“The Lady From Shanghai” (1948)
Aside from “Citizen Kane” (and even that only won one of its nine nominations) and four nods for the compromised “Magnificent Ambersons,” Orson Welles never had much luck with the Academy, and that started with “The Lady From Shanghai” — the exotic noir picture starring Rita Hayworth is now deemed one of the director’s best, but received mixed reviews at the time, and didn’t come within a sniff of an Oscar at any point.
“Letter From An Unknown Woman” (1948)
Max Ophüls’ melodrama, starring Joan Fontaine and Louis Jourdan (who passed away this past week), and based on a novella by “Grand Budapest Hotel” inspiration Stefan Zweig, remains wildly underrated today (it only hit home video in 2012). So it’s not exactly a shock to learn that it wasn’t appreciated in its own time either: despite being what you’d imagine to be firmly within the wheelhouse of the 1948 Academy, it was totally overlooked in favor of lesser pictures like “Hamlet,” “Johnny Belinda” and “The Snake Pit.”
“Local Hero” (1983)
“The British are coming,” announced “Chariots Of Fire” screenwriter Colin Welland at the 1982 Oscars when his film swept the board. But the reaction proved premature, if “Local Hero” is anything to go by. Bill Forsythe’s delicate Ealing-indebted comedy-drama about an oil executive (Peter Riegert) sent to a tiny Scottish island, which came from ‘Chariots’ producer David Puttnam, had rave reviews and seven BAFTA nominations, but didn’t appear to register on the Oscar radar, with “Amadeus” dominating instead.
“The Long Goodbye” (1973)
Let’s play a little game called “What’s Crazier?” Is it: Legendary Robert Altman was 0 for 5 in directing nominations? Or, Robert Altman wasn’t even nominated for “The Long Goodbye?” It’s a tricky one, because either way, shit’s crazy. The screen incarnation of gumshoe Philip Marlowe, as portrayed by Elliott Gould and guided by Altman’s energetic and organic camera, is easily one of the director’s best efforts, and Academy members completely ignored it. Madness.
“M” (1931)
Fritz Lang was never nominated for an Oscar, which is, in and of itself, an absurd thought (not even an Honorary Oscar? Come on!) Looking through his inestimable filmography, though, if we were forced to pick one that should’ve been a shoe-in for a win (let alone a nomination), it’s easily his most praised and popular, film noir anti-Fascist masterpiece “M.” Oscar was still an infant, which is the only legit excuse we can muster for this gargantuan omission.
“A Matter Of Life And Death” (1946)
Despite their late-in-the-game adoption by Martin Scorsese, among others, Powell & Pressburger had mixed success with awards: Powell never won an Oscar, only “49th Parallel” and “The Red Shoes” were nominated, and many of their best films, including “A Canterbury Tale,” “I Know Where I’m Going!” and “The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp” weren’t nominated for anything. But the most egregious snub is “A Matter Of Life & Death” — the pair’s wondrous, fantastical love letter to U.S./U.K. relations and one of the greatest films ever made.
“Mean Streets” (1973)
Before Martin Scorsese finally received that Oscar (for “The Departed,” in 2007), his never receiving one became a joke of giant proportions (“Three Six Mafia: one. Martin Scorsese: zero” Jon Stewart joked at the ceremony in 2006). Of course, his first nomination came in 1982 for “Raging Bull,” but we’d say it’s the one that made his name synonymous with the decadence of New York City that should’ve been his first, or at least that the movie should have been nominated for something, dammit.
“Miller’s Crossing” (1990)
Post “Fargo” and “No Country For Old Men,” the Coens are a real Oscar force, able to get even a difficult movie like “A Serious Man” a Best Picture nomination. But it took them a little while to crack the Academy’s radar (the Cannes-approved “Barton Fink” picking up their first notable nods), with the most disappointing snub probably being “Miller’s Crossing.” The period gangster tale is one of our absolute favorite Coen pictures, and should have been an easier sell, but nevertheless came up short.
“Modern Times” (1936)
It took AMPAS most of his life to recognize Charlie Chaplin, eventually granting the comic great an Honorary Award in 1972, after a previous one in 1929. They weren’t totally resistant to him: “The Great Dictator” got five nods, including Best Picture, but most of his work was ignored, most notably his great industrialization comedy, “Modern Times.” The film was mostly applauded, but the leftish politics on display (and unfashionable mostly silent vibe) saw it underperform in the U.S., and fail to get any Oscar recognition.
Paths of Glory was 1957, not 1958. It lost to Bridge on the River Kwai, not Gigi. Also I would not call Match Point a "middling affair" from Allen as it\’s one of his best. This is still a fantastic list though.
Secretariat was an incredible film in so many aspects, yet nothing. So disappointing.
Technically, Bicycle Thieves wasn\’t nominated for an Oscar but was given an honorary one some years later. (Probably the Academy\’s indirect apology for having not seen it in the first place.) Also, Diabolique didn\’t win either. I\’ve never seen the films that beat Bicycle Thieves or Diabolique but I have my doubts they were better…
If you watch it, The Untouchables is almost perfect.
Thank you for puting in What\’s Up Doc? which is my nymber one film of all time. And also in my top5 is Local Hero. But how can you miss out on "Glory" another of my top 5. And the greatest most emotional war movie of all time. An absolute travestry. As for your other\’s mentioned meh!
What else can we say from a prize that has given Fritz Lang, Brian de Palma and David Cronenberg 0 nominations
Where\’s Oldboy?
As far as I know, Park Chan Wook and Kim Ki Duk never get Oscar nominations
Jeff Wilder:
– Almost Famous was nominated for four oscars and won best original screenplay.
– Mulholland Drive was nominated for best director as was Blue Velvet.
– Magnolia was nominated for three oscars.
– Seven was nominated for one oscar.
– Boogie Nights was nominated for three oscars…
Comedies! Even YOU don\’t give them enough credit. Bowfinger. ANYTHING by Monty Python. Bedazzled. Airplane. Planes, Trains and Automobiles. Shaun of the Dead. The Jerk.
Do The Right Thing and Boogie Nights are two that never got an Oscar nod but should have. As should have Malcolm X (the Academy seems to have a Spike Lee problem), Blue Velvet, Raising Arizona, Seven, Dark City, Fight Club, Magnolia, Almost Famous, Mulholland Drive and that\’s just for recent years. Mickey Rourke should have gotten a nod for best actor for Sin City. And that doesn\’t count the numerous foreign films overlooked.
i always thought \’Perfume the story of a murderer\’ should\’ve gotten the best adopted screen play award.. but nobody talks about it.. makes me sad
What other Woody Allen film are you confusing \’Match Point\’ with? Far from "middling fare." I do agree that \’Stradust Memories\’ is a very good Woody movie.
I disagree. I think the Oscars do a decent job at cutting through the junk that Hollywood puts out and they generally choose movies that are well done. You can\’t please everyone. Stanley Kubrick is my favorite director of all time but it doesn\’t surprise me that The Shining wasn\’t nominated. It\’s a tremendous work of art but it also pushed the limits of what was considered acceptable at that time. True artists push boundaries, so much sometimes that it polarizes the public. Freaks in 1932 was a complete flop and some of the most extreme content ever shown on a movie screen. Just because we consider it a classic now 80 years later doesn\’t mean the Oscars overlooked one that should have been nominated in the context of the time period they were in.
One of these days, looking back, "A Most Violent Year" will be on this list.
Under The Skin
"The Big Sleep". AMPAS was really criminal on his neglect to Hawks.
Happiness
I love Andie McDowell in "Groundhog Day" along with everything else about that movie.
I love that you included The Parallax View!
Once Upon A Time In the West: Henry Ford or Henry Fonda?
this is a fantastic list, one that will seriously lengthen my Netflix queue (if Netflix deigns to offer many of these). But "The Searchers"??? It is a terrible movie, with predictable, wooden performance by John Wayne ( who is incapable of acting), a story that just drags on and on, and no redeeming subtleties. I don\’t understand why so many people put it on their "top" lists, it\’s a lousy movie.
You\’re not wrong on any of these titles, but you are wrong about match point. It\’s woodys best film. Even he agrees. So 😛
"It’s borderline unthinkable to imagine a romantic comedy up for Best Picture now"
Midnight in Paris was nominated for a best picture Oscar in 2012.
What\’s your beef with Andie Mcdowell? I always enjoyed her in \’Groundhog Day\’
Young Adult didn\’t receive a single nom :/
When you think of the legitimacy of the Oscars, just remember this. Alfred Hitchcock, yes Alfred Hitchcock, never won a competitive Oscar. Neither did Cary Grant (and gary cooper won several to the academy\’s eternal shame). Charlie Chaplin won only one and that is for Best Score for Limelight, not best actor, best director, best screenplay. My point. The Oscars have no legitimacy.
D.Darko…..duh???