Thanks to Turner Classic Movies, I've now seen all best picture winners. They recently showed the only two I hadn't seen, Calvacade and Broadway Melody. Both were just average, and wouldn't have won in better years. (the ratings are just for ranking these films relative to each other) * = Director also won Oscar
Best Picture Winners – Ranked
1. Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean*, 1962) 100 [photos above] Adventure, history, war, biography; no other picture has transported me out of my world and into the film as did this one when first released. Winner of 7 Oscars
2. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler*, 1946) 99 - Perhaps the finest anti-war film ever made, Wyler's best, winner of 7 Oscarsand Hollywood's finest hours; it's amazing that this film came out just after our 'victory' in WW2. Wyler had 13 films nominated for best picture, a record likely to remain unbroken.
3. All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz*, 1950) 98 - a superb cast of actors led by Bette Davis and Anne Baxter made this the best film about the entertainment industry ever made
4. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola*, 1974) 96
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson*, 2003) 94
6. My Fair Lady (George Cukor*, 1964) 93
7. Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood*, 2004) 92
8. Annie Hall (Woody Allen*, 1977) 90
9. Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme*, 1991) 89
10. Gandhi (Richard Attenborough*, 1982) 88
11. Shakespeare in Love (John Madden, 1998) 87
12. The Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean*, 1957) 86
13. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman*, 1975) 85
14. On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan*, 1954) 84
15. Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger*, 1969) 83
16. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz*, 1943) 82
17. Dances with Wolves (Kevin Costner*, 1990) 81
18. Platoon (Oliver Stone*, 1986) 80
19. Chicago (Rob Marshall, 2002) 79
20. No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen*, 2007) 78
21. Patton (Franklin J. Schaffner*, 1970) 77
22. Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg*, 1993) 76
23. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972) 75
24. Amadeus (Milos Forman*, 1984) 74
25. The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino*, 1978) 73
26. The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow*, 2009) 72
27. The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci*, 1987) 71
28. Mrs. Miniver (William Wyler*, 1942) 70
29. The Departed (Martin Scorcese*, 2006) 69
30. Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle*, 2008) 68
31. A Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard*, 2001) 67
32. An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) 66
33. Gone with the Wind (Victor Fleming*, 1939) 65
34. A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann*, 1966) 64
35. Oliver! (Carol Reed*, 1968) 63
36. Out of Africa (Sydney Pollack*, 1985) 62
37. Terms of Endearment (James L. Brooks*, 1983) 61
38. Driving Miss Daisy (Bruce Beresford, 1989) 60
39. American Beauty (Sam Mendes*, 1999) 58
40. All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone*, 1930) 57
41. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood*, 1992) 55
42. Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000) 54
43. You Can't Take It with You (Frank Capra*, 1938) 52
44. In the Heat of the Night (Norman Jewison, 1967) 51
45. Ben-Hur (William Wyler*, 1959) 50
46. The English Patient (Anthony Minghella*, 1996) 49
47. The Apartment (Billy Wilder*, 1960) 48
48. The French Connection* (William Friedkin*, 1971) 46
49. Hamlet (Laurence Olivier, 1948) 44
50. The Life of Emile Zola (William Dieterle, 1937) 42
51. West Side Story (Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise*, 1961) 41
52. All the King's Men (Robert Rossen, 1949) 40
53. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis*, 1994) 39
54. The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder*, 1945) 38
55. From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann*, 1953) 37
56. Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson, 1981) 36
57. Mutiny on the Bounty (Frank Lloyd, 1935) 35
58. Marty (Delbert Mann*, 1955) 34
59. Around the World in Eighty Days (Michael Anderson, 1956) 33
60. Cavalcade (Frank Lloyd*, 1933) 32
61. Wings (William A. Wellman, 1928) 31
62. Gigi (Vincente Minnelli*, 1958) 30
63. Gentleman's Agreement (Elia Kazan*, 1947) 29
64. Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) 28
65. Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock, 1940) 26
66. Ordinary People (Robert Redford*, 1980) 25
67. Rain Man (Barry Levinson*, 1988) 24
68. Titanic (James Cameron*, 1997) 23
69. Cimarron (Wesley Ruggles, 1931) 22
70. How Green Was My Valley (John Ford*, 1941) 21
71. Braveheart (Mel Gibson*, 1995) 20
72. The Sting (George Roy Hill*, 1973) 19
73. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra*, 1934) 18
74. Going My Way (Leo McCarey*, 1944) 16
75. The Sound of Music (Robert Wise*, 1965) 14
76. Tom Jones (Tony Richardson*, 1963) 13
77. The Great Ziegfeld (Robert Z. Leonard, 1936) 12
78. Crash (Paul Haggis, 2005) 10
79. Kramer vs Kramer (Robert Benton*, 1979) 8
80. Rocky (John G. Avildsen*, 1976) 6
81. The Broadway Melody (Harry Beaumont, 1929) 5
82. The Greatest Show on Earth (Cecil B. DeMille, 1952) 2 - DeMille had to have bought this Oscar; this was a terrible film, predictable, uninspiring, and a dumb story to boot; Oscar's biggest bomb as a best anything
Not Yet Seen: The King's Speech (Tom Hooper*, 2010)
Best Picture Winners – Ranked
1. Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean*, 1962) 100 [photos above] Adventure, history, war, biography; no other picture has transported me out of my world and into the film as did this one when first released. Winner of 7 Oscars 2. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler*, 1946) 99 - Perhaps the finest anti-war film ever made, Wyler's best, winner of 7 Oscarsand Hollywood's finest hours; it's amazing that this film came out just after our 'victory' in WW2. Wyler had 13 films nominated for best picture, a record likely to remain unbroken.
3. All About Eve (Joseph L. Mankiewicz*, 1950) 98 - a superb cast of actors led by Bette Davis and Anne Baxter made this the best film about the entertainment industry ever made
4. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola*, 1974) 96
5. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson*, 2003) 94
6. My Fair Lady (George Cukor*, 1964) 93
7. Million Dollar Baby (Clint Eastwood*, 2004) 92
8. Annie Hall (Woody Allen*, 1977) 90
9. Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme*, 1991) 89
10. Gandhi (Richard Attenborough*, 1982) 88
11. Shakespeare in Love (John Madden, 1998) 87
12. The Bridge on the River Kwai (David Lean*, 1957) 86
13. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman*, 1975) 85
14. On the Waterfront (Elia Kazan*, 1954) 84
15. Midnight Cowboy (John Schlesinger*, 1969) 83
16. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz*, 1943) 82
17. Dances with Wolves (Kevin Costner*, 1990) 81
18. Platoon (Oliver Stone*, 1986) 80
19. Chicago (Rob Marshall, 2002) 79
20. No Country for Old Men (Joel and Ethan Coen*, 2007) 78
21. Patton (Franklin J. Schaffner*, 1970) 77
22. Schindler's List (Steven Spielberg*, 1993) 76
23. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972) 75
24. Amadeus (Milos Forman*, 1984) 74
25. The Deer Hunter (Michael Cimino*, 1978) 73
26. The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow*, 2009) 72
27. The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci*, 1987) 71
28. Mrs. Miniver (William Wyler*, 1942) 70
29. The Departed (Martin Scorcese*, 2006) 69
30. Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle*, 2008) 68
31. A Beautiful Mind (Ron Howard*, 2001) 67
32. An American in Paris (Vincente Minnelli, 1951) 66
33. Gone with the Wind (Victor Fleming*, 1939) 65
34. A Man for All Seasons (Fred Zinnemann*, 1966) 64
35. Oliver! (Carol Reed*, 1968) 63
36. Out of Africa (Sydney Pollack*, 1985) 62
37. Terms of Endearment (James L. Brooks*, 1983) 61
38. Driving Miss Daisy (Bruce Beresford, 1989) 60
39. American Beauty (Sam Mendes*, 1999) 58
40. All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone*, 1930) 57
41. Unforgiven (Clint Eastwood*, 1992) 55
42. Gladiator (Ridley Scott, 2000) 54
43. You Can't Take It with You (Frank Capra*, 1938) 52
44. In the Heat of the Night (Norman Jewison, 1967) 51
45. Ben-Hur (William Wyler*, 1959) 50
46. The English Patient (Anthony Minghella*, 1996) 49
47. The Apartment (Billy Wilder*, 1960) 48
48. The French Connection* (William Friedkin*, 1971) 46
49. Hamlet (Laurence Olivier, 1948) 44
50. The Life of Emile Zola (William Dieterle, 1937) 42
51. West Side Story (Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise*, 1961) 41
52. All the King's Men (Robert Rossen, 1949) 40
53. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis*, 1994) 39
54. The Lost Weekend (Billy Wilder*, 1945) 38
55. From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann*, 1953) 37
56. Chariots of Fire (Hugh Hudson, 1981) 36
57. Mutiny on the Bounty (Frank Lloyd, 1935) 35
58. Marty (Delbert Mann*, 1955) 34
59. Around the World in Eighty Days (Michael Anderson, 1956) 33
60. Cavalcade (Frank Lloyd*, 1933) 32
61. Wings (William A. Wellman, 1928) 31
62. Gigi (Vincente Minnelli*, 1958) 30
63. Gentleman's Agreement (Elia Kazan*, 1947) 29
64. Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932) 28
65. Rebecca (Alfred Hitchcock, 1940) 26
66. Ordinary People (Robert Redford*, 1980) 25
67. Rain Man (Barry Levinson*, 1988) 24
68. Titanic (James Cameron*, 1997) 23
69. Cimarron (Wesley Ruggles, 1931) 22
70. How Green Was My Valley (John Ford*, 1941) 21
71. Braveheart (Mel Gibson*, 1995) 20
72. The Sting (George Roy Hill*, 1973) 19
73. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra*, 1934) 18
74. Going My Way (Leo McCarey*, 1944) 16
75. The Sound of Music (Robert Wise*, 1965) 14
76. Tom Jones (Tony Richardson*, 1963) 13
77. The Great Ziegfeld (Robert Z. Leonard, 1936) 12
78. Crash (Paul Haggis, 2005) 10
79. Kramer vs Kramer (Robert Benton*, 1979) 8
80. Rocky (John G. Avildsen*, 1976) 6
81. The Broadway Melody (Harry Beaumont, 1929) 5
82. The Greatest Show on Earth (Cecil B. DeMille, 1952) 2 - DeMille had to have bought this Oscar; this was a terrible film, predictable, uninspiring, and a dumb story to boot; Oscar's biggest bomb as a best anything
Not Yet Seen: The King's Speech (Tom Hooper*, 2010)
