More often than not, when a movie wins Best Picture at the Oscars – arguably the most prestigious award that a film could possibly aspire to – that prize is bound to be accompanied by one or a few nods in the acting categories. This isn’t always the case, though. On 12 noteworthy occasions, the Best Picture winner’s cast received no love from the Academy.
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Sometimes, this is no big deal, as movies likeWingsdon’t have particularly memorable performances. But in the case of films likeParasite, fans still feel that the Academy’s acting voters may have dropped the ball.
1’Wings' (1927)
Wings, a silent romantic drama about two young World War I combat pilots who fall in love with the same woman, immediately made history when it became the Best Picture winner of the first-ever Academy Awards.
Despite not being as highly regarded as many films of its era,Wingsis still considered to be a fine war film with stunning technical qualities, from breathtaking photography to atmospheric directing. However, it was only nominated for two Oscars (winning both), and neither of them fell under an acting category.
2’All Quiet on the Western Front' (1930)
The originalAll Quiet on the Western Front, undoubtedly the most violent and harrowing American film of its time, follows a group of German recruits during WWI and how their idealism slowly becomes hopelessness.
Nearly a century later, the movie is still remembered as one of the most impactful andintellectually provocative anti-war moviesto ever come out of Hollywood. Though its cast did a phenomenal job, no actor managed to snatch an acting nomination. This year, the German remake of the film is also nominated for Best Picture with no acting nods.
3’Grand Hotel' (1932)
You’d be forgiven for never having heard aboutGrand Hotel. Despite being well-liked by those who’ve seen it, this romantic drama about a group of people in a Berlin hotel has mostly faded into obscurity by Best Picture winner standards.
It’s definitely a film worth remembering, though. Firstly, because it’s a perfectly paced and wonderfully edited story with amazing performances that definitely deserved an Oscar nomination. Secondly, because to this day, it remains the only movie in history to win Best Picture with no other nomination in any category.
4’An American in Paris' (1951)
It’s very hard to go wrong with musicals starring the legendaryGene Kelly. FromSingin' in the Rainto the Best Picture winnerAn American in Paris, they’re bound to make you have a good time even if you’re not a fan of the genre.
The movie won a staggering six of the eight Oscars it was nominated for. However, none of these eight were for Kelly’s humorous performance, though he did receive an honorary award for his trajectory that year.
5’The Greatest Show on Earth' (1952)
The Greatest Show on Earthis a family drama about the eventful lives of the people of a circus. If you hadn’t heard about it before, that’s because it has aged rather poorly, becoming amongthe lowest-rated Oscar winnerson most platforms, and is considered one of the worst Best Picture winners of all time.
The movie isn’t without redeeming qualities. It’s entertaining and visually impressive, and it has decent performances. However, it turns out to be mostly pretty forgettable due to an excruciatingly overlong runtime and an uninteresting narrative.
6’Around the World in 80 Days' (1956)
Around the World in 80 Daysmay have won five Oscars and been nominated for three more, but don’t be fooled: It’s widely regarded as one of the least deserving winners of the Academy’s highest honor.
To be fair, it’s not totally awful. Fans ofJules Vernewill definitely find it to be an outrageous adaptation of the source material, but general audiences will probably enjoy its humor and idiosyncratic identity, despite its messy story, excessive runtime and forgettable performances that weren’t nominated for anything (probably for the best).
7’Gigi' (1958)
At the time of its release, the comedy musicalGigiwas a major hit with audiences, critics and the Academy. It was nominated for a commendable nine Oscars, and it won all nine. As the years have passed, though, it hasn’t aged very well.
There are still many who love the movie for its catchy music and charming cast. However, the other side of the argument rests on the film’s overly flat and simplistic story, controversial story beats and creative decisions, and ineffective humor.
8’The Last Emperor' (1987)
For decades afterGigi, all Best Picture winners got recognition in the acting categories too.Bernardo Bertolucci’sThe Last Emperorbroke tradition by winning all 9 Oscars it was nominated for, none of which celebrated the cast.
Bertolucci’s film is a monumental achievement, one that definitely deserves more recognition than it gets from general audiences nowadays. Although none of the movie’s actors received an Academy Award nomination, they all do a terrific job at elevating the character-driven story.
9’Braveheart' (1995)
Nowadays,Mel Gibsonis probably as famous forhis acting work as he is for his directing efforts. The fact that the historical epicBraveheartis arguably his most famous movie in both departments says a lot about it.
No cast member from the film got a nomination, though the acting isn’t exactly whereBraveheart’s biggest strengths lie. Rather, it’s all about how passionately told and well-paced its story is, how effective and brutal the gory action is, and how excellent Gibson’s work behind the camera comes across as.
10’The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' (2003)
Despite receiving no acting nominations, the epic conclusion toPeter Jackson’sLord of the Ringstrilogy,The Return of the King, is tied withBen-HurandTitanicfor the most Oscar wins for a single movie with 11. Each one of them was deserved – and no one would have complained about a nod or two for the dedicated cast.
There is little to be said about this monumental fantasy spectacle that hasn’t been said before. With jaw-dropping set pieces and an enrapturing narrative, its Best Picture win became one of themost impactful in the history of the Oscars.
