10 Oscar Best Picture winning films that probably didn't deserve it

Art has always been an abstract and subjective concept. Therefore, its meaning and perception vary from person to person. The Oscars has been Hollywood’s most prestigious honor for decades. That being said, many Oscar-winning decisions, in retrospect, have raised eyebrows through the years. While some Best Picture winners got what they deserved, several others have simply been overlooked despite their artistic merits and cinematic brilliance.

The films that won in their places need not necessarily be bad, but they surely didn't do justice to the ones that worked harder and were more innovative in approach. The widespread controversy over certain films that bagged the Academy Awards remains relevant to date due to stronger competitors challenging their worth. Here is a list of 10 such films that won the Academy Award for Best Picture but probably didn't deserve it.

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10 Oscar Best Picture winning films that probably didn't deserve it

Cavalcade (1933)

A Frank Lloyd film, Cavalcade (1933) is inspired by the famous play of the same name by Noel Coward. The movie won the 6th Academy Award for Best Picture in 1934. It gives us a look into the ups and downs of a British upper-class family who try to navigate their life after some of the most tragic historical events that shape and change them thoroughly.

Despite an impressive production design and a keen portrayal of the era, the film lacked a more engaging emotional depth. It failed to maintain a balance between technicality and powerful, passionate storytelling. Even the characters somewhat felt like mere representatives of their class rather than being more relatable to the audience. Thus, critics and viewers have often regarded Cavalcade as one of the most unworthy recipients of the Oscar.

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Around The World In 80 Days (1956)

This 1956 film is an adaptation of the novel of the same title by Jules Verne, which bagged 5 Oscars, including one for Best Picture in 1957. When rich, well-to-do British gentleman Phileas Fogg recklessly claims that he, along with his personal attendant, Passepartout, can travel around the world in just 80 days, they come across several adventures and surprising twists that become a fun yet completely unpredictable ride.

However, the film emphasizes on the entertainment aspect but lacks a deep storytelling approach or any character development. You'd surely be thrilled to witness the over-the-top visual aesthetics and the duo’s rollercoaster journey across continents, but beyond that, it did not offer a gripping storyline. This seemed to make the movie unsuitable for winning an Academy Award in the Best Picture category.

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A Man for All Seasons (1966)

Based on the 1960 play by Robert Bolt, A Man for All Seasons was made into a movie in 1966 under Fred Zinnemann’s direction. Although it secured the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1967, its win felt a little unexpected over other critically acclaimed movies of the era. As it depicts the story of Sir Thomas More, the principled Lord Chancellor of England, and his clash with King Henry VIII, the slow pace and long dialogues make the film dull and a bit boring.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was another powerful name on the list, with a much stronger cast and more complex themes. Directed by Mike Nicholas, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? was way ahead of its time and deserved to win the Oscar for Best Picture over A Man for All Seasons that year.

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Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) tells the story of Ted Kramer, a regular guy caught up in the hustle and bustle of the corporate rat race, who suddenly finds himself struggling to bond with his son after his wife asks for a divorce. The movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1980 for its powerful portrayal of family drama and self-growth.

However, Apocalypse Now was also nominated that year, a film that delved into the madness, brutality, and moral upheaval that shook the people during the Vietnam War. And honestly, it should have been the one to take home the Oscars. Sure, Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep’s performance in Kramer vs. Kramer was spectacular, but when your competition is Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, the victory feels a little misjudged.

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Ordinary People (1980)

Directed by Robert Redford, Ordinary People (1980) takes a deep dive into Conrad’s heart-wrenching attempt at struggling to glue back the pieces of his fragmented life after losing his brother in an unfortunate accident. Although the movie delivered some intense and thought-provoking moments, and the acting and storyline were beyond brilliant, it probably wasn't that grand as to win the Academy Award the following year.

In My Defence, the emotional quotient felt slightly overwhelming at times, and the approach was a little too traditional and predictable rather than risk-taking. Ordinary People is not a bad movie by any means, but it is not groundbreaking enough to have secured the Oscar in 1981.

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Out of Africa (1985)

Out of Africa (1985) is a visually stunning film featuring a heartfelt romance between Robert Redford and Meryl Streep against the backdrop of gorgeous Kenyan landscapes. But the movie seemed to have prioritized the scenic beauty and aesthetics over a deeper and more gripping storyline. It was most likely not worthy of the Oscars in 1986 for the mixed reviews it had received from critics.

Then there was The Color Purple, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker and directed by Steven Spielberg, on the list that should've actually won the Academy Award that year. The Color Purple is a compelling bildungsroman film that navigates the harrowing traumas and struggles of an African American woman. Thus, when it comes to truly deserving an Oscar for Best Picture, Out of Africa was just not the right fit.

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Shakespeare in Love (1998)

This 1998 film is a charming and whimsical take on a fictional love story between the greatest William Shakespeare and an avid theatre-lover named Viola, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1999. However, it is surprising to see how a slightly above-average rom-com could outshine the other nominated names that truly epitomized groundbreaking cinematography.

No doubt, Shakespeare in Love employed an unconventional approach, but at the core of it, the film did not have any substantial storytelling. Its win felt more like a crowd-pleaser than honoring genuine artistic brilliance, for instance, in films like Saving Private Ryan and The Truman Show.

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American Beauty (1999)

American Beauty (1999) might seem like a very meaningful and deep concept above the surface, but upon a closer look, you might find it really subpar. A man named Lester, feeling trapped in the monotony of his so-called perfect suburban life, questions the beauty and chaos of everything around him as he falls for his daughter's friend.

While it may have won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2000, critics and audiences have expressed mixed opinions about the film. They thought it had somewhere glorified toxic masculinity. Other movies on the nomination list really deserved to win the Oscars that year, like The Green Mile or The Sixth Sense.

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Crash (2004)

Crash (2004) is one of the most controversial movies to have won the Academy Award for the Best Picture category in 2006. Sure, it had a star-studded cast and explored profound and complex themes like racial discrimination and prejudice. However, its win didn't sit right over the more powerful and nuanced film by Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain, which brought to light the struggles of homosexuality in society.

The overly layered plot and symbolism in Crash felt a bit artificial and forced. The film might've been very woke and politically resonant, but it did not surpass Brokeback Mountain as more innovative and emotionally compelling.

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Green Book (2018)

Directed by Peter Farrelly, Green Book (2018) is one of those films that totally got more awards than it deserved, for people felt it did not possess any true cinematic merits. It bagged the 91st Academy Award for Best Picture in the year 2019 over more deserving movies like Roma and Bohemian Rhapsody.

While Green Book, based on a true story, offered a fair share of laughs and heartwarming moments, many felt that the predictable storyline could not do justice to evidently complex themes like race distinction and friendship. The generic approach sparked widespread controversy among audiences and critics, who thought the film was not the right pick for the Oscars that year.