Oscar Revisionism: 1964

The 1964 race for Best Picture was filled with heavy hitters.  (Check out 1965 if you haven't already).  The five films had such commercial and/or critical success, you'd think there would be spillover that could easily round out a Field of Ten.  You'd think.  Strangely, this year was so difficult to figure out, "the front-runner" for additions is Hush ... Hush, Sweet Charlotte, the infamous Bette Davis/Olivia de Havilland horror-thriller which collected an impressive seven nominations.  The genre isn't the type the AMPAS are usually kind to, yet the year was filled with similar movies.  From there, it gets even more difficult.  One thing for sure, though, 1964 wasn't lacking in musicals, mysteries, Peter Sellers, lady's men, or films related to the Cuban Missile Crisis.  What say you?

The Winner

My Fair Lady

The pygmalion storyline starring Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn.

Total Wins/Nominations: 8 wins (Picture, Director, Actor, Sound, Adapted Score, Color Cinematography, AD, Costumes), 4 nominations (Supporting Actress, Supporting Actor, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing)

Other Awards/Nominations: DGA winner, NBR, NYFCC winner, BAFTA winner, Golden Globe (Comedy) winner, WGA

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: 21. October

Domestic Box Office:

Budget: $17M (IMDb)

Current RT: 94%

Current IMDb: 7.9

The Nominees

Mary Poppins

Julie Andrews is the nanny who helps make the medicine go down with a spoonful of sugar.

Total Wins/Nominations: 5 wins (Actress, Film Editing, Score, Song, Visual Effects), 8 nominations (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Adapted Score, Sound, Color Cinematography, AD, Costumes)

Other Awards/Nominations: DGA, Golden Globe (Comedy), WGA winner

Distributor: Buena Vista Distribution Company

Release Date: 27. August

Domestic Box Office: $102M (IMDb)

Budget: $6M (IMDb)

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.7

Zorba the Greek

An Englishman and a Greek develop a friendship.

Total Wins/Nominations: 3 wins (Supporting Actress, B&W Cinematography, AD), 4 nominations (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Actor)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR, BAFTA, Golden Globe (Drama)

Distributor: International Classics

Release Date: 17. December

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $0.8M (IMDb)

Current RT: 86%

Current IMDb: 7.7

Dr. Strangelove

Legendary nuclear dark comedy.  

Total Wins/Nominations: 4 nominations (Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Actor)

Other Awards/Nominations: DGA, BAFTA winner, WGA winner

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Release Date: 29. January

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $1.8M (IMDb)

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 8.6

Becket

King Henry II makes a fictional account of his friendship with Thomas Becket.

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 win (Adapted Screenplay), 11 nominations (Picture, Director, Actor, Actor, Supporting Actor, Film Editing, Sound, Score, Color Cinematography, AD, Costumes)

Other Awards/Nominations: DGA, Golden Globe (Drama) winner, NBR winner, Laurel Awards (Drama) 4^th Place, BAFTA, WGA winner

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: 11. March

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $3M (IMDb)

Current RT: 75%

Current IMDb: 8.0

The Rest ...

Hush … Hush, Sweet Charlotte

Trashy thriller starring Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland that the AMPAS obviously fell for.

Total Wins/Nominations: 7 nominations (Supporting Actress, Film Editing, Score, Song, B&W Cinematography, AD, Costumes)

Other Awards/Nominations: N/A

Distributor: TCFFC

Release Date: 15. December

Domestic Box Office: $7M (IMDb)

Budget: $2.2M (IMDb)

Current RT: 84%

Current IMDb: 7.5

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Fictionalized musical about the famous Titanic survivor starring Debbie Reynolds.  While the 1960s were the golden age of the Hollywood musical, would there have been room for three in a Field of Ten?

Total Wins/Nominations: 6 nominations (Actress, Adapted Score, Sound, Color Cinematography, AD, Costumes)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Musical) winner, Golden Globe (Comedy), WGA

Distributor: MGM

Release Date: 11. June

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 71%

Current IMDb: 6.5

Father Goose

Cary Grant World War II rom-com.  With three musicals in the mix, would there really be room for a comedy?  

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 win (Original Screenplay), 2 nominations (Film Editing, Sound)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Comedy) winner, Golden Globe (Comedy), WGA

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Release Date: 10. December

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 75%

Current IMDb: 7.2

Seven Days in May

Anti-communist conspiracy dramatic thriller.

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (Supporting Actor, B&W AD)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Drama) 5^thPlace, WGA

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: 12. February

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $2.2M (IMDb)

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.9

The Night of the Iguana 

Drama concerning a disgraced cleric (Richard Burton) taking a group of Baptist women on a Mexican tour. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 win (B&W Costumes), 3 nominations (Actress, B&W Cinematography, AD)

Other Awards/Nominations: DGA, Laurel Awards (Drama), Golden Globe (Drama)

Distributor: MGM

Release Date: 6. August

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $3M (IMDb)

Current RT: 71%

Current IMDb: 7.6

Matrimonio all’Italiana (Marriage Italian-Style)

Vittorio De Sica rom-com starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (Foreign Language Film, Actress)

Other Awards/Nominations: N/A

Distributor: Embassy Pictures Corporation

Release Date: 20. December

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.3

Fail-Safe 

Henry Fonda plays the U.S. president in this war-thriller involving a series of mistakes that could lead to a world war with Russia reminiscent of the Cuban Missile Crisis. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Drama) 5^thPlace

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Release Date: 15. September

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 92%

Current IMDb: 8.0

One Potato, Two Potato

Interracial marriage drama. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Original Screenplay)

Other Awards/Nominations: Cannes, WGA

Distributor: Cinema V

Release Date: 29. July

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.3

The Hill

Prison war drama set in Africa starring Sean Connery.

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: BAFTA, Cannes

Distributor: MGM

Release Date: 3. October 1965

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.9

I Compagni (The Organizer)

Italian film details the plight of a striking working class. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Original Screenplay)

Other Awards/Nominations: N/A

Distributor: Continental Distributing

Release Date: 6. May

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 8.0

A Hard Day’s Night 

Comedy featuring The Beatles at the height of their fame.

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (Original Screenplay, Adapted Score)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Musical) 3^rd Place

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 11. August

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $0.6M (IMDb)

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.6

The Best Man

Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson play two men vying for the highest office in this comedy drama. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Supporting Actor)

Other Awards/Nominations: WGA

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 5. April

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.7

The Americanization of Emily

Julie Andrews plays opposite James Garner as a free-wheeling naval officer. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (B&W Cinematography, AD)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Drama) 2^nd Place

Distributor: MGM

Release Date: 27. October

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.2

L’Homme de Rio (That Man from Rio)

French spy film.

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Original Screenplay)

Other Awards/Nominations: N/A

Distributor: Lopert Pictures Corporation

Release Date: 8. June

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.2

The Knack…and How to Get It

London sex comedy.

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: BAFTA, Cannes winner

Distributor: Lopert Pictures Corporation

Release Date: 29. June 1965

Domestic Box Office: $8M worldwide (IMDb)

Budget: $0.4M (IMDb)

Current RT: 78%

Current IMDb: 6.8

Hamlet

The Russian Prince of Demark. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: BAFTA, Venice

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 15. March 1966

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT:

Current IMDb: 8.3

Séance on a Wet Afternoon

A medium plots to have a child kidnapped, so she can legitimize her limited psychic powers. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Actress)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR

Distributor: Artixo Productions

Release Date: 5. November

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 80%

Current IMDb: 8.0

The Chalk Garden

Mystery concerning a mother, her unmanageable daughter, and a governess. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Supporting Actress)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR, Golden Globe (Drama)

Distributor: Universal Pictures

Release Date: 21. May

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.4

Topkapi

International heist thriller.

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 win (Supporting Actor)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR, Laurel Awards (Action-Drama) 4^thPlace, WGA

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 17. September

Domestic Box Office:

Budget:

Current RT: 88%

Current IMDb: 7.0

The Pumpkin Eater

Marital drama involving Anne Bancroft playing a women with a penchant for pregnancies married to a philanderer played by Peter Finch. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Actress)

Other Awards/Nominations: BAFTA, Cannes

Distributor: Royal Films International

Release Date: 9. November

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.2

The Girl with Green Eyes

May-December romance set in Dublin. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR, Venice

Distributor: Lopert Pictures Corporation

Release Date: 10. August

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 6.8

The Carpetbaggers

George Peppard plays a hardened tycoon in this drama.

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Drama) winner

Distributor: Paramount Pictures

Release Date: 9. April

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $3M (IMDb)

Current RT: 50%

Current IMDb: 6.3

The Pink Panther

Blake Edwards’ mystery comedy follows the exploits of Peter Sellers Inspector Clouseau. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Score)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Comedy) 2^ndPlace, WGA

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 18. March

Domestic Box Office: $10.9M (IMDb)

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 90%

Current IMDb: 7.2

A Shot in the Dark

The follow-up to hugely successful The Pink Panther. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 0

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Comedy) 3^rdPlace

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 23. June

Domestic Box Office: $12.4M (IMDb)

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 100%

Current IMDb: 7.5

The World of Henry Orient

Peter Sellers stars in this romantic comedy of errors. 

Total Wins/Nominations:

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR, Cannes, Golden Globe (Comedy), WGA

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 19. March

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 88%

Current IMDb: 6.8

Dear Heart

Geraldine plays a spinster visiting New York City and crosses paths with a womanizer. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Song)

Other Awards/Nominations: Golden Globe (Drama)

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: 2. December

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.0

The Finest Hours

Winston Churchill documentary.

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Documentary)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR

Distributor: Columbia Pictures

Release Date: 10. November

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 8.2

Four Days in November

Cuban missile crisis documentary. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 1 nomination (Documentary)

Other Awards/Nominations: NBR

Distributor: United Artists

Release Date: 7. October

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: N/A

Current IMDb: 7.7

Robin and the 7 Hoods

Prohibition-era musical starring members of the Rat Pack. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (Song, Adapted Score)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Musical) 5^thPlace, WGA

Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Release Date: 24. June

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: N/A

Current RT: 44%

Current IMDb: 6.3

What a Way to Go!

Black musical-comedy starring Shirley MacLaine as a woman obsessed with marriage and money. 

Total Wins/Nominations: 2 nominations (Color AD, Costumes)

Other Awards/Nominations: Laurel Awards (Comedy) 4^thPlace

Distributor: TCFFC

Release Date: 12. May

Domestic Box Office: N/A

Budget: $20M (IMDb)

Current RT: 0%

Current IMDb: 6.7