13 Films Never Nominated For Best Picture
The Oscars inevitably bring a lot of grumbling about which films the Academy has overlooked. But if one of your favorites is among them, perhaps you may at least take heart in the fact that it’s in great company. The Oscars have averylong history of backing the wrong horse. Some of what we now view as unimpeachable classics weren’t even seen as Best Picture nomination-worthy at the time.
Hit the jump for a list of films never nominated for Best Picture.
The Dark Knight(2008)
Okay, so this one’s not a shocker. Everyone remembers the greatDark Knightsnub of the late aughts, if only because it really wasn’t that long ago. But it’s still a solid example of why people are so skeptical about the Oscars.The Dark Knightwasn’t your stereotypical “Oscar movie” — but shouldn’t it have been? Everyone loved this movie, from critics to audiences. So who, exactly, was pushing to nominateThe Readerover this? (There’s an answer for that question, actually, and it’s one you should have expected: Harvey Weinstein.)
What was nominated instead?Slumdog Millionaire(winner)The Curious Case of Benjamin ButtonFrost/NixonMilkThe ReaderWhat wasThe Dark Knightnominated for instead?
It got eight nominations in all, most of them in the technical categories. It won two: Sound Editing (Richard King) and Supporting Actor (Heath Ledger). And let’s be real, there’s a good chance it would’ve lost the latter if it weren’t for Ledger’s shocking death.
2001: A Space Odyssey(1968)2001: A Space Odysseywas divisive when it first opened. Even now, after a half-century of homages and rip-offs, it still feels bracingly odd. It’s hard to fault the Academy, then, for not having the foresight to recognize2001’s eventual place in the cultural canon. It’s just now, when we regard2001as one of the best films of all time, that it feels surprising the Academy didn’t think more highly of it in 1968.What was nominated instead?Oliver!(winner)Funny GirlThe Lion in WinterRachel, RachelRomeo and JulietWhat was2001: A Space Odysseynominated for instead?
Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Production Design, and Best Visual Effects.Stanley Kubrickgot his one and only Oscar for that last category.
Rosemary’s Baby(1968)
The same year the Best Picture category left out2001: A Space Odyssey, it gave the cold shoulder to another future classic.Rosemary’s Babywasn’t the first story to see the horror in the mundane miracle of pregnancy, but it defined the trope to the extent thatanyhorror film about pregnancy these days feels like aRosemary’s Babyhomage. This film was also a big part of the legitimization of horror in the eyes of some viewers. Horror got Best Picture nominations with later films likeThe ExorcistandJaws,but it wouldn’t be until 1992, whenThe Silence of the Lambstook the statue, that a genre film would win Best Picture.
What was nominated instead?Oliver!(winner)Funny GirlThe Lion in WinterRachel, RachelRomeo and JulietWhat wasRosemary’s Babynominated for instead?
Best Adapted Screenplay forRoman Polanski(who did not win), and Best Supporting Actress forRuth Gordon(who did win).
Breakfast at Tiffany’s(1961)
There aren’t many movie images more iconic than that ofAudrey Hepburnnibbling on a pastry outside the Tiffany store. Or movie characters more indelible than Holly Golightly, the charismatic socialite played by Hepburn. The Academy was sharp enough to give Hepburn a Best Actress nomination, at least, but it was significantly less impressed by the film around her.
What was nominated instead?West Side Story(winner)FannyJudgment at NurembergThe HustlerThe Guns of NazareneWhat wasBreakfast at Tiffany’snominated for instead?
It was nominated in five categories, winning two: Best Score and Best Original Song (“Moon River”).Audrey Hepburnwas nominated in the lead actress category but lost to Sophia Loren in Two Women.
Some Like It Hot(1959)
The Academy lovedSome Like It Hot, showering it with some six nominations. It just didn’t see this lighthearted farce as Best Picture material, at least compared to heavier dramas likeBen-Hur,The Diary of Anne Frank, andThe Nun’s Story. It’s a scenario that continues to play out today, as stellar comedies are pushed aside for middling biopics.
What was nominated instead?Ben-Hur(winner)Anatomy of a MurderRoom at the TopThe Diary of Anne FrankThe Nun’s StoryWhat wasSome Like It Hotnominated for instead?
It picked up six nominations, including Best Director forBilly Wilderand Best Actor forJack Lemmon. Of those, it won just one for Best Costume Design (Black & White).Marilyn Monroedidn’t get a nomination, and in fact never received an Oscar nomination throughout her entire career.
Singin' in the Rain(1952)
You’d think the singing, tap-dancing combination ofGene Kelly,Donald O’Connor, andDebbie Reynoldscould win anyone over, but the Academy was apparently unmoved and honoredThe Greatest Show on Earthinstead. Today,Singin' in the Rainremains one of the bets loved musicals of all time, whileThe Greatest Show on Earthis mostly remembered for undeservedly beating out movies likeSingin' in the Rain. It’s also worth noting that theSingin' in the Rainsnub goes against today’s conventional wisdom that Hollywood loves to nominate movies about itself.
What was nominated instead?The Greatest Show on Earth(winner)High NoonIvanhoeMoulin RougeThe Quiet ManWhat wasSingin' in the Rainnominated for instead?
Best Supporting Actress (Jean Hagen) and Best Score (Lennie Hayton). It lost both.
Almost Famous(2000)
It’s not so surprising thatCameron Crowe’s first two films, the teen romcomSay Anything…and the young adult romcomSinglesfailed to get the Academy’s attention. But he finally got on their radar with Best Picture nomineeJerry Maguire, so it’s a shame the Academy went back to underappreciating him whenAlmost Famousrolled around. Funny, tender, and almost painfully heartfelt, it might be Crowe’s best film.
What was nominated instead?Gladiator(winner)ChocolatCrouching Tiger, Hidden DragonErin BrockovichTrafficWhat wasAlmost Famousnominated for instead?
It got four nominations in all. Crowe won for Best Original Screenplay, and bothKate HudsonandFrances McDormandlost out in the Best Supporting Actress category.
Back to the Future(1985)
As a sci-fianda comedy movie — two genres historically maligned by the Academy –Back to the Futurenever stood a chance. Which is a shame, because it’s endured in a way that few other films have. It’s the rare childhood favorite that feels just as sharp and entertaining when revisited in adulthood, thanks to a charismatic performance by a young Michael J. Fox and a screenplay so strong, it’s taught in screenwriting classes.
What was nominated instead?Out of Africa(winner)The Color PurpleKiss of the Spider WomanPrizzi’s HonorWitnessWhat wasBack to the Futurenominated for instead?
It won Best Sound Effects Editing, and was additionally nominated for Best Original Song (“Power of Love”), Best Sound, and Best Original Screenplay.
Psycho(1960)
Another brilliant film to fall victim to the Academy’s indifference to the horror genre. (Come to think of it, it seems like the only genre theydoreliably like is historical drama.)Psychoset the standard for unbearable suspense, and as many, many mediocre slashers have proved since then, replicating its formula is much harder than it looks.
What was nominated instead?The Apartment(winner)Elmer GantrySons and LoversThe AlamoThe SundownersWhat wasPsychonominated for instead?
It was nominated for, and lost, four awards including Best Actress (Janet Leigh) and Best Director (Alfred Hitchcock). Hitchcock never did win an Oscar, unless you count the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award in 1968.
Do the Right Thing(1989)
It’s bad enough that Spike Lee’sDo the Right Thingfailed to secure a Best Picture nomination. That it failed to secure a Best Picture nomination in a year in whichDriving Miss Daisytook home the Best Picture statue gives this oversight an extra sting. The Academy was apparently eager to celebrate a drama about race… so long as it was from the comfortable perspective of a white person. Arguably, this year’sSelmasnub suggests things still haven’t changed.
What was nominated instead?Driving Miss Daisy(winner)Born on the Fourth of JulyDead Poets SocietyField of DreamsMy Left FootWhat did wasDo the Right Thingnominated for instead?
Best Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello) and Best Original Screenplay (Spike Lee). They lost to Denzel Washington for Glory and Tom Schulman for Dead Poets Society, respectively.
Blade Runner(1982)
The Academy’s bias against sci-fi is well documented. Just eight sci-fi movies have ever been nominated for Best Picture, and not a single one of them has won. EvenBlade Runner, one of the most influential films in this or any genre, couldn’t get any love. In fairness, though, it’s not likeBlade Runnerwas universally loved at the time. And sci-fi did get a shout-out that year withE.T.snagging a nomination. In any case, like so many other films on this list, it’s such an acclaimed classic now that its unconscionable Oscar snub has been relegated to a footnote.
What was nominated instead?Gandhi(winner)E.T.: The Extra-TerrestrialMissingTootsieThe VerdictWhat wasBlade Runnernominated for instead?
Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction-Set Direction, neither of which it won.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind(2004)
In our perfect world,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindis exactly the kind of film that’d get feted come Oscar season. It’s a genuinely innovative spin on the timeless “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back” tale. In this world,Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindproved a bit too weird for the Academy. Like so many other works too edgy for Best Picture, it got recognized in the Best Original Screenplay category instead.
What was nominated instead?Million Dollar Baby(winner)The AviatorFinding NeverlandRaySidewaysWhat wasEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindnominated for instead?
Charlie Kaufman won Best Original Screenplay, while Kate Winslet lost Best Actress to Hilary Swank.
Seven Samurai(1954)
Whatever difficulties American films have getting their due recognition, non-American films have it much worse. Just nine foreign-language films have been nominated for Best Picture, andAkira Kurosawa’sSeven Samuraiisn’t one of them. In fairness, the films that did make the cut that year aren’t bad — but none of them quite compare toSeven Samurai, widely considered one of the most perfect films ever made.
What was nominated instead?Around the World in 80 Days(winner)Friendly PersuasionGiantThe King and IThe Ten CommandmentsWhat wasThe Seven Samurainominated for instead?
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration (Black-and-White) and Best Costume Design (Black-and-White).
And now it’s your turn: What are some of your favorite movies never nominated for Best Picture? If we missed yours in this go-round, keep in mind that we’ve skipped (for now) the list of great films that were never Oscar-nominated at all; they’ll get their own separate list in the future.
