Courtesy of Emily Zavada
In this seventeenth and final part of my retrospective Oscar Outlook, I’ll be offering up my choices for the five best winners of Best Picture. The five films listed include my personal favorite movie, a classic epic with a large scope in story and spectacle, a spirited story that represents the best of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and both halves of an iconic American saga.
5. “Amadeus” (1984)
Ah, yes, my favorite film of all-time. While not what I’d call the best, “Amadeus” comes pretty close to capturing both honorifics. The heartbeat of the film is not Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, but Antonio Salieri, or F. Murray Abraham giving what I think is the single greatest performance I’ve seen. Salieri’s saltiness is so petty and so real, and his stress is painful and a joy to watch. Meanwhile, the soundtrack is elite, and Tom Hulce’s depiction of Mozart is not far behind Abraham’s of Salieri. The blueprint for many excellent works, including “Hamilton” and “Oppenheimer,” “Amadeus” transports me to a place and a state of mind like no other film.
4. “Lawrence of Arabia” (1962)
No one can craft an epic like David Lean, and this just might be his masterpiece. “Lawrence of Arabia” sets up like a white savior movie, but the trope is flipped on its head. Death follows where bad intentions roam, and no one is saved or satisfied in the end. Death and destruction also happen to play nicely with colonialism, another of the social wrongs “Lawrence of Arabia” bravely dismantles. On a character level, Lawrence’s loss of self is extremely disturbing and ahead of its time, thanks to Peter O’Toole’s masterful, breakout work.
3. “The Godfather: Part II” (1974)
Though it sits ever so slightly in the shadow of its mammoth predecessor, “The Godfather: Part II” stands as one of the great cinematic achievements. Al Pacino levels his game up in the greatest sequel ever, delivering a tour de force performance as Michael Corleone that delivers a little bit of everything, from the most thunderous anger to the quietest sadness. Set alongside Michael’s fall is the rise of his integrous father, Vito, in the ultimate framing device. The Vito storyline – featuring Robert De Niro – gets a lot of attention, and rightfully so, but I’ve learned to love the other half of the film. The tragedy is too bitter to ignore.
2. “Casablanca” (1943)
“You despise me, don’t you?,” asks Peter Lorre’s Ugarte to Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine. “If I gave you any thought I probably would.” That back-and-forth means everything, and it comes to us from the universally-adored classic “Casablanca.” What is there to say that’s not been said? One thing I want to point out is that the film’s use of shadows was one of the first times I actually paid attention to something besides dialogue in a film, and that’s with zingers like my opening line as the competition. It’s perfect filmmaking, plain and simple, and the storytelling is second to none. The romance, the drama, the morality… Everything works.
1. “The Godfather” (1972)
“The Godfather” isn’t just my choice for the best Best Picture winner; It’s my choice for the best picture – period. It’s hard to find a false note in what ultimately equals a perfect piece of work. The quietly shaky family dynamic is the part that always brings me back in thought and image. The cracks begin to form even as the Corleones’ vast influence is shown. When the sturdy patriarch is physically removed from the equation, the cracks become a chasm. What’s left is a streak of coldness, betrayal, and all of the other diseases that come with chasing and maintaining the mythical American Dream. So many other stories have tried and succeeded to convey similar anxieties, but “The Godfather” does it in a more entertaining and thought-provoking way than all the others.
Sam Zavada is counting down his ranking of every Best Picture winner in the history of the Academy Awards in the lead up to this year’s ceremony on March 2. Participate in the Times Leader Readers’ Ballot for the 97th Oscars by filling out the form at https://bit.ly/4hd8n6F. The Readers’ Ballot will close on Thursday, Feb. 27, at 8 p.m. and will be revealed in the Saturday, March 1, edition of the Times Leader.
Sam Zavada is counting down his ranking of every Best Picture winner in the history of the Academy Awards in the lead up to this year’s ceremony on March 2.
