The Oscars, mainly known as the Academy is one of the most prestigious honour that is presented to artists and filmmakers in the film industry. In the 92-year history of the Oscars, there have been several films that have bagged more than one award at the Oscars; there are also films that are recognized to have won the greatest number of Oscar awards in a single ceremony.
Here we are with a list of the top 10 movies that managed to win the greatest number of Oscars and not just gained critical acclaim, but also won hearts of fans all over the globe.
1. Titanic (1997)
Titanic is one of the first three films to bag a total of 11 Academy Awards, the most number till date, in the year 1997. This movie was set in the year 1912 and starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet. Its story is about a poor artist and a rich girl who fall in love with each other while aboard the magnificent voyage of RMS Titanic. As their romance grows, they start facing problems that were not only cause by their class difference, but also by fate itself.
The movie not only one the Best Film in 1997, but also awards for Best Director (James Cameron), Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Original Dramatic Score, Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing as well as Best Visual Effects.
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
The second one out of the three movies to bag 11 Academy Awards, The Return of the King is the third and the final movie of the Lord of the Rings movie franchise. It entered the 76th Oscars in the year 2004 and won awards in every category that it was nominated for. The story concluded the fantasy series when Frodo and Sam reach Mordor while Aragon prepares his army for a battle against Sauron.
The movie won awards for Best Film, Best Director (Peter Jackson), Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Make up, Best Original Song, Best Original Score, Best Sound Mixing, Best Visual Effects and Best Film Editing.
3. Ben-hur (1959)
Years before Titanic, the 1959 epic Ben-hur swept a whooping 11 awards at the Academy Awards. The story, set in the 26 AD, is about a Jew who faces persecution from the Romans in Jerusalem and it managed to win 11 out of the 12 award categories that it was nominated for.
It scored Best Picture, Best Art Direction, Best Special Effects, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Music, Best Film Editing, Best Sound Recording, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Charlton Heston), Best Director (William Wyler) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugh Griffith)
4. West Side Story (1961)
The West Side Story is a 1060’s version of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet where two rival New York gangs fall more into their broiling hatred when one member falls for the sister of the opposing gang’s member. A story of forbidden love, the movie also gained massive appeal as it was a musical and also has a 2020 remake on the way.
The movie brought home 10 out of the 11 awards that it was nominated for including Best Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Director (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins), Best Supporting Actor (George Chakiris) and Best Supporting Actress (Rita Moreno).
5. The English Patient (1996)
An adaptation of the 1992 novel by Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient was released in the year 1996. Being a huge success on screen it bagged 9 out of the 12 awards it was nominated for. It scored awards for Best Picture, Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Original Dramatic Score, Best Sound, Best Director (Anthony Minghella) and Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Juliette Binoche).
6. The Last Emperor (1987)
A story based on the final emperor of China, this movie is an epic biographical drama. It bagged every Oscar that it was nominated for at the 60th Academy Awards. These include Best Picture, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Original Score, Best Screenplay as well as Best Director (Bernardo Bertolucci).
7. Gigi (1958)
Based on the 1944 novella of the same name, this movie is the story of a young man who keeps on taking new lovers until he starts to see his friend, Gigi as a possible love interest. This musical romance broke records all over as it bagged awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Vincente Minnelli), Best Art Direction, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Costume Design, Best Original Song and Best Musical Score.
8. My Fair Lady (1964)
Adapted from the famous stage musical, My Fair Lady is a story about a phonetics professor who has hopes of turning a working class woman into high society elite. Even though they don’t get along at first, their relationship grows.
This movie managed to win eight Oscars including Best Actor (Rex Harrison), Best Sound, Best Cinematography, Best Adaptation, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Picture and Best Director (George Cukor).
9. From Here to Eternity (1953)
Based on the book by James Jones by the same name, From Here to Eternity is a romantic drama based on the lives of three U.S. soldiers stationed in Hawaii, unaware of the imminent Pearl Harbour attack.
This movie bagged awards for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Frank Sinatra), Best Supporting Actress (Donna Reed), Best Director (Fred Zinnemann), Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing and Best Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.
10. Gone with the Wind (1939)
The iconic romance, Gone with the Wind is an adaptation of the 1936 novel of the same name by Margaret Mitchell, about a woman who goes through different love affairs while living her life in the south while the Civil War was going on. This movie gained huge appraisal at the 12th Academy Awards and won awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Victor Fleming), Best Supporting Actress (Hattie McDaniel), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Art Direction, Technical Achievement as well as Colour.
Do let us know if we missed any of them!