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Revision as of 07:08, 22 March 2008

File:Oscar Statuette (78th Academy Awards).jpg
©A.M.P.A.S.®

The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is one of the Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only to vote on the final ballot, but also to nominate. During the annual Academy Awards ceremony, Best Picture is reserved as the final award presented and is usually collected at the podium by the film's producers and director. However, only the producers are officially credited with receiving the award. The Academy Award for Best Motion Picture is universally considered the most important of the Academy Awards, as it is the final result of the collaborative producing, directing, acting, and writing efforts put forth for a film. The Grand Staircase columns at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles, where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2002, showcase every film that has won the Best Picture title since the award's inception 80 years ago.

History

At the 1st Academy Awards ceremony (for 1927 and 1928), there was no "Best Picture" award. Instead, there were two separate awards, one called "Most Outstanding Production," won by the epic Wings, and one called "Most Artistic Quality of Production," won by the art film Sunrise. The awards were intended to honor different and equally important aspects of superior filmmaking, and in fact the judges and the studio bosses who sought to influence their decisions paid more attention to the latter - MGM head Louis B. Mayer, who had disliked the realism of King Vidor's The Crowd, pressured the judges not to honor his own studio's film, and to select Sunrise instead. The next year, the Academy instituted a single award called "Best Production," and decided retrospectively that the award won by Wings had been the equivalent of that award, with the result that Wings is often erroneously listed as the winner of a sole "Best Picture" award for the first year. The title of the award was eventually changed to Best Picture for the 1931 awards.

Since 1944, the Academy has restricted nominations to five Best Picture nominees per year. As of the 80th Academy Awards ceremony (for 2007), there have been 463 films nominated for the Best Picture award. Throughout the past 80 years, AMPAS has presented a total of 80 Best Picture awards. Invariably, the Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director have been very closely linked throughout their history. Of the 80 films that have been awarded Best Picture, 59 have also been awarded Best Director. Only three films have won Best Picture without their directors being nominated (though only one since the early 1930s): Wings (1927/28), Grand Hotel (1931/32), and Driving Miss Daisy (1989). The only two Best Director winners to win for films which did not receive a Best Picture nomination are likewise in the early years: Lewis Milestone (1927/28) and Frank Lloyd (1928/29).

A point of contention is the lack of consideration of non-English language films for categories other than Best Foreign Language Film. Very few foreign language films have been nominated for any other categories, regardless of artistic merit. To date, only eight foreign language films have been nominated for Best Picture: Grand Illusion (French, 1938); Z (French, 1969); The Emigrants (Swedish, 1972); Cries and Whispers (Swedish, 1973); Il Postino (Italian/Spanish, 1995); Life Is Beautiful (Italian, 1998); Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Mandarin Chinese, 2000); and Letters from Iwo Jima (Japanese, 2006).

No Best Picture winner is lost, though a few such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Lawrence of Arabia exist only in a form altered from their original, award-winning release form, usually having been edited for reissue (and subsequently partly restored by archivists). Other winners and nominees such as Tom Jones and Star Wars are widely available only in subsequently altered versions. The 1928 film The Patriot is the only Best Picture nominee that is lost; The Racket was believed lost for many years but a print existed in producer Howard Hughes' archives and it has since been shown on Turner Classic Movies.

Winners and nominees

In the lists below, the winner of the award for each year is shown first, followed by the other nominees. Except for the early years (when the Academy used a non-calendar year), the year shown is the one in which the film first premiered in Los Angeles County, California; normally this is also the year of first release, but it may be the year after first release (as with Casablanca and, if the film-festival premiere is considered, Crash). This is the year before the ceremony at which the award is given; for example, a film exhibited theatrically during 2005 was eligible for consideration for the 2005 Best Picture Oscar, awarded in 2006. The number of the ceremony (1st, 2nd, etc.) appears in parentheses after the awards year, linked to the article (if any) on that ceremony. Each individual entry shows the title followed by the production company, and the producer. For foreign language films, the original title is also shown. Until 1950, the Best Picture award was given to the production company; from 1951 on, it has gone to the producer. The official name of the award has changed several times over the years:

  • 1927/28 → 1928/29: Outstanding Picture
  • 1929/30 → 1940: Outstanding Production
  • 1941 → 1943: Outstanding Motion Picture
  • 1944 → 1961: Best Motion Picture
  • 1962 → present: Best Picture

1920s

1930s

1940s

1950s

From 1951 on, the individual producer (rather than the production company) receives this award.

1960s

1970s

1980s

1990s

2000s

Milestones

Annual
 Year
 Film
 Awards
 Nom's
 Milestone
1st 1927 / 1928 Wings 2 2 the first (and only) silent film to win Best Picture
1st 1927 / 1928 Wings 2 2 the first war film to win Best Picture
1st 1927 / 1928 Wings 2 2 the first film to win Best Picture and every other nomination it received
1st 1927 / 1928 Wings 2 2 the first film to win Best Picture without being nominated for Best Director
1st 1927 / 1928 Wings 2 2 the first film to win Best Picture without receiving any acting nominations
2nd 1928 / 1929 The Broadway Melody 1 3 the first sound film to win Best Picture
2nd 1928 / 1929 The Broadway Melody 1 3 the first musical to win Best Picture
2nd 1928 / 1929 The Broadway Melody 1 3 the first film to win Best Picture without winning any other Academy Awards
4th 1930 / 1931 Cimarron 3 7 the first film to be nominated for every major Academy Award, including Best Picture
4th 1930 / 1931 Cimarron 3 7 the first Western to win Best Picture
5th 1931 / 1932 Grand Hotel 1 1 the first (and only) film to win Best Picture without receiving any other nominations
6th 1932 / 1933 She Done Him Wrong 0 1 the shortest film to be nominated for Best Picture (1 hour 6 minutes)
6th 1932 / 1933 The Private Life of Henry VIII 1 2 the first foreign film to be nominated for Best Picture and to win any Academy Award (British)
7th 1934 It Happened One Night 5 5 the first of only three films to win every major Academy Award, including Best Picture
7th 1934 It Happened One Night 5 5 the first Best Picture nominee to win both Best Actor and Best Actress
7th 1934 It Happened One Night 5 5 the first Best Picture winner to win both Best Actor and Best Actress
7th 1934 It Happened One Night 5 5 the first comedy to win Best Picture
8th 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty 1 8 the first remake to win Best Picture
8th 1935 Mutiny on the Bounty 1 8 the last film to date to win Best Picture without winning any other Academy Awards
10th 1937 The Life of Emile Zola 3 10 the first biographical picture (biopic) to win Best Picture
11th 1938 Grand Illusion 0 1 the first foreign language film to be nominated for Best Picture (French)
12th 1939 The Wizard of Oz 2 6 the first children's film to be nominated for Best Picture
12th 1939 Gone with the Wind 8 13 the longest film to be nominated for Best Picture (3 hours 54 minutes)
12th 1939 Gone with the Wind 8 13 the longest film to win Best Picture (3 hours 54 minutes)
12th 1939 Gone with the Wind 8 13 the first all-color film to win Best Picture
13th 1940 Rebecca 2 11 the first (and only) thriller to win Best Picture
15th 1942 Mrs. Miniver 6 12 the first Best Picture nominee to receive nominations in all of the four acting categories
15th 1942 Mrs. Miniver 6 12 the first Best Picture winner to receive nominations in all of the four acting categories
18th 1945 The Bells of St. Mary's 1 8 the first sequel to be nominated for Best Picture
18th 1945 The Lost Weekend 4 7 the first of only two films to win both Best Picture and the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or
21st 1948 Hamlet 4 7 the first foreign film to win Best Picture (British)
23rd 1950 All About Eve 6 14 the first of only two films to receive 14 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture
26th 1953 From Here to Eternity 8 13 the last Best Picture winner to date to receive nominations in all of the four acting categories
28th 1955 Marty 4 8 the second of only two films to win both Best Picture and the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or
28th 1955 Marty 4 8 the shortest film to win Best Picture (1 hour 31 minutes)
28th 1955 Marty 4 8 the first (and only) film based on a television movie or mini-series to win Best Picture
29th 1956 Around the World in Eighty Days 5 8 the first film to win Best Picture in a year when all nominees were filmed in color
32nd 1959 Ben-Hur 11 12 the first of only three films to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture
33rd 1960 The Apartment 5 10 the last black-and-white film before 1993 to win Best Picture
39th 1966 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 5 13 the first (and only) Best Picture nominee to be nominated for every award category in which it was eligible
40th 1967 In the Heat of the Night 5 7 the first (and only) mystery to win Best Picture
41st 1968 Oliver! 6 12 the first (and only) G-rated film to win Best Picture
42nd 1969 Midnight Cowboy 3 7 the first (and only) X-rated film to win Best Picture
42nd 1969 They Shoot Horses, Don't They? 1 9 the first (and only) film to receive the most nominations ever (9) without being nominated for Best Picture
43rd 1970 Patton 7 10 the first PG-rated film to win Best Picture
44th 1971 A Clockwork Orange 0 4 the last X-rated film to be nominated for Best Picture
44th 1971 The French Connection 5 8 the first R-rated film to win Best Picture
45th 1972 Cabaret 8 10 the Best Picture nominee to win the most Academy Awards (8) without winning Best Picture
46th 1973 The Exorcist 2 10 the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture
47th 1974 The Godfather Part II 6 11 the first sequel to win Best Picture
48th 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 5 9 the second of only three films to win every major Academy Award, including Best Picture
49th 1976 Rocky 3 10 the first sports film to win Best Picture
50th 1977 The Turning Point 0 11 the first of only two Best Picture nominees to receive the most nominations (11) without winning any Academy Awards
54th 1981 Reds 3 12 the last Best Picture nominee to date to receive nominations in all of the four acting categories
58th 1985 The Color Purple 0 11 the second of only two Best Picture nominees to receive the most nominations (11) without winning any Academy Awards
60th 1987 The Last Emperor 9 9 the last foreign film to date to win Best Picture (Chinese)
60th 1987 The Last Emperor 9 9 the first PG-13-rated film to win Best Picture
62nd 1989 Driving Miss Daisy 4 9 the last film to date to win Best Picture without being nominated for Best Director
62nd 1989 Driving Miss Daisy 4 9 the last film to date to win Best Picture with a PG-rating or lower
63rd 1990 The Godfather Part III 0 7 the first of only two trilogies to have all three films nominated for Best Picture
64th 1991 Beauty and the Beast 2 6 the first (and only) animated film to be nominated for Best Picture
64th 1991 The Silence of the Lambs 5 7 the third of only three films to win every major Academy Award, including Best Picture
64th 1991 The Silence of the Lambs 5 7 the last Best Picture winner to date to win both Best Actor and Best Actress
64th 1991 The Silence of the Lambs 5 7 the first (and only) horror film to win Best Picture
66th 1993 Schindler's List 7 12 the first (and only) black-and-white film after 1960 to win Best Picture
66th 1993 The Fugitive 1 7 the first (and only) film based on a television series to be nominated for Best Picture
70th 1997 As Good As It Gets 2 7 the last Best Picture nominee to date to win both Best Actor and Best Actress
70th 1997 Titanic 11 14 the second of only two films to receive 14 Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture
70th 1997 Titanic 11 14 the second of only three films to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture
70th 1997 Titanic 11 14 the first Best Picture winner to be produced, directed, written, and edited by the same person (James Cameron)
71st 1998 Shakespeare in Love 7 13 the last comedy film to date to win Best Picture
73rd 2000 Traffic 4 5 the last film to date based on a television movie or mini-series to be nominated for Best Picture
75th 2002 Chicago 6 13 the last musical to date to win Best Picture
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the second of only two trilogies to have all three films nominated for Best Picture
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the third of only three films to win 11 Academy Awards, including Best Picture
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the last film to date to win Best Picture and every other nomination it received
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the last film to date to win Best Picture without receiving any acting nominations
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the first (and only) fantasy film to win Best Picture
76th 2003 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 11 11 the first (and only) threequel to win Best Picture
77th 2004 Million Dollar Baby 4 7 the last film to date to be nominated for every major Academy Award, including Best Picture
78th 2005 Crash 3 6 the first (and only) film festival acquisition to win Best Picture
78th 2005 Good Night, and Good Luck. 0 6 the last black-and-white film to date to be nominated for Best Picture
79th 2006 Letters from Iwo Jima 1 4 the last foreign language film to date to be nominated for Best Picture (Japanese)
79th 2006 Dreamgirls 2 8 the first (and only) film to receive the most nominations in its qualifying year (8) without being nominated for Best Picture
79th 2006 The Departed 4 5 the first (and only) remake of a foreign film to win Best Picture

Superlatives

Category Film Superlative
Most Awards and Nominations
(combined total) 		Titanic 25 awards and nominations
Most Awards Ben-Hur, Titanic, and
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 		11 awards
Most Nominations All About Eve and Titanic 14 nominations
Longest Winner Gone with the Wind 3 hours 54 minutes
Longest Nominee Gone with the Wind 3 hours 54 minutes
Shortest Winner Marty 1 hour 31 minutes
Shortest Nominee She Done Him Wrong 1 hour 6 minutes

See also

External links

Academy Awards
Awards of Merit
Proposed awards
Special awards
Governors Awards
Academy Scientific
and Technical Awards
Student Awards
Former awards
Merit Awards
Special Awards
Ceremonies
(years of film release)
Academy Award for Best Picture
1927–1950
1951–1975
1976–2000
2001–2025
Categories: