There are many films that have won this award, including Gone With the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but no single film has a unanimous claim to the award. The 1939 Oscars were the first to recognize special effects in a film. For example, the film The Rains Came won for its realistic depiction of a devastating flood.
Gone With the Wind
Gone With the Wind is an American historical epic film. It is based on Margaret Mitchell’s Pulitzer-winning novel of the same name. It was produced by David O. Selznick and directed by Victor Fleming. It tells the story of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction era. Despite its many flaws, Gone With the Wind still stands out as a classic.
In addition to Gone With the Wind’s Best Picture win, the movie was nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Color Cinematography. It was one of five nominated films in 1939. All of the films were considered exceptional, but the Academy had difficulty deciding which one should win. The year also saw the first Oscar for Visual Effects, which went to The Rains Came.
Although Gone With the Wind was a hit, some questioned the film’s authenticity. Many critics have criticized it for portraying slaves as lazy and dim-witted. But this has since been corrected.
Goodbye Mr. Chips
This romantic drama, based on the novel by James Hilton, was one of the first films to win the Oscar for Best Picture. It was directed by Sam Wood and starred Robert Donat and Greer Garson. This movie is a homage to classical education, tradition, and English public boarding schools. It was a huge hit, and it won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1939.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including the Best Picture award, best screenplay, and best director. It also won multiple awards for its performances, including best actor for Clark Gable and best actress for Donat. In addition, Greer Garson earned awards for her role as the schoolmaster’s wife. This film was remade into a big budget musical in 1969. Peter O’Toole received an Academy Award nomination for his role.
Its star, Donat, ages convincingly and synthesizes different stages of his character’s life. Another major role in the film goes to Greer Garson, who makes her feature film debut as Katherine Bridges, a self-possessed young woman who gives her character a new name, Mr. Chips.
The Wizard of Oz
In 1939, the movie The Wizard of Oz was nominated for Best Picture, but it was not the winner. In fact, the movie Gone with the Wind won the award instead. Gone with the Wind won nine Oscars that year, including Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, and Best Actress and Supporting Actress. It was also the first African-American film to win an Academy Award, and it grossed $192 million worldwide.
The year 1939 was a historic one for Hollywood, spawning the best-loved musical fantasy “The Wizard of Oz,” and the seminal western “Stagecoach.” It also produced some of Hollywood’s most memorable characters, including B-movie star John Wayne and a romantic comedy starring Greta Garbo. The year’s other best-picture nomination was for “Ninotchka,” a film with an unconventional plot. The movie follows the story of a hard-line Russian spy, and Greta Garbo is the leading lady.
The film was not a box office smash, but it has a storied history. In addition to its timeless quality, it introduced several generations to the joys of Hollywood filmmaking and the joys of musicals.
The Rains Came
The Rains Came won the 1939 Academy Award for Best Picture for depicting the aftermath of a major flood. The film was made by director John Ford. He was responsible for the look of the film, and he made sure that the technical people did their jobs well. The film also has a good score, and it is a memorable piece of cinematography.
Another film that won the Best Picture award was Psycho, an Alfred Hitchcock movie that was released in 1939. It was the storyteller’s first movie in Hollywood, and the lessons he learned from it would serve him well for his entire career. This film is not as good as Psycho, but it is far better than Citizen Kane and has the same sexy, dark tone.