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Every Best Picture Winner In Oscar History

By Cheryl Wassenaar

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The ’70s

In the ’70s, nostalgia once more reigned, with films like Patton and The Godfather films heading back to earlier periods of the 20th century.

The Winners

1970: Patton

  • George C. Scott famously refused to accept the Best Actor in a Leading Role Award. Patton also won Best Director (Franklin J. Schaffner), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Sound, and Best Film Editing.

1971: The French Connection

  • The French Connection also snagged wins for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Gene Hackman), Best Director (William Friedkin), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

1972: The Godfather

  • The Godfather won a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar as well as a Best Actor award for Marlon Brando. Brando famously sent Sacheen Littlefeather to reject the award.

1973: The Sting

  • The Sting also won Best Director (George Roy Hill), Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, and Best Music for Scoring an Original Song Score or Adaptation.

1974: The Godfather Part II

  • The Godfather Part II won more Oscars than its predecessor: Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert De Niro), Best Director (Francis Ford Coppola), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Art Direction, and Best Music for an Original Dramatic Score.

1975: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

  • One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest swept the leading role acting categories for Louise Fletcher and Jack Nicholson, then added Best Director (Milos Forman) and Best Adapted Screenplay to its pile.

1976: Rocky

  • Rocky also won the Best Director (John G. Avildsen) and Best Film Editing Oscars.

1977: Annie Hall

  • Diane Keaton won the Best Actress in a Leading Role Oscar for this movie, and Annie Hall also won Woody Allen a Best Director and Best Original Screenplay awards.

1978: The Deer Hunter

  • The Deer Hunter also won the Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Christopher Walken), Best Director (Michael Cimino), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing Oscars.

1979: Kramer vs. Kramer

  • This movie added four more wins: Dustin Hoffman for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Meryl Streep for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Best Director for Robert Benton, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

Key Picks

It’s hard to narrow it down to three films here, so we simply won’t. To watch The Godfather Part II, you have to watch The Godfather, and how do you say no to Al Pacino and Marlon Brando in the first part, and Pacino and Robert De Niro in the second? The simple answer is that you don’t. Meanwhile, Rocky‘s more than just “Yo, Adrian!” and running up some steps. Finally, Kramer vs. Kramer was the movie that earned Meryl Streep her first Oscar, and it’s worth watching for that alone.

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