices.
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CODA
Image Credit: Courtesy of AppleTV+/Seacia Pavao The win for “CODA” broke multiple Oscar rules. It is the first best pic winner from a streaming service (Apple); it was considered an extreme longshot, with only three nominations (and no nom for the director, Sian Heder); and it didn’t land an editing bid, which many pundits consider a surefire clue to the eventual winner. “CODA” won all three of its nominations: picture, adapted screenplay (by Heder) and supporting actor (Troy Kotsur, who gave the evening’s most moving speech). The film’s Cinderella story began at Sundance in January 2021, where Apple paid $25 million for it. The win makes “CODA” the first streaming-service film to take Oscars’ top prize. When Apple debuted “CODA” in fall 2021, Variety said it was the year’s most radical film, since it centered on a deaf family, which Hollywood had never depicted. It became the second consecutive BP winner directed by a woman, after Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland.” As more voters saw the film after its SAG ensemble win, they embraced its intelligence and open heart. After two years of COVID uncertainty, and worries about climate change, D.C. and Ukraine, it was cathartic to see a movie that made people laugh and cry.
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Nomadland
Image Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures 2020 Best Picture Winner
In a year of COVID and minimal moviegoing, Oscar races seemed more unpredictable than ever. But Searchlight’s “Nomadland” was able to maintain its frontrunner status for six months, no easy feat. Voters responded to its warmth, the scenic beauty of the U.S. Southwest and its sympathetic look at displaced individuals who live in their vehicles. The film took two other prizes: Chloé Zhao became the second woman and the first Asian American woman to win for directing, while Frances McDormand (also a producer) won her third best actress trophy.
Read the Original 2020 Film Review
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Parasite
Image Credit: Courtesy of Neon 2019 Best Picture Winner
The win for “Parasite,” from writer-director Bong Joon Ho, was historic: For 91 years, the top prize has gone to a film primarily in English. This South Korean comedy-drama was the big winner of 2019, also taking prizes for original screenplay, director and international film (the new name for the category formerly known as foreign-language film). When it won as international film, everyone presumed it would not be named best picture, but the reaction at the Dolby Theatre indicated that this was a surprising but popular choice.
Read the Original 2019 Film Review
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Green Book
Image Credit: Universal Pictures 2018 Best Picture Winner
The online haters were relentless; nobody seemed to like “Green Book” except audiences — and awards voters. At the Oscar ceremony, it won three, including the top prize. Almost as important: It got the endorsement of longtime civil-rights activist Rep. John Lewis, who introduced a clip. The old-fashioned feel-good movie, set in 1962 and based on fact, is only the fifth movie to win best pic without its director being nominated.
Read the Original 2018 Film Review
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The Shape of Water
Image Credit: Courtesy of Fox Searchlight 2017 Best Picture Winner
Fox Searchlight’s “The Shape of Water” centers on the 1962 romance between a mute janitor and an Amazonian fish-man. It’s an eccentric premise, but voters were swept away by the dreamlike visuals, the heart-on-your-sleeve emotions, and the subtle social commentary of the film. It was a tight Oscar race, but voters seemed happy to salute Guillermo del Toro, one of the best-liked and most respected artists working in film.
Read the Original 2017 Film Review
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Moonlight
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 2016 Best Picture Winner
The “Moonlight” win was a record-breaker in Academy history: It was the first film with an all-black cast, with many black artists behind the camera, and was the first gay-themed film to take the top prize. It was also at the center of Oscar’s biggest snafu: Due to a mix-up in envelopes, Faye Dunaway announced “La La Land” as the winner, and it took a few minutes before the real “Moonlight” victory was announced.
Read the Original 2016 Film Review
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Spotlight
Image Credit: Courtesy of Open Road 2015 Best Picture Winner
The fact-based story, about a Boston newspaper team, won two Oscars, for film and screenplay (by Josh Singer and director Tom McCarthy). It marked the second consecutive win for a film starring Michael Keaton.
Read the Original 2015 Film Review
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Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight 2014 Best Picture Winner
The film, about a faded star attempting a stage comeback, was technically dazzling, appearing to have been shot in one continuous take. Not everyone loved the Alejandro Inarritu-directed comedy-drama and some were mystified by the ending. But the people who liked it REALLY liked it.
Read the Original 2014 Film Review
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12 Years a Slave
Image Credit: Courtesy of Searchlight 2013 Best Picture Winner
The film about U.S. slavery was directed by Steve McQueen and written by John Ridley, based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, a free man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery. The film earned an impressive $188 million worldwide, with 70% of that from outside the U.S. It earned three Oscars out of nine nominations and Brad Pitt was among the producers.
Read the Original 2013 Film Review
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Argo
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 2012 Best Picture Winner
The film about the true-life rescue of hostages in Tehran, was directed by Ben Affleck; it became the first movie in 23 years to take top prize without a director nomination. It was also the fourth film in a decade with key scenes shot in Los Angeles. And it has one other major distinction: Variety plays an important role in a plot twist.
Read the Original 2012 Film Review
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The Artist
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros 2011 Best Picture Winner
This was yet another unlikely winner: a black-and-white film without dialogue, set in 1920s Hollywood, and made by French filmmakers. It was the first best picture Oscar winner to be set in the movie industry and only the second silent film, after original winner “Wings.”
Read the Original 2011 Film Review
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The King's Speech
Image Credit: Courtesy of Weinstein Company 2010 Best Picture Winner
The 2010 film was another unlikely subject matter: The king of England needs to eliminate his stutter. But it became a touching film about a man overcoming personal obstacles, family love, and friendship. Colin Firth’s acting, Tom Hooper’s direction, and David Seidler’s script all won Oscars and got huge ovations from the Oscar audience.
Read the Original 2010 Film Review
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The Hurt Locker
Image Credit: Summit Entertainment 2009 Best Picture Winner
The film, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and written by Mark Boal, beat out some tough competition, including the record-breaking “Avatar” — “Hurt Locker” earned $49 million at the global box office, the lowest-grossing film in Oscar history. But it has gained many fans and admirers over the years, and Bigelow became the first woman to win a directing Oscar.
Read the Original 2009 Film Review
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Slumdog Millionaire
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 2008 Best Picture Winner
No foreign-language film has won best picture, but “Slumdog Millionaire” comes closest, since one-third of the dialogue is in Hindi. It’s also a rarity, since it centers around a TV show: India’s version of “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”
Read the Original 2008 Film Review
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No Country for Old Men
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramax/Everett Collection 2007 Best Picture Winner
The film, based on Cormac McCarthy’s novel, became the second consecutive bloody actioner to take the big prize. And it was the second winner in Oscar history directed by a duo: Joel and Ethan Coen (after the team from “West Side Story”).
Read the Original 2007 Film Review
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The Departed
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 2006 Best Picture Winner
After five nominations as director, Martin Scorsese hit the jackpot with No. 6, winning one of the film’s four awards. It’s an Oscar rarity since it’s a remake, based on the 2002 Hong Kong crime thriller “Infernal Affairs.”
Read the Original 2006 Film Review
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Crash
Image Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate 2005 Best Picture Winner
In the build-up to the Oscars, the gay western “Brokeback Mountain” had dominated the awards scene. But the Paul Haggis-directed “Crash” came out the big winner.
Read the Original 2005 Film Review
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Million Dollar Baby
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros./Everett Collection 2004 Best Picture Winner
This was Clint Eastwood’s second big night at the Academy Awards, following “Unforgiven.” The tale of a woman boxer holds another distinction: In Oscar’s 77th ceremony, this became the first best picture winner set in Southern California.
Read the Original 2004 Film Review
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Image Credit: Courtesy of New Line Cinema 2003 Best Picture Winner
Peter Jackson’s film trilogy, adapted from the J.R.R. Tolkien novels, earned billions at the B.O., the intense loyalty of fans, and industry admiration for the new technology introduced in the fantasy epic. It also became the third film to win 11 Oscars, after “Ben-Hur” and “Titanic” — and “LOTR” became the only one to sweep all its categories.
Read the Original 2003 Film Review
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Chicago
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramax 2002 Best Picture Winner
Hollywood had circled around a movie adaptation of the stage musical since the 1970s, but director Rob Marshall and writer Bill Condon figured out how to make it work. They delivered a razzle-dazzle musical with wry observations about contemporary obsessions with scandal and celebrity.
Read the Original 2002 Film Review
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A Beautiful Mind
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Pictures 2001 Best Picture Winner
It doesn’t sound like a surefire project: A biopic about a delusional math genius. But Russell Crowe turned in another great performance, and Oscars went to director Ron Howard, supporting actress Jennifer Connelly, and writer Akiva Goldsman, adapting Sylvia Nasar’s book about John Nash.
Read the Original 2001 Film Review
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Gladiator
Image Credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks 2000 Best Picture Winner
When the Ridley Scott-directed epic opened in May, audiences loved it, but few predicted it would be a best picture winner. But as the months wore on, Academy members clearly maintained their admiration for the film, the kind of intelligent spectacle that Hollywood does best.
Read the Original 2000 Film Review
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American Beauty
Image Credit: Courtesy of DreamWorks 1999 Best Picture Winner
The dramedy looked at all the dark longings beneath the sunny facade of U.S. suburbia.
Read the Original 1999 Film Review
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Shakespeare in Love
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramax 1998 Best Picture Winner
It was a battle between Steven Spielberg’s “Saving Private Ryan” and “Shakespeare in Love,” and many were stunned when the comedy won. But it shouldn’t have been a surprise: The film is a love letter to theater and acting, and the largest branch of the Academy is actors.
Read the Original 1998 Film Review
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Titanic
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox/Paramount/Kobal 1997 Best Picture Winner
When James Cameron was making his film, many in the industry predicted a gigantic disaster, since it was behind schedule, over budget, and everybody knew the ending. But when it opened, audiences turned it into the highest-grossing film of all time, and the Academy rewarded it with 11 Oscars, tying with “Ben-Hur” as the most winning films of all time.
Read the Original 1997 Film Review
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The English Patient
Image Credit: Courtesy of Miramax 1996 Best Picture Winner
The film almost wasn’t made, when the studio withdrew funding at the last minute. But Harvey Weinstein stepped in, and the film (directed by Anthony Minghella) earned an impressive $232 million worldwide, and scored nine Oscars — meaning it’s one of the top seven winners of all time.
Read the Original 1996 Film Review
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Braveheart
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1995 Best Picture Winner
The biopic, directed by Mel Gibson, was a popular winner in a tight year. It’s also one of the few films to win Oscar’s top prize without a single acting nomination, alongside “Last Emperor,” “Slumdog Millionaire,” and a few others.
Read the Original 1995 Film Review
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Forrest Gump
Image Credit: Everett Collection 1994 Best Picture Winner
The Robert Zemeckis-directed film, starring Tom Hanks, utilized many technical innovations, but Oscar voters responded more to the tale and to the title character than to the decade-spanning effects.
Read the Original 1994 Film Review
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Schindler's List
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Studios 1993 Best Picture Winner
The Steven Spielberg film defied conventional wisdom, by being a long, black and white movie about a depressing topic. But it was a hugely popular win.
Read the Original 1993 Film Review
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Unforgiven
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1992 Best Picture Winner
Clint Eastwood had directed 15 films in the past 20 years, earning industry respect and affection, but few awards. However, the thoughtful, well-crafted “Unforgiven” proved irresistible to audiences and to Academy voters. Since it was the second western to win in three years, some predicted a major big-screen revival of the genre, but that didn’t happen.
Read the Original 1992 Film Review
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The Silence of the Lambs
Image Credit: Courtesy of Orion Pictures 1991 Best Picture Winner
It became the third and final film to win Oscar’s top five prizes (film, director, script, actor, and actress). It was a surprise win because suspense thrillers were not considered Academy favorites, and “Silence” had opened in February; but the film maintained its enthusiastic buzz for more than a year.
Read the Original 1991 Film Review
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Dances With Wolves
Image Credit: Courtesy of Orion Pictures 1990 Best Picture Winner
No major studio wanted to make the film, but the Kevin Costner-directed Western proved a huge hit with audiences and earned 12 Oscar nominations, winning seven.
Read the Original 1990 Film Review
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Driving Miss Daisy
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1989 Best Picture Winner
The film was a rarity, winning the top prize though its director (Bruce Beresford) wasn’t even nominated. Among the wins were actress Jessica Tandy and scripter Alfred Uhry, adapting his own play.
Read the Original 1989 Film Review
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Rain Man
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1988 Best Picture Winner
The film, produced by Mark Johnson and directed by Barry Levinson, was basically a two-character study, with Dustin Hoffman winning as best actor; while Tom Cruise’s performance was widely admired, he was surprisingly not nominated.
Read the Original 1988 Film Review
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The Last Emperor
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1987 Best Picture Winner
The Bernardo Bertolucci-directed biopic scored a clean sweep: Nine wins out of nine nominations, the first time that happened since “Gigi.” The winners included Vittorio Storaro for his beautiful cinematography.
Read the Original 1987 Film Review
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Platoon
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1986 Best Picture Winner
Oliver Stone’s autobiographical film, a vivid account of his Vietnam experiences, won four Oscars, including Stone as director.
Read the Original 1986 Film Review
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Out of Africa
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal 1985 Best Picture Winner
The epic romance benefited from Meryl Streep’s performance, Sydney Pollack’s direction and Kurt Luedtke’s adaptation of Isak Dinesen’s book. In all, the film won seven Oscars (though Streep was an also-ran).
Read the Original 1985 Film Review
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Amadeus
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1984 Best Picture Winner
Milos Forman’s sumptuous version of Peter Shaffer’s stage play scored eight wins out of 11 nominations.
Read the Original 1984 Film Review
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Terms of Endearment
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1983 Best Picture Winner
TV’s James L. Brooks made a splashy film debut, winning three personal awards that night (as writer, director, and producer), while Shirley MacLaine and Jack Nicholson also took home acting prizes.
Read the Original 1983 Film Review
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Gandhi
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1982 Best Picture Winner
There was a lot of competition that year, including “E.T. the ExtraTerrestrial” and “Tootsie.” But the grand-scale biopic from director Richard Attenborough was the evening’s big winner, with eight trophies.
Read the Original 1982 Film Review
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Chariots of Fire
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1981 Best Picture Winner
The tale of the 1924 Olympics proved one of the biggest surprises in Oscar history, though a popular choice; most pundits had predicted it would be a showdown between Warren Beatty’s epic “Reds” and the small-scale family drama “On Golden Pond.”
Read the Original 1981 Film Review
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Ordinary People
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1980 Best Picture Winner
Robert Redford’s directing debut won at the National Board of Review, the N.Y. Film Critics Circle, Golden Globes, the Writers and Directors guilds, and then four Oscars, out of six nominations.
Read the Original 1980 Film Review
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Kramer vs. Kramer
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures/Everett Collection 1979 Best Picture Winner
The intimate drama about the ravages of divorce and child custody earned honors for adapted screenplay, director (both Robert Benton), actor (Dustin Hoffman), and supporting actress (Meryl Streep).
Read the Original 1979 Film Review
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The Deer Hunter
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal Pictures 1978 Best Picture Winner
During the Vietnam war, Hollywood avoided movies about the conflict, but Michael Cimino’s epic was one of the first major-studio releases to tackle the subject. It remains a controversial movie, but Cimino’s directing skills are unquestionable.
Read the Original 1978 Film Review
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Annie Hall
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1977 Best Picture Winner
The year’s biggest box office hit, “Star Wars,” was nominated as best pic, but lost out to Woody Allen’s comedy-romance, which also earned trophies for screenplay, director, and actress.
Read the Original 1977 Film Review
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Rocky
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1976 Best Picture Winner
There were plenty of great films that year, including “All the President’s Men” and “Network,” but the Academy voters fell in love with this tale of a likable loser who works hard for his big chance. It started a slew of “Rocky” sequels.
Read the Original 1976 Film Review
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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1975 Best Picture Winner
This was only the second film to take the top five prizes: Best picture, director, screenplay, actor and actress.
Read the Original 1975 Film Review
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The Godfather Part II
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 1974 Best Picture Winner
The Francis Coppola movie was the first time a sequel won the top prize. It started decades of “Part 2” movies, though the tale of the Corleones had a unique structure: It was both a continuation of the first film and an origins story, flashing back to before the original’s start.
Read the Original 1974 Film Review
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The Sting
Image Credit: Courtesy of Universal 1973 Best Picture Winner
The caper movie, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, marked the first time a woman won a best picture Oscar: the film’s producers were Tony Bill, Michael Phillips, and Julia Phillips.
Read the Original 1973 Film Review
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The Godfather
Image Credit: Courtesy Everett Collection 1972 Best Picture Winner
Mario Puzo’s novel was a big hit, and the Francis Coppola-directed film was too. It hit a milestone by passing $100 million at the U.S. box office. And Oscar history was made when the best-picture winner’s tally (three Oscars) was outnumbered by another film (“Cabaret,” with eight wins).
Read the Original 1972 Film Review
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The French Connection
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1971 Best Picture Winner
This action-drama was one of Oscar’s many fact-based wins, based on the actions of N.Y. drug cop Popeye Doyle (played by winner Gene Hackman). The film (directed by William Friedkin and edited by Gerald B. Greenberg) featured a chase sequence that is still held up as an example of great filmmaking.
Read the Original 1971 Film Review
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Patton
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1970 Best Picture Winner
The film, written by Francis Coppola and Edmund H. North, was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner. Arriving in the heat of the Vietnam war, some people claimed “Patton” was hawkish, while others said it was anti-war. George C. Scott gave a powerhouse performance and won as best actor, even after announcing he wouldn’t accept it because he didn’t believe actors should be in competition.
Read the Original 1970 Film Review
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Midnight Cowboy
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1969 Best Picture Winner
The film, directed by John Schlesinger and starring Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman, became the first X-rated movie to win the Oscar. When it was re-released two years later, it was re-rated as an R, without any cuts. The script was by Waldo Salt, based on the novel by James Leo Herlihy.
Read the Original 1969 Film Review
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Oliver!
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1968 Best Picture Winner
The 1960s were NOT the heyday of Hollywood musicals, but you wouldn’t know it by looking at Oscar: “Oliver!” became the fourth musical in eight years to take the best-picture win.
Read the Original 1968 Film Review
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In the Heat of the Night
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1967 Best Picture Winner
The competition was intense in 1967, including “The Graduate” and “Bonnie & Clyde.” But only three years after passage of the Civil Rights Act, this mystery was a look at race relations, exploding prejudices, and offering smart insights. Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger (best actor winner) led a strong cast.
Read the Original 1967 Film Review
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A Man For All Seasons
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1966 Best Picture Winner
Robert Bolt’s thoughtful play, about Sir Thomas More’s battles with King Henry VIII, concerned religion, principles, and morality. Bolt adapted his play, which was directed by Fred Zinnemann (“From Here to Eternity”).
Read the Original 1966 Film Review
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The Sound of Music
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1965 Best Picture Winner
A few years after the urban grittiness of “West Side Story,” Robert Wise directed this wholesome Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. It won five Oscars and was an enormous hit; it also rescued the financially strapped 20th Century Fox, which was recovering from the mega-expensive “Cleopatra.”
Read the Original 1965 Film Review
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My Fair Lady
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1964 Best Picture Winner
It was one of the most-anticipated films in years, since it was based on the Broadway mega-hit. The winner of eight Academy Awards, it’s also notable as the last best pic winner to be filmed entirely on Hollywood soundstages.
Read the Original 1964 Film Review
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Tom Jones
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1963 Best Picture Winner
For decades, Hollywood’s Hays Code dictated what couldn’t be depicted onscreen. This comedy, directed by Tony Richardson and written by John Osborne adapting Henry Fielding, helped break that code by depicting the radical idea that sex could be fun.
Read the Original 1963 Film Review
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Lawrence of Arabia
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1962 Best Picture Winner
At three hours and 48 minutes, it’s the longest-running best picture winner (one minute longer than “Gone With the Wind”). The tale of T.E. Lawrence marked the second best picture win for David Lean in five years.
Read the Original 1962 Film Review
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West Side Story
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1961 Best Picture Winner
The musical was co-directed by Jerome Robbins (who had staged the Broadway musical) and Robert Wise, the first time a team directed a best picture winner. The film won 10 Oscars, remaining in the record books as the sole runner-up to the trio of movies that won 11.
Read the Original 1961 Film Review
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The Apartment
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1960 Best Picture Winner
After “Lost Weekend,” Billy Wilder again found himself in the winner’s circle, taking home Oscars as producer, director, and co-writer (with I.A.L. Diamond) for this wry look at corporate America.
Read the Original 1960 Film Review
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Ben-Hur
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loew's Inc. 1959 Best Picture Winner
The production was wildly over budget, and some worried that Hollywood’s early-1950s craze for biblical epics had already peaked. But the film, which is still famous for its chariot-race sequence, won 11 Oscars — a record it held for 38 years, until “Titanic” also received 11.
Read the Original 1959 Film Review
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Gigi
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1958 Best Picture Winner
Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, fresh off the success of Broadway’s “My Fair Lady,” wrote a score for this musical version of Colette’s tale about a young girl being groomed to become a courtesan in Paris. The film made Oscar history by winning every award it was nominated for: nine for nine.
Read the Original 1958 Film Review
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The Bridge on the River Kwai
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1957 Best Picture Winner
The big-scale drama, about the insanity of war, was directed by David Lean. The screenplay was credited to Pierre Boule, who wrote the novel. But in 1984, the Academy updated their records to acknowledge that the script was written by Michael Wilson and Carl Foreman, who had been blacklisted at the time.
Read the Original 1957 Film Review
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Around the World in 80 Days
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1956 Best Picture Winner
Producer Michael Todd coined the term “cameo” to describe the multiple stars appearing briefly in small roles. This film, adapted from Jules Verne’s novel, starred David Niven, Cantinflas and Shirley MacLaine, and featured dozens of stars like Frank Sinatra, Buster Keaton and Marlene Dietrich in brief (and sometimes wordless) appearances.
Read the Original 1956 Film Review
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Marty
Image Credit: Courtesy of United Artists 1955 Best Picture Winner
The intimate character study made Oscar history because it was an adaptation of a TV drama — and because it was the first film whose awards campaign costs ($400,000) surpassed its production budget ($340,000).
Read the Original 1955 Film Review
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On the Waterfront
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1954 Best Picture Winner
Marlon Brando won his first Oscar as Terry Malloy, a New York dock worker. Elia Kazan directed from a script by Budd Schulberg, both of whom were targeted by the Hollywood blacklist; some have seen this film as a metaphor for their experiences and an explanation of their actions.
Read the Original 1954 Film Review
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From Here to Eternity
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1953 Best Picture Winner
Daniel Taradash adapted James Jones’ novel into a great screenplay, augmented by Fred Zinnemann’s smart direction. Burt Lancaster topped a strong cast in the tale of military lives in Hawaii just before the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
Read the Original 1953 Film Review
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The Greatest Show on Earth
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1952 Best Picture Winner
Director Cecil B. DeMille was a showman since the silent days of movies, but this was his first to take the Best Picture Academy Award, with his colorful and gaudy spectacle about life in the circus.
Read the Original 1952 Film Review
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An American in Paris
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1951 Best Picture Winner
This Vincent Minnelli musical starring Gene Kelly, was a surprise winner. Producer Arthur Freed took home the Oscar, starting the Academy’s new policy of giving the award to an individual producer, rather than the studio. After “Gone with the Wind,” this was the second best-pic winner in color.
Read the Original 1951 Film Review
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All About Eve
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1950 Best Picture Winner
Three of the year’s five best picture nominees were dominated by great female performances: “Born Yesterday,” “Sunset Blvd.” and “All About Eve.” But Joseph Mankiewicz’s witty tale about Broadway competition was the one that ended up in the winner’s circle.
Read the Original 1950 Film Review
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All the King's Men
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1949 Best Picture Winner
The movie, written and directed by Robert Rossen (nominated in both categories), was based on the novel by Robert Penn Warren. It was a thinly disguised version of Louisiana’s Huey Long, and the film’s observations about politics still hold up surprisingly well.
Read the Original 1949 Film Review
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Hamlet
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1948 Best Picture Winner
The black and white Shakespeare adaptation, from U.K.’s J. Arthur Rank-Two Cities, was the first non-Hollywood film to take the top award. And Laurence Olivier became the first person to direct himself to a best-actor win.
Read the Original 1948 Film Review
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Gentleman's Agreement
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1947 Best Picture Winner
The Elia Kazan-directed drama, starring Gregory Peck, was another hot-button winner, as it addressed the topic of anti-Semitism.
Read the Original 1947 Film Review
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The Best Years of Our Lives
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1946 Best Picture Winner
The world population was just adjusting to life after World War II and some film executives feared that audiences wanted escapism, not a movie reflecting their lives. But it was a huge hit, and its honesty in dealing with civilian changes and vulnerabilities are still powerful. It was produced by Samuel Goldwyn, directed by William Wyler.
Read the Original 1946 Film Review
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The Lost Weekend
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1945 Best Picture Winner
The film, directed by Billy Wilder, was widely admired even though it was controversial: Though movies had featured drunks since the silent days, it was considered daring to address the subject head-on.
Read the Original 1945 Film Review
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Going My Way
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1944 Best Picture Winner
Writer-director Leo McCarey once again proved his ability to balance tears and laughs, in this tale of a rule-breaking priest (Oscar winner Bing Crosby) taking over a New York parish from a retiring priest. In the latter role, Barry Fitzgerald was oddly nominated as both lead and supporting actor, winning in the latter category.
Read the Original 1944 Film Review
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Casablanca
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. 1943 Best Picture Winner
The WWII drama represents the studio system at its best, where all the talent (behind and in front of the camera) worked at their peak. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman were not the studio’s first choices for their roles, but they remain one of the screen’s all-time great romantic pairings.
Read the Original 1943 Film Review
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Mrs. Miniver
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1942 Best Picture Winner
The film, about a British family during the early days of World War II, came at just the right time, reassuring Americans that their newish war effort was the right decision.
Read the Original 1942 Film Review
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How Green Was My Valley
Image Credit: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox 1941 Best Picture Winner
The drama was set in a Welsh mining village, with director John Ford winning one of the film’s five Oscars. Even then, many were surprised that the movie beat Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane,” but a Variety reporter at the time attributed that to the 6,000 movie extras who voted on Oscar’s top prize: “The mob prefers a regular guy to a genius.”
Read the Original 1941 Film Review
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Rebecca
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1940 Best Picture Winner
The darkest aspects of the Daphne du Maurier novel were cleaned up a little, but the film was popular then and still remains a fan favorite. It’s the only Alfred Hitchcock film to take the top Academy Award.
Read the Original 1940 Film Review
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Gone with the Wind
Image Credit: Courtesy of Loew's Inc 1939 Best Picture Winner
“Gone With the Wind” is epic filmmaking, embodying all of Hollywood’s strengths — and its weaknesses. Producer David O. Selznick pulled together a film that is one of the all-time box office champions, and he toned down author Margaret Mitchell’s Confederacy-is-the-greatest sensibility, but not enough. Though it’s set during the Civil War era, slavery is barely mentioned. Hollywood knows how to please the masses, but its sensitivity to minorities has always been a problem, and “GWTW” is just one reminder of that.
Read the Original 1939 Film Review
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You Can't Take it With You
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1938 Best Picture Winner
This was the second Frank Capra film to take the top prize. The film is a sweet, zany comedy, but many pundits think that a major factor in its win was Capra’s crucial role in keeping the peace between studios and the new guilds; some had predicted a long strike. Others predicted the end of Hollywood.
Read the Original 1938 Film Review
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The Life of Emile Zola
Image Credit: Courtesy of Everett Collection 1937 Best Picture Winner
The bio of French novelist Zola is mostly centered on his passionate defense of Capt. Alfred Dreyfus, who was falsely accused of treason and sentenced to Devil’s Island. It’s a good old-fashioned Hollywood biopic, with plenty of fictional touches, that is a great showcase for Paul Muni in the title role.
Read the Original 1937 Film Review
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The Great Ziegfeld
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1936 Best Picture Winner
The film is enlivened by William Powell’s performance and by the one sequence for which it’s best remembered: A lavish musical number, “A Pretty Girl is Like a Melody,” that is done in one complex continuous take.
Read the Original 1936 Film Review
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Mutiny on the Bounty
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1935 Best Picture Winner
The MGM spectacle is the third (and so far, last) film to take top prize with no other wins, after “Broadway Melody” and “Grand Hotel.” It is also the only film to have three best actor nominations: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Franchot Tone. The overcrowding helped lead to the Academy’s creation of the supporting actor and actress categories.
Read the Original 1935 Film Review
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It Happened One Night
Image Credit: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures 1934 Best Picture Winner
Frank Capra’s film was a surprise winner because nobody predicted the comedy to defeat all the year’s serious films. It became the first of only three films to take the top prizes of film, director, screenplay, actor and actress.
Read the Original 1934 Film Review
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Cavalcade
Image Credit: Courtesy of Cavalcade 1932/33 Best Picture Winner
The film was an adaptation of Noel Coward’s play chronicling the passage of time as seen through one family. The Titanic figures prominently in one of the episodes, which wasn’t the last time that the 1912 disaster was features in an Oscar winner.
Read the Original 1933 Film Review
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Grand Hotel
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1931/32 Best Picture Winner
The multi-story movie was a novelty as MGM gathered multiple big stars for one film. It remains the only best picture winner to take top honors with only one nomination.
Read the Original 1931/32 Film Review
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Cimarron
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1930/31 Best Picture Winner
This big-scale Hollywood western was based on the novel by Edna Ferber. The land-rush scene is still effective, but the acting is sometimes a reminder that some actors had a hard time making the transition from big theatrical acting to subtler film work.
Read the Original 1930/31 Film Review
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All Quiet on the Western Front
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1929/30 Best Picture Winner
This WWI film marked a quantum leap from the winner of the previous year: It’s impressive, subtle and moving, an early Hollywood relic that still holds up well in the 21st century.
Read the Original 1929/30 Film Review
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The Broadway Melody
Image Credit: Courtesy of MGM 1928/29 Best Picture Winner
It was the first talkie to win an Oscar, with the movie’s publicity bragging “All talking! All dancing! All singing!” That novelty made it a sensation, but the film is pretty creaky in modern times. There were no nominations that year, just an announcement of winners.
Read the Original 1928/29 Film Review
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Wings
Image Credit: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures 1927/28 Best Picture Winner
The silent film about World War I soldiers and their girls back home provided intimacy and spectacle, including aviation sequences that are still impressive. For the first six ceremonies, the Academy did not use the calendar year, which is why the dates are a little confusing.
Read the Original 1927/28 Film Review