Best Picture nominees:
Cimarron
East Lynne
The Front Page
Skippy
Trader Horn
What won: Cimarron
The grand scope of this film makes it a worthy winner for these Award years. The plot skips ahead years at a time to check in on the characters. This makes the narrative oddly satisfying as the viewer gets a complete picture. Also, in the Great Depression, it must have been an uplifting sight to see a family thrive while the town around them grows and grows.
What should have won: Cimarron
When I started this project, I did not think I would agree with the Academy for this film. When I just watched the Best Picture winners, I ranked this movie 84th out of 86 winners. Although it is the best film from its year (out of these five nominees), it is notoriously one of the worst winners in the history of the Awards.
My Best Picture nominee ranking (EDIT 3/18/18, I was able to watch 90% of East Lynne, which does not have an official home media release):
1. Cimarron (6/10)
2. The Front Page (6/10)
3. East Lynne (6/10)
4. Trader Horn (5/10)
5. Skippy (4/10)