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Oscars: 25 iconic movies that never won Best Picture

By Reed Gaudens

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 13: Actress Ellen Page, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and actress Marion Cotillard arrive to premiere of Warner Bros. "Inception" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on July 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 13: Actress Ellen Page, actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and actress Marion Cotillard arrive to premiere of Warner Bros. "Inception" at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on July 13, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) /
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Janet Gaynor and David O. Selznick (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)
Janet Gaynor and David O. Selznick (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images) /

Iconic movies that never won the Oscars Best Picture: 25. A Star Is Born

Release Year: 1937

Directed By: William A. Wellman

Starring: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Mejou, May Robson, Andy Devine, Lionel Stander, Owen Moore, Peggy Wood, Elizabeth Jenns, Edgar Kennedy, J. C. Nugent, Guinn “Big Boy” Williams, Clara Blandick, Jonathan Hale, Lillian Harmer, Carole Landis, George Chandler

Right now, there are few films as celebrated as A Star Is Born. Of course, the current adaptation of A Star Is Born, starring Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga, receives all the attention and awards buzz. But over 80 years ago, the story was told — and a star was born — for the first time in the 1937 original of the same name. The film was nominated for Best Picture but went on to receive three remakes and enjoy an extended relevance in Hollywood. Clearly, if there were any iconic film that deserved to win Best Picture and didn’t, it’s A Star Is Born.

You’d think that if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. On a story level, that’s kind of true. Each film sticks to the same formula. But their execution is a unique experience all their own. A Star Is Born centers on North Dakota implant Esther Blodgett (Janet Gaynor), a young actress trying to make her way in the movies. After a chance encounter, Esther receives guidance from fallen star Norman Maine (Fredric March), and thus begins a whirlwind of stardom, love, and destruction. As Esther, now Vicki Lester, continues to rise to fame, she must make a life-changing choice.

The original A Star Is Born earned seven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Writing (Screenplay). The film won the award for Best Story, which combined with its 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes suggests that it should have taken home the top prize. The Life of Emile Zola won Best Picture at the 10th Academy Awards, but only TCM buffs have probably heard of that film. Thanks to three high-profile remakes and an unmatched impact on pop culture, A Star Is Born remains an underrated classic.

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