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Every Best Picture Winner In Oscar History

By Cheryl Wassenaar

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The ’60s

With regards to the Best Picture winners at the Oscars, the ’60s belonged to the musical genre, with four separate big Broadway adaptations taking home the most prestigious award in four separate years. Additionally, if the Best Picture winners this decade weren’t musical adaptations, they were probably adapted from something else, like the life of T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) or literature (Tom Jones, A Man for All Seasons, In the Heat of the Night, and Midnight Cowboy). In the case of Oliver!, by the way, we’re talking an adaptation of an adaptation, since the musical is based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

The Winners

1960: The Apartment

  • The Apartment also won awards for Best Director (Billy Wilder), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction in Black-and-White, and Best Film Editing.

1961: West Side Story

  • West Side Story is another big winner: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (George Chakiris), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Rita Moreno, proving that everyone knew Bernardo and Anita were the reason to watch West Side Story), Best Color Cinematography, Best Director (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins), Best Art Decoration for Set Decoration in Color, Best Costume Design in Color, Best Film Editing, and Best Music in Scoring of a Musical Picture.

1962: Lawrence of Arabia

  • Lawrence of Arabia also won Best Director (David Lean), Best Cinematography in Color, Best Art Direction in Color, Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for a Substantially Original Score.

1963: Tom Jones

  • Tom Jones snagged wins for Best Director (Tony Richardson), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Music for a Substantially Original Score.

1964: My Fair Lady

  • My Fair Lady took home a pile of awards: Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rex Harrison), Best Director (George Cukor), Best Color Cinematography, Best Art Decoration for Set Direction in Color, Best Color Costume Design, Best Sound, Best Music Scoring in an Adaptation or Treatment.

1965: The Sound of Music

  • The Sound of Music came alive (pun intended) with four more Oscar wins: Best Director (Robert Wise), Best Sound, Best Film Editing, and Best Music Scoring in an Adaptation or Treatment.

1966: A Man for All Seasons

  • A Man for All Seasons added Best Director (Fred Zinnemann), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Color Cinematography, and Best Color Costume Design.

1967: In the Heat of the Night

  • In the Heat of the Night didn’t even garner a nomination for Sidney Poitier, but it did win awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rod Steiger), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.

1968: Oliver!

  • The last of the ’60s musicals won Best Director (Carol Reed), Best Art Direction, Best Sound, and Best Score of a Musical Picture.

1969: Midnight Cowboy

  • Midnight Cowboy scored wins for Best Director (John Schlesinger) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Key Picks

It seems remiss to not pick at least one musical. We’ll go with West Side Story because of the absolutely killer dancing. Lawrence of Arabia is an experience not to be missed. Finally, In the Heat of the Night is actually quite a topical film once more. Also, you know, Sidney Poitier.

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