Academy Awards Mistakes and Oversights Rarely Talked About

 Some years, it feels like the Academy honors the greatest achievements in cinema. Other years, however, it seems like they make grave mistakes or oversights.

Some “mistakes” earn vast agreement amongst the film community: How Green Was My Valley winning Best Picture over Citizen Kane, Crash winning over Brokeback Mountain, and Shakespeare in Love winning over Saving Private Ryan. Some omissions include no wins or nominations for several actors, such as Cary Grant, Glenn Close, and Jim Carrey.

Every movie lover has a list of what he believes should have won or at least scored a nomination. Each list will vary according to taste, so let's explore some of Oscar's biggest mistakes and oversights that don't get enough discussion.

My Fair Lady winning over Mary Poppins (1965)

Image Credit: Warner Bros.

Even at the time they competed for the Oscar, critics considered Mary Poppins and My Fair Lady rival films. A famous story involves the casting of Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady instead of Julie Andrews, who originated the role on Broadway. Instead, Andrews landed the role of Mary Poppins and then went on to win Best Actress. Both films became widely successful and have die-hard fans to this day.

Although Mary Poppins won five Oscars, it also lost quite a few to My Fair Lady, including Best Picture. But Mary Poppins is the better film overall, story-wise, musically, and visually. It also remains the beloved film 57 years later.

The Talented Mr. Ripley was not nominated for Best Picture (2000)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

This stylish, chilling, brilliantly acted, and gorgeously directed psychological thriller is one of 1999's best films. The film's five deserving Oscar nominations include Supporting Actor (Jude Law), Adapted Screenplay, Art Direction, Costume Design, and Original Score. However, the film did not garner a Best Picture nomination.

The question remains: Which of the nominated films (The Cider House Rules, The Insider, The Green Mile, The Sixth Sense, and that year's winner, American Beauty) unfairly nabbed Ripley's spot? Therein often lies the problem. Still, no one can deny the quality of The Talented Mr. Ripley.

Joseph Cotton was not nominated for Shadow of A Doubt (1944)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

Anyone who has seen this classic Hitchcock noir film knows that Joseph Cotton gives a bone-chilling and nuanced performance. He portrays a man who visits his wholesome homespun family only for his sweet and adoring niece to begin to suspect he is, in fact, a murderer. As her suspicions grow, the suspense intensifies, and so does his performance as you see him shift from personable to unnerving to genuinely frightening.

Cotton's remarkable performance received no nomination that year. The year's nominees were Humphrey Bogart, Gary Cooper, Walter Pigeon, Mickey Rooney, and winner Paul Lukas, so deciding who Cotton would replace poses a significant challenge. Despite other fine performances, Cotton never received any Academy Award nominations.

Al Pacino (Scent of a Woman) winning over Robert Downey Jr. (Chaplin) (1993)

Image Credit: TriStar Pictures.

Sometimes, the Academy will give a “consolation award.” This happens when a well-respected actor or actress wins after a long string of winless nominations. Consequently, the actor wins for the wrong performance while the Academy short-changes the other nominees. In 1993, the talented Al Pacino won Best Actor for Scent of a Woman over the more worthy Robert Downey Jr. for Chaplin.

Pacino had nabbed seven nominations previously and never took home the Oscar. Any of those would have been more respectable wins, particularly The Godfather Parts I and II, Serpico, or Dog Day Afternoon. Is Pacino's performance good? Yes, of course. But Downey Jr. captures one of cinema's icons with superb accuracy. It feels like watching the real Chaplin. He also brings depth to the real man and the on-screen persona. It is arguably Downey's most outstanding performance and one that, without a doubt, should have been awarded the Oscar.

Matt Damon was not nominated for The Talented Mr. Ripley (2000)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures.

Matt Damon gives a chilling and unsettling performance as Tom Ripley, a mimic and master of disguise, even when making little change to his appearance. In truth, his sinister nature arises in how he ingratiates himself into the world of the wealthy under a sea of misapprehension. Damon gives a memorable, layered, and frightening performance. Given the film's five other nominations, it baffles that voters overlooked this performance.

Ewan McGregor was not nominated for Moulin Rouge (2002)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Moviegoers and the Academy praised Baz Luhrmann's musical Moulin Rouge, awarding it eight Oscars nominations and winning two. Voters nominated McGregor's costar Nicole Kidman for Best Actress. But they failed to recognize Ewan McGregor's spectacular and moving performance.

A better performance emerges with a great scene partner, which is the case with Kidman and McGregor. His acting, singing, comedic, and dramatic moments juxtapose parody and tragedy. And yet,the Academy didn't recognize his outstanding work.

Sean Penn (Mystic River) winning over Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean) (2004)

Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Comparing these two performances may seem unfair because they are wildly different. Academy voters, however, must judge comedic and dramatic roles equally. In 2004, the Academy went the safe route and chose Penn's moving and exceptional performance. 

However, Penn has a more typical dramatic role. Comparatively, Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow gives a unique and enthralling performance. He subverts expectations, takes the traditional swashbuckler pirate role, and turns it on its head. Depp creates a character that is hilarious but also shrewd and savvy.

We can further argue that Bill Murray could've won over Penn for Lost In Translation. But Depp gave one of the most dynamic performances ever.

Amy Adams not nominated for Enchanted (2008)

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Has any actor given a more delightful, effervescent performance in the past 20 years? Award shows often overlook comedic and mainstream performances. In fact, over the 93-year history of the Academy Awards, only three performances from Walt Disney Pictures won recognition: A Best Actress win for Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins, Johnny Depp's nomination for Pirates of the Caribbean, and a special juvenile award for Hayley Mills in Pollyanna.

Adams' performance as the animated would-be princess magically sent to New York City deserves recognition. She elevates the role beyond parody and into a well-rounded woman. Adams has six nominations to her name and has never won. Here's hoping another worthwhile performance comes along, and she finally takes home that Oscar.

Alfred Hitchcock Never Won Best Director

Image Credit: Viacom CBS.

Alfred Hitchcock is known as the master of suspense. Many of his films won respect in their time, while others did not. A true auteur, his distinct style has inspired many other directors since. Still, Hitchcock never earned the coveted Best Director Oscar.

Surprisingly, Psycho, a groundbreaking film with creative, enthralling direction, lost to Billy Wilder's The Apartment. The latter, while excellent, features straightforward and less creative direction. Moreover, two of Hitchcock's finest films, Vertigo (which famously was not truly appreciated until years later) and North by Northwest, also failed to garner directing nominations.

Throughout his career, Hitchcock snagged nominations five times: Psycho, Rear Window, Spellbound, Lifeboat, and Rebecca, all of which were worthy. Given Hitchcock's illustrious legacy, his not winning even once feels like one of the most significant Oscar oversights ever.

Ron Howard not getting nominated for Apollo 13 (1996)

Image Credit: Universal Pictures.

Nominating a movie for Best Picture, Sound, Editing, Screenplay, Art Direction, Visual Effects, Score, Supporting Actor, and Supporting Actress, but not Director, inspires confusion. The director leads and holds the film together. Apollo 13 is a complex film by any stretch of the imagination. Howard's spectacular direction creates a gripping, exciting, and poignant film. 

Wes Anderson Has Never Won for Directing or Writing. 

Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

When a viewer looks at a single frame of any Wes Anderson film, he knows it's a Wes Anderson film. Anderson's has a colorful, unique style. Such a distinct style can explain his lack of wins.

For directing, he's received only one nomination for The Grand Budapest Hotel. But Moonrise Kingdom and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou were also worthy of a nomination. Hopefully, this illustrious award will come his way. Only time will tell.

Stuart Craig was never nominated for his work on the Harry Potter series

Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

How did the academy overlook the beautiful, intricate design of the Harry Potter movies? The Harry Potter films garnered 12 nominations, never winning a single one: a massive slight.

Stuart Craig earned four nominations for The Sorcerer's Stone, The Goblet of Fire, The Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and The Deathly Hallows: Part 2. Arguably, his best, Prisoner of Azkaban, was not nominated.

Maybe the family nature of the films or the steep competition year after year blocked Craig from winning. The only solace comes from the preserved sets fans can visit on the Harry Potter tour in London and the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Universal Studios, which Craig helped design. The Oscars came and went, but this world lives on in a tangible, magical way.

The Aviator winning over Phantom of the Opera (2004)

Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Determining a winner in the artistic categories is subjective and complicated. The gorgeous cinematography for The Aviator features a striking use of color, making the movie worthy of its win. However, the Phantom of the Opera features breathtaking cinematography. From the dim catacombs to the silent beauty of a snowy cemetery or the sparkling stage of an opera house, John Mathieson's work has an incandescent radiance. 

Pride & Prejudice was not nominated (2006)

Image Credit: Focus Features.

Look at a single Pride and Prejudice frame and see a pure work of art. Joe Wright's adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel gives adds beauty to the substance of the words spoken and to Roman Osin's cinematography. He provides the film with a rich, luminous, and exquisite atmosphere. Yet, voters shut out this film in the category.

Jacqeline Durran (Anna Karenina) winning over Eiko Ishioka (Mirror Mirror) (2013)

Image Credit: Focus Features.

The costumes for Anna Karenina are beautiful, so this win isn't shocking. However, Mirror Mirror's costumes, designed by the late Eiko Ishioka, showed more creativity. She accomplishes a near-impossible feat by creating beautiful and historically accurate period costumes, both fantastical and outlandish. Mirror Mirror divides audiences, but its costumes are masterpieces.

Jenny Beaven (Mad Max Fury Road) winning over Sandy Powell (Cinderella) (2016)

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Comparing such disparate films poses a difficult task, including their costumes. Each has merits, but Ella's massive, gorgeous ball gown felt like it deserved the Oscar. Moreover, the colorful array of costumes worn by all of the characters in Cinderella stuns viewers with their beauty and creativity. They feel unique but familiar, with designs that evoke fairy tales. 

Tangled was not nominated in 2011

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

The animated feature category can divide film fans. Additionally, unlike other categories, the number of nominees seems to change each year. This inconsistency frustrates observers when voters shut out an incredible film like Tangled, which revitalized and ushered Disney into another glorious era of animation.

The Rocketeer was not nominated in 1992

Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

The score for The Rocketeer soars as audiences feel like they're flying alongside Cliff Secord. Perhaps the Academy wanted to nominate only one movie from Walt Disney Pictures. That year, all the Academy love went to Beauty and the Beast. But James Horner created one of his most brilliant and gorgeous scores for The Rocketeer.

Avengers: Endgame was not nominated in 2020

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Avengers: Endgame marked a notable accomplishment in the film industry. The movie only received a single nomination for Visual Effects. Still, the original score is the most disappointing omission.

Moreover, the “Avengers Theme ” has become one of the most recognizable pieces of cinematic music alongside Star Wars, Indiana Jones and others. Alan Silvestri's score deserves recognition if voters can nominate Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Readers should also note that the Academy did not select Silvestri's epic and evocative score for Back to the Future either. He's only garnered two nominations, making him one of the most underappreciated composers ever.

“Talk to the Animals” (Dr. Doolittle) winning over “The Bare Necessities” (Jungle Book) (1968)

Image Credit: Buena Vista Distribution.

The essentially spoken song performed by Rex Harrison has its charms, but can anyone say it's a better song than the jazzy Phil Harris crooned “Bare Necessities?” And would voters make the same decision today? 

“It Goes Like It Goes” (Norma Rae) winning over “Rainbow Connection” (The Muppet Movie) (1980)

Image Credit: Associated Film Distribution.

The old proverb says hindsight is 20/20. 1980's race would astonish audiences today. The underwhelming “It Goes Like It Goes” features no lyrical quality or timeless feel. Contrast it with “The Rainbow Connection.” That song has a poignant message, lovely lyrics, and a quality that has made it one of the most beloved songs ever written. Even when factoring in nostalgia and hindsight, this year's win still baffles. 

“Sooner or Later” winning over “Somewhere in My Memory”  (1991)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox.

Choosing between these two songs showcases style over substance. D*ck Tracy's stylish  “Sooner or Later” has a classic standard and sultry 40s feel. The beautiful tune “Somewhere in My Memory” evokes feelings of family and warmth with simple but touching lyrics. Both songs are good, but which one has become a standard? 

“You Must Love Me” (Evita) winning over “Because You Loved Me” (Up Close and Personal) and “That Thing You Do” (That Thing You Do!) (1997)

Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

It's incredible how the moving “Because You Loved Me” or the endlessly catchy and effervescent “That Thing You Do” could have both lost to the mediocre “You Must Love Me.” Voters went for the popular choice and not the best song.

“I See the Light” (Tangled) losing to “We Belong Together” (Toy Story 3) (2011)

Image Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.

Does anyone remember the song from Toy Story 3? Compared to Tangled's lantern scene's glorious, lilting nature, where the music builds to a glorious romantic crescendo, how could “I See The Light” have lost?

“I See the Light” has become one of Disney's most beloved songs and plays daily in various Disney Parks worldwide. Unlike the quintessential Toy Story Song “You've Got a Friend in Me,” “We Belong Together” doesn't linger. Once again, the Academy voted for a film rather than a better song. However, Tangled's beautiful gem remains a favorite for Disney fans everywhere.