The 18th Academy Awards saw a return to glamour at the Grauman's Chinese Theater. The first ceremony after the end of World War II called for real statuettes - bronze and gold plating instead of plaster - as well as the spotlights, tuxedos, and evening gowns. The general optimism felt in the nation must have been palpable, but the big winner of the night was a solemn, socially conscious drama. The Lost Weekend (1945) dealt with alcoholism and an uphill battle with a man's psyche, hardly matching the fun fanfare of the evening. Billy Wilder's first huge Oscar achievement (after Double Indemnity (1944) went 0 for 7 in the prior year) was one of only two films that won multiple awards on the night. This made way for the first time all Best Picture nominees won at least one Oscar. This even spread ensured me taking a long time to get through this year, for I watch every single Oscar-winning film, but this large sample size enables me to safely say that 1945 was easily the best film year since 1939. In the Best Picture crop shown above, we have a Technicolor musical, a sequel to the Best Picture winner from the prior year, the weighty social drama that won the award, a film noir featuring Joan Crawford's comeback role, and the Master of Suspense's final Best Picture nominee. This is also the final year in which we will see dozens of nominees in some categories. The 17th Awards finally got us down to five Best Picture nominees and the 19th will get us to a maximum of five in all other categories as well. And the results are:
Best Picture nominees:
Anchors Aweigh
The Bells of St. Mary's
The Lost Weekend
Mildred Pierce
Spellbound
What won: The Lost Weekend
Although it didn't match the mood of a postwar, victorious nation, Billy Wilder's follow-up to his Best Picture nominee from the prior year was just too good not to win. It was only one of two films to win multiple awards that night, winning the top Oscar along with Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. This was the first time somebody would win Best Director and Best Screenplay for the same film, so Wilder was very much made whole after striking out at the 17th Awards. It's also the first of only three films to date to win the top prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and go all the way to win Best Picture. The film also topped the annual Film Daily poll in addition to its Best Picture win at the 3rd Golden Globes. No matter how you slice it, The Lost Weekend was the critical and industry darling of 1945.
What should have won: The Lost Weekend
Who am I to disagree with all of the accolades listed above? Billy Wilder is quickly becoming my favorite director of the era. He directs Ray Milland's premiere performance as a downtrodden, alcoholic novelist who would do absolutely anything to get a hold of a bottle. The heartbreaking journey is contextualized through flashbacks and the score by Miklós Rózsa, characterized by his use of theremin, heightens the psychological torment of a struggling addict. The screenplay allows the entire spectrum of addiction to play out and Milland's presence is convincing and powerful. There's even a slew of special effects used to portray "DTs," or delirium tremens, that turns this disease into a horror-fueled nightmare. The cinematography is also noteworthy in a year of other noteworthy film noirs dominating the Cinematography and Art Direction categories. In my personal canon of Best Picture winners, this is the second Wilder picture to win in a row; I don't think we'll see the end of him on this list either.
My Best Picture nominee rankings:
1. The Lost Weekend (9/10)
2. Spellbound (8/10)
3. Mildred Pierce (8/10)
4. Anchors Aweigh (7/10)
5. The Bells of St. Mary's (6/10)
Best Picture nominees:
Anchors Aweigh
The Bells of St. Mary's
The Lost Weekend
Mildred Pierce
Spellbound
What won: The Lost Weekend
Although it didn't match the mood of a postwar, victorious nation, Billy Wilder's follow-up to his Best Picture nominee from the prior year was just too good not to win. It was only one of two films to win multiple awards that night, winning the top Oscar along with Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Screenplay. This was the first time somebody would win Best Director and Best Screenplay for the same film, so Wilder was very much made whole after striking out at the 17th Awards. It's also the first of only three films to date to win the top prize at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival and go all the way to win Best Picture. The film also topped the annual Film Daily poll in addition to its Best Picture win at the 3rd Golden Globes. No matter how you slice it, The Lost Weekend was the critical and industry darling of 1945.
What should have won: The Lost Weekend
Who am I to disagree with all of the accolades listed above? Billy Wilder is quickly becoming my favorite director of the era. He directs Ray Milland's premiere performance as a downtrodden, alcoholic novelist who would do absolutely anything to get a hold of a bottle. The heartbreaking journey is contextualized through flashbacks and the score by Miklós Rózsa, characterized by his use of theremin, heightens the psychological torment of a struggling addict. The screenplay allows the entire spectrum of addiction to play out and Milland's presence is convincing and powerful. There's even a slew of special effects used to portray "DTs," or delirium tremens, that turns this disease into a horror-fueled nightmare. The cinematography is also noteworthy in a year of other noteworthy film noirs dominating the Cinematography and Art Direction categories. In my personal canon of Best Picture winners, this is the second Wilder picture to win in a row; I don't think we'll see the end of him on this list either.
My Best Picture nominee rankings:
1. The Lost Weekend (9/10)
2. Spellbound (8/10)
3. Mildred Pierce (8/10)
4. Anchors Aweigh (7/10)
5. The Bells of St. Mary's (6/10)