MovieChat Forums > An American in Paris (1951) Discussion > Far from the worst Best Picture winner.

Far from the worst Best Picture winner.

posted 11 years ago by doug7347
8 replies | jump to latest

With "Cimarron" and "The English Patient" in the competition, how could it even be considered?

The real star of the film is George Gershwin's great music. In March 1938, the year after George's untimely death, the Oscar for best original song went to "Sweet Leilani" by Harry Owens instead of "They Can't Take That Away From Me" by George and Ira Gershwin. Can you believe that? The Best Picture award for 1951 may have been aided by remorse for that earlier award atrocity; George Gershwin finally got his due, with accumulated interest.

[–] footsperry 11 years ago

I agree. Several other winners had the advantage of weak competition. "West Side Story" comes to mind for me.

[–] Yorick_Brown 11 years ago

The English Patient?!

I wish you were the one
Wish you were the one that got away...

-The Civil Wars

[–] MEwing4444 11 years ago

I liked "Cimarron " and "The English Patient". I couldn't stand "West Side Story".

[–] gbennett5 11 years ago

First of all, the Oscars (and the Golden Globes, SAG awards, etc.) are
a joke. How can one compare art in such a manner?. And as Humphrey Bogart
said, unless all the actors are playing the same role, how can you say
one is "the best?" Totally stupid.

And even certain nominations are incredibly lame. How on earth did
"Hello Dolly!" receive a Best Picture nomination when it was greeted with
uniformly negative press and didn't do particularly good business upon
its initial release??? Incredible.

That said, there is no denying that "Paris" moved the movie musical
forward by leaps and bounds. It still plays amazingly fresh, and it's
hard to believe it wasn't shot on location. It also contains the
single greatest musical sequence ever commited to film. The finale is
timeless and spectacular. No movie before or since contains such a
stunning fusion of dance, light, color and camera movement.

And then there's George and Ira Gershwin.

[–] IMDB_Vits 10 years ago

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS: 5/10
THE ENGLISH PATIENT: 4/10

[–] snsurone 9 years ago

Years ago, film critic Jamie Bernard claimed that AMERICAN BEAUTY was the worst film to ever win a Best Picture Oscar.
Numerous people disagreed, so a poll was held, and according to that poll, the worst Best Picture Oscar winner is THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH.

I don't know if I agree, as I haven't been to a first-run movie in over 20 years (not worth the high ticket prices).
But would anybody say that last year's winner, BIRDMAN, deserved the prize?
And wouldn't you say that BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN was more deserving than CRASH?

[–] MayoGalway 8 years ago

Agree with Greatest Show.... being worst.

[–] SamoanJoes 9 years ago

Out of Africa is perhaps my least favourite.