Well, we are now entering the final decade of our Oscar Revisionism series. Only six more years left, though, the last two may be more time-intensive, as far as these preparations go. We shall see. But, the light is coming from the end of the tunnel! So, proceeding, in 1949, All the King's Men took the Best Picture mantel. The political drama beat two war dramas (Battleground, Twelve O'Clock High), and two romantic dramas (The Heiress, A Letter to Three Wives). Every film nominated that year took home at least two awards, with The Heiress hauling in the most (four), and Joseph L. Mankiewicz winning for directing A Letter to Three Wives. Quite the year that wealth was spread. But, what if the Best Picture field had been expanded to ten nominees, which films would have benefited?
Come to the Stable
Two French nuns set out to build a children's hospital in New England. The drama received a variety of nominations including three for acting. Henry Koster (The Robe, Harvey) directed. GG, WGA (Comedy). [IMDb: 7.0]
Two French nuns set out to build a children's hospital in New England. The drama received a variety of nominations including three for acting. Henry Koster (The Robe, Harvey) directed. GG, WGA (Comedy). [IMDb: 7.0]
Champion
Kirk Douglas plays a loathsome boxer whose private life stands in contrast to the public adulation he wins from his experiences in the ring in this film noir. One of Mark Robson's first movies from a script that got Carl Foreman his first Oscar nod. The film was showered with nominations, including one for Douglas, and winning for Film Editing. WGA (Drama). Box Office: $2.5M. [IMDb: 7.4; RT: 92%]
Kirk Douglas plays a loathsome boxer whose private life stands in contrast to the public adulation he wins from his experiences in the ring in this film noir. One of Mark Robson's first movies from a script that got Carl Foreman his first Oscar nod. The film was showered with nominations, including one for Douglas, and winning for Film Editing. WGA (Drama). Box Office: $2.5M. [IMDb: 7.4; RT: 92%]
The Fallen Idol
English film director Carol Reed was on his way up Hollywood's ladder when he came out with this mystery thriller about a butler who becomes the prime suspect in his wife's death. Screenwriter Graham Greene would collaborate again with Reed the next year on The Third Man. Both of them were nominated for their work. NBR. [IMDb: 7.9; RT: 100%]
Sands of Iwo Jima
John Wayne plays a marine sergeant who must prepare his soldiers for war. The script came from Harry Brown (A Place in the Sun) and James Edward Grant (The Sheepman). Nominated for four Oscars, including lead actor and film editing. Box Office: $3.9M. [IMDb: 7.1; RT: 100%]
John Wayne plays a marine sergeant who must prepare his soldiers for war. The script came from Harry Brown (A Place in the Sun) and James Edward Grant (The Sheepman). Nominated for four Oscars, including lead actor and film editing. Box Office: $3.9M. [IMDb: 7.1; RT: 100%]
PinkyAfter passing herself off as white, a light-skinned black woman returns to her home in the South after going through nursing school only to be treated altogether differently. Elia Kazan directed a screenplay from Dudley Nichols and Philip Dunne and got three of his actresses nominations. WGA (Misc). Box Office: $3.6M. [IMDb: 7.0]
The Bicycle Thief
A father and his son hunt down a stolen bicycle the boy uses for his job in this Vittorio De Sica film. NBR winner. Nominated for screenplay, it got special recognition for best foreign film. [IMDb: 8.4; RT: 98%]
A father and his son hunt down a stolen bicycle the boy uses for his job in this Vittorio De Sica film. NBR winner. Nominated for screenplay, it got special recognition for best foreign film. [IMDb: 8.4; RT: 98%]
Jolson Sings Again
Biographical sequel dealing with Al Jolson. Nominated for three Oscars. WGA (Musical). Box Office: $5M. [IMDb: 6.7]
The Stratton Story
Jimmy Stewart plays baseball player Monty Stratton who makes a comeback after losing a limb in a hunting accident. Won Best Story. [IMDb: 7.0]
The Hasty Heart
War drama from a screenplay by Ranald MacDougall (Mildred Pierce) got Richard Todd a best actor nomination. WGA (Drama). [IMDb: 7.2]
Little Women
Louisa My Alcott's famous memoir recalling her childhood spent with her sisters during the 1860s. Mervyn LeRoy (Random Harvest, The Bad Seed) directed. Winner of color Art Direction and nominated for one other category. Box Office: $3.5M. [IMDb: 7.1]
Biographical sequel dealing with Al Jolson. Nominated for three Oscars. WGA (Musical). Box Office: $5M. [IMDb: 6.7]
The Stratton Story
Jimmy Stewart plays baseball player Monty Stratton who makes a comeback after losing a limb in a hunting accident. Won Best Story. [IMDb: 7.0]
The Hasty Heart
War drama from a screenplay by Ranald MacDougall (Mildred Pierce) got Richard Todd a best actor nomination. WGA (Drama). [IMDb: 7.2]
Little Women
Louisa My Alcott's famous memoir recalling her childhood spent with her sisters during the 1860s. Mervyn LeRoy (Random Harvest, The Bad Seed) directed. Winner of color Art Direction and nominated for one other category. Box Office: $3.5M. [IMDb: 7.1]
Adventures of Don Juan
The dashing Errol Flynn plays the womanizer who, in this adventure, becomes a protector of Queen Margaret. The screenwriters had both been recognized by the AMPAS in the past for The War Against Mrs. Hadley and What Next, Corporal Hargrove? It got nominated for two technical awards, wining for color costume design. Box Office: $5M. [IMDb: 6.8]
My Foolish HeartA reunion between old friends instigates feelings of regret and forlorn love. Critically panned, it was directed by Mark Robson from a J.D. Salinger short story adapted by the Epstein brothers (Casablanca), but still got two nominations including Best Actress. [IMDb: 6.8]
The Window
Film noir about a boy who cries wolf who witnesses a murder got a nod for film editing. WGA (Drama). Box Office: $0.2M. [IMDb: 7.4]
Prince of Foxes
Italian Renaissance adventure directed by Henry King. Nominated for two awards, it won for black and white costume design. Box Office: $2.6M. [IMDb: 6.9]
Italian Renaissance adventure directed by Henry King. Nominated for two awards, it won for black and white costume design. Box Office: $2.6M. [IMDb: 6.9]
White HeatEnduring film noir with James Cagney as a gang leader. Nominated for Best Story. [IMDb: 8.2; RT: 100%]
On the Town
Musical score winner with Gene Kelly and Fred Sinatra about three sailors with twenty-four hours to spend in New York City directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen. WGA (Musical) winner. Box Office: $2.9M. [IMDb: 7.5]
0 comments:
Post a Comment