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Since 1929, the Academy Awards have recognized 80 films with the Best Picture honor. While some have achieved timeless acclaim and widespread popularity, others have not fared as well. For every iconic film like The Godfather, there’s a less-remembered title such as Terms of Endearment. Using IMDB rankings as a guide, this list highlights the 15 least popular Best Picture winners. If you believe any overlooked films deserve a spot, share your thoughts in the comments. The rankings here range from best to worst.
15. Terms of Endearment (1984)
IMDb rating: 7.3 Producer/Director: James L Brooks Stars: Shirley McLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson
Aurora and Emma, a mother-daughter duo, navigate life’s challenges with contrasting approaches. Starting with Emma’s marriage, the film explores their evolving relationship, showcasing Aurora’s complex blend of toughness and affection. Over the years, both women discover unique reasons to embrace life and find happiness. Aurora’s interactions with Garrett Breedlove, a retired astronaut and neighbor, add a memorable dynamic. Ultimately, the story reveals how love manifests in diverse and unexpected ways.
Films it beat: (other Best Picture nominees): The Big Chill; The Dresser; The Right Stuff; Tender Mercies
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14. Chariots of Fire (1982)
IMDb rating: 7.3 Producer/Director: David Puttnam, Hugh Hudson Stars: Ian Charleson, Ben Cross
Told through flashbacks, this film follows two British sprinters striving for glory at the 1924 Olympics. Eric, a devout Scottish missionary, runs to honor his faith, believing it pleases God. Harold, the son of a wealthy Jewish family, runs to secure his place in Cambridge society. After Eric defeats Harold in a 100-meter warmup race, Harold hires a professional trainer to improve. Eric faces a moral dilemma when his qualifying heat is scheduled on a Sunday, leading him to refuse to run despite Olympic committee pressure. A nobleman’s intervention allows Eric to compete in the 400-meter event instead.
Films it beat: Atlantic City; On Golden Pond; Raiders of the Lost Ark; Reds
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13. An American in Paris (1952)
IMDb rating: 7.3 Producer/Director: Arthur Freed, Vincente Minnelli Stars: Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron
Jerry Mulligan, an aspiring American painter in Paris, gains the attention of a wealthy heiress who is interested in more than just his artwork. Meanwhile, Jerry becomes enamored with Lise, a young French woman who is already promised to a cabaret singer. Amidst romantic entanglements, Jerry shares lighthearted moments, songs, and dances with his best friend, a sharp-tongued aspiring concert pianist.
Films it beat: Decision Before Dawn; A Place in the Sun; Quo Vadis; A Streetcar Named Desire
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12. Gentleman’s Agreement (1948)
IMDb rating: 7.3 Producer/Director: Darryl F Zanuck, Elia Kazan Stars: Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire
A prominent writer at a forward-thinking New York magazine takes on an unconventional approach to expose anti-Semitism for his debut assignment. Gregory Peck portrays Philip Green, who assumes a Jewish identity to document the realities of discrimination. From facing job rejections and being denied access to public spaces to witnessing his son endure verbal abuse and his fiancée grappling with his assumed identity, Green experiences firsthand the harsh realities of sectarian prejudice.
Films it beat: The Bishop’s Wife; Crossfire; Great Expectations; Miracle on 34th Street
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11. Titanic (1998)
IMDb rating: 7.2 Producer/Director: James Cameron, Jon Landau Stars: Leonardo Di Caprio, Kate Winslet
The ship meets its tragic fate and sinks.
Films it beat: As Good as It Gets; The Full Monty; Good Will Hunting; L A Confidential
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10. The English Patient (1997)
IMDb rating: 7.2 Producer/Director: Saul Zaentz, Anthony Minghella Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas
A burn victim, a nurse, a thief, and a sapper cross paths in an aging Italian villa near the end of World War II. Through a series of flashbacks, the life of the burn victim unfolds, revealing a passionate love affair and the consequential decisions that ripple through the lives of those in the villa. This film delves not only into uncovering the identity of the English patient but also explores the personal journeys and identities of everyone within the villa’s walls.
Films it beat: Fargo; Jerry Maguire; Secrets & Lies; Shine
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9. Tom Jones (1964)
IMDb rating: 7.1 Producer/Director: Tony Richardson Stars: Albert Finney, Susannah York
Squire Allworthy raises Tom Jones, a child abandoned under mysterious circumstances. Despite being resented by Allworthy’s legitimate heir, Blifil, Tom grows into a charming rogue with a penchant for romance. He falls for Sophie, the daughter of Squire Western, but after being caught with a local girl, Molly, he is exiled by his benefactor. Tom’s journey leads him to London, where he becomes entangled with the affluent Lady Bellaston. Meanwhile, Sophie is pressured into an arranged marriage with Blifil, orchestrated by Squire Western’s sister.
Films it beat: America, America; Cleopatra; How the West Was Won; Lilies of the Field
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8. The Great Ziegfeld (1937)
IMDb rating: 7.0 Producer/Director: Hunt Stromberg, Robert Z Leonard Stars: William Powell, Myra Loy
At the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, Flo Ziegfeld, a sideshow barker, outsmarts his more successful rival Billings and even wins over his girlfriend. This rivalry continues throughout their lives as Ziegfeld builds and loses fortunes creating increasingly extravagant shows, some of which are showcased in the film. His first wife, French revue star Anna Held, struggles with being married to the man known for “glorifying the American girl.” Later, married to Billie Burke, Ziegfeld appears to have lost his touch, but his story takes an unexpected turn.
Films it beat: Anthony Adverse; Dodsworth; Libeled Lady; Mr. Deeds Goes to Town; Romeo and Juliet; San Francisco; The Story of Louis Pasteur; A Tale of Two Cities; Three Smart Girls
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7. Out of Africa (1986)
IMDb rating: 6.9 Producer/Director: Sydney Pollack Stars: Meryl Streep, Robert Redford
This film chronicles the life of Karen Blixen, a Danish noblewoman and storyteller, from her marriage and move to Kenya in 1913 to her return to Denmark in 1931. As she battles to sustain a coffee farm amidst numerous challenges and strives to build better relationships with the local community, her pragmatic marriage to a titled aristocrat evolves into a profound love affair with Denys Finch Hatton, a renowned hunter and adventurer.
Films it beat: The Color Purple; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Prizzi’s Honor; Witness
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6. Gigi (1959)
IMDb rating: 6.9 Producer/Director: Arthur Freed, Vincente Minnelli Stars: Leslie Caron, Louis Jourdan
Gaston (Jourdan), a wealthy Parisian heir, seeks solace from the shallow elite society of early 1900s Paris with the former mistress (Gingold) of his uncle (Chevalier) and her spirited granddaughter, Gigi (Caron). As Gigi blossoms into womanhood, her grandmother and aunt (Jeans), who have trained her to become a wealthy man’s companion, urge Gaston to take on the role of her benefactor and Gigi to seize this opportunity. However, love introduces an unexpected twist to this charming Cinderella tale set at the turn of the 20th century.
Films it beat: Auntie Mame; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; The Defiant Ones; Separate Tables
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5. Around the World in Eighty Days (1957)
IMDb rating: 6.8 Producer/Director: Michael Todd, Michael Anderson Stars: David Niven, Cantinflas
Phileas Fogg accepts a challenge to prove his claim that circumnavigating the globe in 80 days is possible, wagering his entire fortune and embarking on the journey with his new butler. This Victorian-era adventure takes an intriguing turn when a bank robbery occurs in England. Is Fogg using the trip to evade arrest? A detective trailing him suspects so, and even his butler begins to doubt his employer’s motives.
Films it beat: Friendly Persuasion; Giant; The King and I; The Ten Commandments
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4. The Greatest Show on Earth (1953)
IMDb rating: 6.7 Producer/Director: Cecil B deMille Stars: Betty Hutton, Cornel Wilde, Charlton Heston, Dorothy Lamour
To guarantee a successful season, circus manager Brad Braden hires The Great Sebastian, which displaces his girlfriend Holly from her hard-earned center trapeze position. Holly and Sebastian engage in a perilous rivalry in the ring, while he pursues her romantically outside of it. Additional storylines explore the mysterious past of Buttons the Clown and the attempts of racketeers to infiltrate the circus’s concession operations.
Films it beat: High Noon; Ivanhoe; Moulin Rouge; The Quiet Man
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3. Cimarron (1931)
IMDb rating: 6.2 Stars: Richard Dix, Irene Dunne
The film captures four decades of social and urban transformation in America, from 1889 to 1929, through the life of a forward-thinking newspaper editor and lawyer in Oklahoma. His wife, however, struggles with his yearning for the thrill of the frontier, even after the Oklahoma land rush has ended.
Films it beat: East Lynne; The Front Page; Skippy; Trader Horn
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Contributor: astraya
2. The Broadway Melody (1930)
IMDb rating: 6.5 Producer/Director: Irving Thalberg and Lawrence Weingarten, Harry Beaumont Stars: Charles King, Anita Page, Bessie Love, Kenneth Thomson
Harriet and Queenie Mahoney, a vaudeville duo, arrive on Broadway to join their friend Eddie Kerns, who needs them for a performance in one of Francis Zanfield’s productions. While Eddie was initially in love with Harriet, his affections shift to Queenie. However, Queenie is also pursued by Jock Warriner, a wealthy socialite from New York’s elite.
Films it beat: (unofficially – there were no official nominations that year): Alibi; The Hollywood Revue of 1929; In Old Arizona; The Patriot
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1. Cavalcade (1934)
IMDb rating: 6.6 Producer/Director: Frank Lloyd, Winfield R Sheehan, Frank Lloyd Stars: Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook
The film portrays a sweeping journey through English life from New Year’s Eve 1899 to 1933, as experienced by Jane and Robert Marryot, a prosperous London couple. Their family’s story intertwines with historical milestones such as the Boer War, Queen Victoria’s death, the Titanic disaster, and World War I.
Films it beat: 42nd Street; A Farewell to Arms; I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang; Lady for a Day; Little Women; The Private Life of Henry VIII; She Done Him Wrong; Smilin’ Through; State Fair
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