What film do you think should have won Best Picture instead of the film that actually won?

[OmahaBlueDog]

Inspired by Valerief's post: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1270171#post1

What film do you think should have won Best Picture instead of the film that actually won?

The history of the Oscars is filled with these. In some cases, there's a strong crop of films, and the Academy has to pick one. Other years, many are left scratching their heads. I'll provide the three most often cited examples I hear/read (and I don't necessarily endorse these -- I'm just citing them).

The 78th Academy Awards: Crash wins over Brokeback Mountain
The 63rd Academy Awards: Dances With Wolves wins over Goodfellas
The 25th Academy Awards" The Greatest Show on Earth wins over High Noon

[Paladin]

1. "L.A.Confidential" wins over "Titanic." By a mile. (nt)

[valerief]

3. +1000

[brooklynboy49]

19. Couldn't agree more nt

[valerief]

2. Whoa, I've inspired someone!!! Here are some of my preferences.

The wrong choices were made here:
2000, 73rd awards: Gladiator won over Erin Brockovich
1999, 72nd awards: American Beauty won over Cider House Rules
1996, 69th awards: The English Patient won over Fargo
1995, 68th awards: Braveheart won over anything else

I wish I could see all the movies from each year instead of the candidates. I'm sure there were some better/controversial ones not even in the running.

But let's go back a few decades, for fun.

1936, 9th awards: The Great Ziegfeld won over Dodsworth
1939, 12th awards: GWTW won over Wizard of Oz (but that year had sooooo many great flicks, like The Women)
1940, 13th awards: Rebecca won over The Philadelphia Story
1941, 14th awards: How Green Was My Valley won over The Little Foxes (thought I was going to say Citizen Kane, huh?)
1944, 17th awards: Going My Way won over Double Indemnity

I could go on and on. This is fun!

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Totally agree with you on 1996

"Braveheart" is a funny issue. For some people, they dislike the film because of Mel Gibson, and his many intemperate remarks. Thus, his films are viewed by many in the same way that many now view Woody Allen after the revelation of his relationship with his step-daughter. Others simply don't like the film. I'm personally OK with the film, but I respect either view. That, however, is not what is so odd, in retrospect.

Braveheart won over the following field:

Apollo 13
Babe
Il Postino: The Postman
Sense and Sensibility

Here are films that failed to be nominated for Best Picture that year:

Leaving Las Vegas
Dead Man Walking
Mighty Aphrodite
Toy Story


Braveheart's strongest competitor at the time was probably Apollo 13, although I recall there was a sizable outcry for Babe to get the award. One could make the argument that Braveheart won because it did not actually face the strongest films of that Oscar year. Truth be told, I'd assert that Toy Story should have won -- both for it's highly original story, and for the way it revolutionized animated film.

For me, Gibson's implosion has been sad. I remember him in the golden age of Australian cinema in the late 70s /early 80s in films like Mad Max and Gallipoli. I still love watching The Road Warrior, but my favorite Gibson film is Peter Weir's "The Year of Living Dangerously." (with Sigourney Weaver and an incredible performance by Linda Hunt).

[valerief]

8. I agree with you on Toy Story! And, as much as dislike Gibson, I do, also, like TYoLD. nt

[intaglio]

26. Don't get me started on Braveheart

Acting, passable
Story, complete fantasy
Costumes, utter nonsense

[brooklynboy49]

15. My Response

Couldn't agree more on 1996. Fargo is a modern classic. The English Patient is the quintessential yawner.

1940, Rebecca rightfully won over The Philadelphia Story, one of the most overrated movies in the history of film (despite a killer cast).

The biggest travesty on your list -- 1944. Going My Way over Double Indemnity. Really? Really?!

Just one man's opinion. Well, except for the 1944 one. That's just flat out wrong.

[valerief]

17. I'm citing the *wrong* choices. I was saying Double Indemnity should have won over

Going My Way. We'll just have to disagree about Rebecca/The Philadelphia Story.

[narnian60]

4. Glad you mentioned Dodsworth.

One of my top ten.

[valerief]

5. Loved Ruth Chatterton in Female, too, especially the Shanghai Lil seduction number, too.

[TexasBushwhacker]

6. My take

1946 - It's a Wonderful Life instead of The Best Years of Our Lives
1950 - I love All About Eve, but Sunset Boulevard was better
1952 - High Noon instead of the Greatest Show on Earth
1956 - The King and I, Friendly Persuasion or Giant instead of Around the World in 80 Days
1962 - Lawrence of Arabia was great, but it's too bad it didn't tie with To Kill A Mockingbird
1964 - Dr Strangelove instead of My Fair Lady
1967 - Another exceptional year. In the Heat of the Night won, but it was up against Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Spencer Tracy's last film)
1968 - Oliver! won against Funny Girl, The Lion in Winter, Romeo & Juliet and Rachel, Rachel
1979 - Kramer vs. Kramer won (seriously?) - It should have gone to Apocalypse Now, or even All That Jazz or Breaking Away
1980 - Ordinary People won, and it is excellent, but Raging Bull should have won
1981 - Chariots of Fire won, but it should have been Atlantic City (sublime) or Raiders of the Lost Ark
1985 - Out of Africa won, but great scenery and soundtrack aren't enough IMHO. I would have given it to Witness
1987 - The Last Emperor got it, but SNAP OUT OF IT, it should have gone to Moonstruck
1990 - Goodfellas definitely
1994 - Forrest Gump was really just the Tom Hanks show. I would have chosen The Shawshank Redemption or Pulp Fiction.
1996 - Fargo, dontcha know
1997 - Yup L.A. Confidential was da bomb
2005 - Crash won, which I liked but I would have chosen Good Night and Good Luck or Munich
2006 - The Departed won, but I didn't see it. I would have loved for Little Miss Sunshine to win
2010 -The Kings Speech was very good, but I would have chosen 127 Hours
2011 - I didn't see The Artist, but I would have loved for The Descendants to have won.

[valerief]

9. So true about Sunset Boulevard, Atlantic City, All That Jazz/Breaking Away, Funny Girl.

I sort of liked The Kings Speech, but it was tainted in that he was awarded (in the flick) courage for prodding people into war. "Oh, what bravery he showed." "Oh, the life of a royal is so, so difficult." More elitist glorification.

Ha! Love your Moonstruck assertion! And definitely Giant in '56.

Have to disagree with your 1985 choice. Although Witness was good, I think Back to the Future should have been nominated and won. Or The Color Purple.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. The King's Speech was really a Colin Firth showcase

I love Colin Firth and I'll watch him the phone book, but he won the Oscar for Best Actor and that should have been enough. I think other films were better on their merits besides the acting.

Witness was just so original to me. I guess that's what I liked about it. I liked the Color Purple, but I felt it dragged a bit towards the end. Isn't it funny that Danny Glover played a bad guy in both movies?!

[valerief]

13. I love Colin Firth, too! nt

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. Many good points in your response

1946 - It's a Wonderful Life instead of The Best Years of Our Lives

In some ways, this is the deep flaw of the Oscars. You really don't know what the "Best Picture" is until years later. BYOOL was ultra-topical and won on that basis.

1950 - I love All About Eve, but Sunset Boulevard was better

Both great films. Hard to choose.

1952 - High Noon instead of the Greatest Show on Earth

GSOE is a cute look at Ringling Bros. and all -- but over High Noon???? Not so much.

1956 - The King and I, Friendly Persuasion or Giant instead of Around the World in 80 Days

I go "King & I " on this one. "Giant" is 1/2 of a great film. The second half drags, and has some wretched dialogue. The first half is brilliant.

1962 - Lawrence of Arabia was great, but it's too bad it didn't tie with To Kill A Mockingbird

Again, hard year to choose.

1964 - Dr Strangelove instead of My Fair Lady

Both are great films. On balance, Strangelove probably should have won.

1967 - Another exceptional year. In the Heat of the Night won, but it was up against Bonnie and Clyde, The Graduate and Guess Who's Coming to Dinner (Spencer Tracy's last film)

That said, I think the Academy gets that year right.

1968 - Oliver! won against Funny Girl, The Lion in Winter, Romeo & Juliet and Rachel, Rachel

I've never understood the backlash against "Oliver!", which is a very well done musical with a stellar cast. That said, "Lion in Winter" is brilliant.

1979 - Kramer vs. Kramer won (seriously?) - It should have gone to Apocalypse Now, or even All That Jazz or Breaking Away

Any would have been better picks. My personal choice would be "Breaking Away"

1980 - Ordinary People won, and it is excellent, but Raging Bull should have won

Agreed

1981 - Chariots of Fire won, but it should have been Atlantic City (sublime) or Raiders of the Lost Ark

Definitely Raiders.

1985 - Out of Africa won, but great scenery and soundtrack aren't enough IMHO. I would have given it to Witness

Agree 100%

1987 - The Last Emperor got it, but SNAP OUT OF IT, it should have gone to Moonstruck

I was always surprised that "Fatal Attraction" didn't win.

1990 - Goodfellas definitely

It's a tough year. "Awakenings" is also a helluva film. I personally like "Dances With Wolves" and I like "Goodfellas".

1994 - Forrest Gump was really just the Tom Hanks show. I would have chosen The Shawshank Redemption or Pulp Fiction.

I like Hanks, and I liked "Gump", but this is another example of you-really-don't-know-for-five-years. I think if that list was voted today, "The Shawshank Redemption" would win, and it wouldn't be close.

1996 - Fargo, dontcha know

Either "Fargo" or "Shine"

1997 - Yup L.A. Confidential was da bomb

I'd have voted for "Good Will Hunting"

2005 - Crash won, which I liked but I would have chosen Good Night and Good Luck or Munich

I liked "Crash". I was stunned that "Cinderella man" wasn't even nominated. That would have been my pick.

2006 - The Departed won, but I didn't see it. I would have loved for Little Miss Sunshine to win

You can make an argument for "Little Miss Sunshine". Others have asserted that "Pan's Labyrinth", "Dreamgirls", or "An Inconvenient Truth" (which did win best documentary) -- none of which were nominated for Best Picture -- should have won.

2010 -The Kings Speech was very good, but I would have chosen 127 Hours

OBkid1 passionately argues that "The Social Network" should have won. I'd have voted for "Toy Story 3"

2011 - I didn't see The Artist, but I would have loved for The Descendants to have won.

I wanted "Moneyball" Mrs. OBD and OBkid 1 wanted "The Help"

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. The problem I had with The Help

was that the lead character in the story was the white writer. It's kind of like 12 Years a Slave being from the point of view of the massas.

The issue I had about The Social Network was they did absolutely nothing with new media. It was just a straightforward little guy vs. the world. They should have at least done some special effects that made it more into computer world. I liked Moneyball, I just liked The Descendants better.

[brooklynboy49]

16. Just a couple of quick comments

I agree with the choice of In the Heat of the Night in 1967. I also feel that Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was drivel, despite the presence of Tracy/Hepburn

Breaking Away gets my selection for 1979. I couldn't have said it better myself -- Kramer vs. Kramer... seriously?

1994 -- Shawshank Redemption not only should have won, IMO it was best picture of the decade

1996 -- Yep, Fargo.

Finally, a general observation and comment. In many instances, you chose the "more entertaining" movie over the "more artistic" movie (e.g., 1987). I'm in complete agreement with you. Chariots of Fire may have been a cinematic masterpiece, but no way in hell would I endure sitting thru it a second time. This (for me) automatically disqualifies it from Best Picture contention. Best Cinematography? Absolutely. Best Picture? No farkin' way!

[yallerdawg]

23. Shawshank Redemption

One of the greatest films ever.

Stephen King's best movie from story?

"Get busy livin'...or get busy dyin'."

[Jade Fox]

21. The Artist was one of the worst choices ever IMO.....

A pointless remake of any number of silent movies.

Going in to "The Artist", I assumed the filmmaker was going to use the limitations imposed by necessity in the Silent Era to do something original. Nope.

[FSogol]

28. "The Artist" was a masterpiece.

Why use limitations? They told a story employing a cliff-hanging device that could have only worked in a silent picture. It works as a homage to those earlier films, but stands on its own.

[Rhythm]

14. 75th Academy Awards -- Best Picture should have been...

The Pianist instead of Chicago.

The Pianist ~did~ win Best Actor (Adrien Brody), Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay, but still...
It was 100x the film Chicago was, and i ~liked~ Chicago.

[valerief]

18. Chicago could have been great, but they crapped up the editing. All that choppy,

attention-deficit-disorder-speed editing drove me nuts. It interfered with the story and great music.

[Jade Fox]

20. absolutely agree....

I can't watch Chicago for all the reasons you listed.

[theHandpuppet]

25. Can't watch The Piano

Every time I see Adrien Brody all I want to do is feed him a sack of cheeseburgers and a few dozen shakes.

[RAAVAN]

22. Re:

All are good movies. I go with Dances with Wolves wins over Goodfellas

[El Supremo]

24. In 1958 Vertigo should have won.

It wasn't even nominated! It was named best picture of all time in the 2012 British Film Institute's Sight & Sound critics' poll.

[FSogol]

27. Taxi Driver over Rocky (1977)

Lost Horizon over The Life of Emile Zola (1938)

and why didn't Alfred Hitchcock ever win?