20 Must-See Best Picture Oscar-Winning Movies

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Awards, better known as Oscars, have been held year after year since 1929, (almost) without interruption. Next, we present 20 of the films that have won the statuette for best film and that we consider essential. Of course, there are many, many more.

20 great works that won the Oscar for best picture

Did you know wings (Wings) is the only silent film to receive the award? Or that the 11 Ben-Hur statuettes were only matched by titanic, almost forty years later?

Let's see 20 films that swept the Oscars, which won the best picture award and are milestones in the history of cinema.

1. Wings, 1927

The peculiarity of this film is that it deals with the only silent film to win the Oscar for best picture. And not because silent cinema is not good, but because the awards were established in 1929, when talkies had already made an appearance. wings is a war drama set in World War I and is especially famous for its superb visual and technical effects.

• Related article: "What are the 7 Fine Arts?"

2. Gone with the wind, 1939

An undisputed jewel of cinema, this epic film broke all records at its premiere and, of course, during the 1940 Oscars: no less than 8 statuettes, including which were counted, in addition to best film, best actress (an extraordinary Vivien Leigh in the best role of her career), best director (Victor Fleming) and best screenplay adapted. One of the most important milestones of this film is that, for the first time in history, the work of an African-American actress was rewarded (a wonderful Hattie McDaniel in the role of Mammy).

3. Casablanca (1942)

Casablanca faced a tough competitor in the 1944 edition: For whom the Bell Tolls (For Whom the Bell tolls), from director Sam Wood. Finally, the first one was chosen, and also got the Oscar for best director and best adapted screenplay.

The film is a war drama that stars a cynical and at the same time charming Humphrey Bogart and a then almost unknown Ingrid Bergman. Interestingly, that year Bergman was nominated for best actress, but not for White House, but by the already mentioned For whom the Bell Tolls, in which she played María, a young Republican from the Spanish Civil War.

4. Eva naked (All about Eve), 1950

Bette Davis is undoubtedly one of the best actresses that cinema has produced, and in this film she reaches her zenith. The plot revolves around an aspiring actress who doesn't hesitate to crush whoever gets in her way to achieve her goals. It is a scathing criticism of the opportunism of the scenarios, which also won the best director awards (Joseph L. Mankiewicz) and Best Supporting Actor (George Sanders). Interestingly, Davis's splendid work was not awarded.

• You may be interested in: "Is there an art objectively better than another?"

5. From here to eternity (From here to eternity), 1953

Drama set during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, which gave Frank Sinatra the only Oscar of his career. The film won 7 more Oscars, including Best Director (Fred Zinemann), Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Famous is the scene in which Deborah Kerr and Burt Lancaster (both nominated for best actress and actor) passionately kiss on the beach, a true scandal for the time.

6. Ben Hur, 1959

Until the arrival of Titanic, the Ben Hur of 1959 was the most awarded film in the history of the Oscars. 11 statuettes won this epic by William Wyler, based on the novel of the same name that Colonel William Wallace had written at the end of the 19th century. The unprecedented success of Ben Hur (in part, no doubt, because of the chemistry between the lead actors, Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd) literally saved Metro from bankruptcy. The memorable scene of the chariot race has a privileged place in the history of cinema; it is practically impossible to find someone who has not seen it.

7. The apartment, 1960

Billy Wilder is the king of classic Hollywood comedies. At the 1961 ceremony he received the Oscar for best director with his excellent comedy Apartment, which has, in addition to an agile and well-crafted script, a tandem of wonderful actors: Jack Lemmon and Shirley McLaine, nominated for their work on the film. It is undoubtedly one of the best comedies in cinema.

8. West Side Story, (1961)

This version of Romeo and Juliet Transferred to New York's West Side, it is among the most represented and valued musicals in history, and is among the most outstanding Oscar-winning works for best film. At the 1962 ceremony, he took no less than 10 statuettes, almost equaling Ben Hur. Among the awards are best film, best supporting actress (Rita Moreno) and best supporting actor (George Chakiris).

9. The Godfather I (The Godfather: Part I), 1972

The famous saga of the Corleone family, based on the homonymous novels by Mario Puzo, was one of the winners of the 1973 ceremony. The other, his great rival, was the musical Cabaret, by Bob Fosse, winner of 8 Oscars. The Godfather It only took 3, but among them was Best Picture, Best Actor (Marlon Brando) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

10. The hit (The Sting), 1973

Two screen monsters, Paul Newman and Robert Redford, come together in this film set in Chicago in the 1930s. The actors play a couple of con men who decide to avenge the death of a third party, murdered by a gangster. The film was made with 7 Oscars; Redford was nominated for best actor, but the award went to Jack Lemmon that year for Save the Tiger. As a candidate for best film was The exorcist (The exorcist), which did take the Oscar for best adapted screenplay.

• Related article: "20 films about Psychology and mental disorders"

11. Amadeus, (1984)

The story of the fictional feud between composers Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Antonio Salieri, masterfully brought to the big screen by Milos Forman. The film won no less than 8 statuettes, including best costume design and best makeup for its exquisite setting in 18th-century Vienna. As a curious fact, to say that both F. Murray Abraham, who plays Salieri, and Tom Hulce, who plays Mozart, were nominated for best actor. Ultimately, the prize went to Abraham.

12. Gandhi, (1982)

An excellent Gandhi biopic, played by a no less excellent Ben Kingsley, who won the Best Actor Oscar for his work in the film. In addition, the film won 7 more statuettes, including those for best director (Richard Attenborough), best original screenplay and best soundtrack.

13. The silence of the lambs, 1991

Jodie Foster rose to fame for her role in this film, where she plays an expert in psychopathy trying to unravel a series of mysterious murders. To do this, he has the help of Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a psychoanalyst who remains in prison for murder and who exhibits psychopathic behavior. Lecter's privileged mind will help her solve the cases. Foster and Hopkins took home the best actress and best actor awards.

14. Schindler's List (Schindler's List), 1993

One of Steven Spielberg's masterpieces, who won a best director Oscar for this film about Oskar Schindler, the German businessman who saved thousands of Jews from the Holocaust. Liam Neeson, who played Schindler, and his co-star Ralph Fiennes (as the chilling Amon Goeth), They were nominated respectively for best leading and supporting actor for their excellent work, but in the end they did not win the award. statuette.

15. titanic, (1997)

Almost forty years after Ben Hur swept the Oscars taking 11 awards, titanic equaled the record at the 1998 ceremony. The film, which tells a love story set in the shipwreck of the famous ocean liner, is a true myth in the history of cinema. Among the awards he won are Best Director (James Cameron), Best Costume Design and Best Original Song, the unforgettable My heart will go on, played by Celine Dion.

16. The Lord of the rings. The return of the king (The Lord of the Rings. The Return of the King), 2003

The third installment of the saga became the first fantasy film to win the best picture award. The film, which with its 11 Academy Awards equaled Ben Hur and Titanic, is based on Tolkien's book of the same name and closes the story that began in 2001 with The Lord of the rings. The Fellowship of the Ring.

17. million dollar Baby, 2004

Clint Eastwood was lauded by critics for his million dollar Baby, with which, in addition to the statuette for best director, he also got the best actor. With him acts a young Hilary Swank, who plays the leading boxer and who also received the Oscar for best actress. The film is a painful portrayal of euthanasia.

18. I want to be a millionaire (Slumdog millionaire), 2008

The story of the Indian boy from a suburb of Bombay, who invariably wins all the questions in a famous television quiz, conquered millions of viewers. The film was awarded 8 Oscars, including Best Director (Danny Boyle) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

19. 12 years of slavery (12 years a slave), 2013

A tough drama set in the United States when the Civil War is about to break out. An African American free man, living in the northern states, is taken prisoner and turned into a slave. The story is based on true events and masterfully portrays the situation of slaves in the southern United States. Lupita Nyong'o, who plays a slave girl and by then almost unknown, won the Oscar for best supporting actress.

20. Green Book, 2018

Set in racist America in the 1960s, Green Book he was one of the highly praised of the year. Viggo Mortensen plays the driver of an African-American pianist; during their coexistence, both will learn to confront your own prejudices. Mahershala Ali, who plays the musician, won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his work in the film.