Oscars: What Should Have Won Best Picture 1950-1959

Welcome to part 3 of this exercise. As a reminder, we’re going through every year at the Oscars and looking at which film should’ve won Best Picture. I’m only sticking to the films that were nominated. I haven’t seen enough films from every year to choose from all available films, at least not yet.

Today we’re looking at the Academy Awards of the 1950s.

1950 – The Twenty-Third Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: All About Eve

What Should Have Won Best Picture: All About Eve

The Academy started the 1950s with a bang. At least with an epic race between two films, All About Eve and Sunset Boulevard. All About Eve had a record-setting 14 nominations and Sunset Boulevard had a measly 11 in comparison.

It’s one of those races where the Academy couldn’t go wrong picking either film. All About Eve is one of the great Hollywood scripts that come to life thanks to Betty Davis, Anne Baxter, and George Sanders. It’s a top-10 winner in my opinion.

1951 – The Twenty-Fourth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: An American in Paris

What Should Have Won Best Picture: A Place in the Sun

You have to wonder if the Academy hadn’t been so eager to reward Gene Kelly this year. Would they have given Singin’ in the Rain more attention the following year? I cannot say for certain, but given hindsight, it’s too bad, in true Academy fashion, they awarded the wrong Kelly movie.

George Steven’s American Tragedy masterpiece A Place in the Sun should’ve taken the top prize. What begins as a rags-to-riches story turns into a tragic tale of the American dream. Montgomery Clift should have won Best Actor for this superb performance.

A Streetcar Named Desire is a necessary watch from this year. Although the Hays Code does this film no favors.

1952 – The Twenty-Fifth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth

What Should Have Won Best Picture: High Noon

Man, what a turd The Greatest Show on Earth is. When we watch it now it’s with the notion that it won Best Picture, so it’s open to more scrutiny. Maybe if this hadn’t been nominated it would not be as hated as it is.

High Noon is the superior picture this year. It perfectly encapsulates the McCarthy-era communist blacklists in Hollywood. It’s a symbol of a time Hollywood would like to forget but no one will ever let them. It’s also the most screened film at the White House.

The Quiet Man is also a very good John Ford film from this lineup.

1953 – The Twenty-Sixth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: From Here to Eternity

What Should Have Won Best Picture: From Here to Eternity

Now we begin a three-year run where the Academy got it right. From Here to Eternity is an undeniable classic. It’s anchored by three great performances from Montgomery Clift, Burt Lancaster, and Deborah Kerr.

It uses a real-life tragedy to great effect. It’s rare to be able to do this, usually films that attempt this come off as manipulative. Director Fred Zinnemann knew how to thread that needle. The only film that comes close in this lineup is Roman Holiday, which would’ve also been a good winner.

1954 – The Twenty-Seventh Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: On the Waterfront

What Should Have Won Best Picture: On the Waterfront

An all-time Best Picture winner right here. On the Waterfront is a masterpiece. It’s Elia Kazan’s best film. Controversial opinion, it’s Marlon Brando’s best performance. It boasts a stellar supporting performance by Rod Steiger.

The overall lineup is pretty good. Three Coins in the Fountain is probably the weakest of the five. The Caine Mutiny is an excellent updated remake/reimaging of Mutiny on the Bounty. But nothing comes close to On the Waterfront, a personal top-ten winner.

1955 – The Twenty-Eighth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Marty

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Marty

A lesser set of five than the previous year. Nevertheless, I do have Marty as a top 30 winner. Written by the great Paddy Chayefsky. It focuses on a man trying to find love while working butcher. He finally meets a nice woman but his friends and family try to discourage him from pursuing her.

Marty touches on issues that we still have today regarding image and putting too much stock in what other people think about us. It is another must-watch. Mister Roberts and Picnic are two other films from these five I would recommend as well.

1956 – The Twenty-Ninth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Around the World in 80 Days

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Giant

Around the World in 80 Days. A bloated slog with racist moments. It’s easily one of the worst Best Picture winners, a bottom ten in my personal opinion. I really don’t understand what the Academy was smoking this year.

George Steven’s American Epic Giant is the definitive American epic. Touching on racism and feminism, way ahead of its time. It’s James Dean’s final and greatest performance. Elizabeth Taylor is brilliant in the film. The runtime may scare you, but give it a shot, it’s brilliant.

The King and I and The Ten Commandments are both worthy recommendations from this year as well.

1957 – The Thirtieth Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai

What Should Have Won Best Picture: 12 Angry Men

I have a controversial opinion; I think The Bridge on the River Kwai is good, not great. I feel like the middle is a slog. The ending is perfect, but you have to wade through a lot before you get to the great payoff.

12 Angry Men is about as perfect of a film as you can get. Most one or two setting films feel too stagey and you leave wishing you’d watched a stage production. However, Lumet makes 12 men in a room talk cinematic with sharp editing. A perfect film.

Witness for the Prosecution is another great legal drama from this year. And Sayonara is an underrated film from this lineup.

1958 – The Thirty-First Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Gigi

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

One of the weaker Best Picture lineups. Therefore, it’s less that I have a favorite from this lineup, but one has to win. Gigi is gross.

Old men singing about “thank heaven for little girls”. Leslie Caron being in a non-age appropriate relationship, no thank you.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof is a good film, but it could be better if it were not for the Hays Code. Sanding down Why Brick and Big Daddy’s relationship is strained and why Brick and Maggie are not intimate. Though Elizabeth and Paul might be the best anyone has looked on screen ever.

1959 – The Twenty-Second Academy Awards

What Won Best Picture: Ben-Hur

What Should Have Won Best Picture: Anatomy of a Murder

So much Hype put on Ben-Hur. The highest-grossing film of the year. It won 11 Academy Awards. But, it lives up to the hype. Possibly the best Biblical epic next to The Ten Commandments.

However, Anatomy of a Murder is the best courtroom drama ever made. Keeping the audience guessing up through the end. It forces you to feel like you are on the jury. Make your own opinion. No other courtroom drama I have seen does that. Until maybe this year’s Anatomy of a Fall.