Top Ten Movies that Won the Academy Award for Best Picture

By Craig Scribner

When I mentioned to Luis Pedron of Fanclubx.com that I have seen every movie that won Best Picture since the beginning of the Academy Awards (1927 Wings was the first movie to win) he thought it would be interesting to do a top ten list of these. I thought sure that should be no problem. I think I ate my words. This was extremely difficult to narrow down out of seventy-something movies a list of ten but I did it. This does not mean that the other sixty-something movies aren’t worth seeing – of course they won best picture for a reason and in my opinion are all worth seeing. Without further ado here is my list of the top 10 must see movies that won Best Picture!

10. THE LAST EMPEROR (1987) – a chronicle of the life of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China. Pu Yi, ascended the Imperial throne at the age of three and was later captured in a communist reeducation camp. He ended his existence as a poor peasant worker.

9.  GLADIATOR (2000) – Maximus, a Roman general who is named hier by the dying Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius is betrayed by the emperor’s jealous son who steals the throne from his father. Maximus is then sold into slavery - becoming a Gladiator. He wins the hearts of the people as the fiercest fighter of Rome and avenges the Emperors death.

8. THE GODFATHER (1972) - The epic saga of the Corleone family and a chronicle of the La Costra Nostra (Italian Mafia). Michael Corleone, who was to live a normal life and stay out of the business on his fathers wishes, eventually becomes the head of it. One of the greatest crime films ever made. The Godfather Part II (1974) is just as riveting and should be seen immediately after.

7. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) – One of the classic epic films. It is a biography of T. E. Lawrence (played by Peter O’Toole), a lieutenant in the British Army who ends up leading the Arab tribes against the Turks with the help of Prince Fiesal (played by Alec Guinness).

6. WEST SIDE STORY (1961) – one of the greatest love story musicals set to film. Two lovers from different backgrounds fight for their love (reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet) as two gangs (Jets and Sharks) fight for their beliefs. Rita Moreno as Anita and Natalie Wood as Maria shine in this classic.

5. BEN-HUR (1959) - This nearly 3 1/2 hour movie chronicles Judah Ben-Hur's quest to save his people and to avenge his family - his mother and sister were imprisoned becoming lepers. One of the greatest epic masterpieces ever made. Charlton Heston stars as Judah.

4. THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957) - After his regiment is captured by the Japanese and ordered to build a bridge, Capt. Nicholson (played by Alec Guinness) decides to show what the Brits are made of by building the bridge ahead of schedule. While the bridge is being built Commander Shears (played by William Holden) is requested to rescue the prisoners and blow up the bridge.

3. CASABLANCA (1943) - This may well be a perfect movie. It has humor, action and romance. One of the greatest love stories of all time, set in occupied Africa during World War II. The two lovers (Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa Lund) are magnetic on screen.  A must see for all ages and one of my all-time favorite movies.

2. ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (1930) – In my opinion the greatest war film of all-time. Not only are the effects incredible for the 1930’s (a black and white film), the story is truly heartfelt. German schoolboys, innocent as they are coerced into joining the war by their teacher are disillusioned and those few that do survive just can’t adjust to normal life after the war.