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Ranking 1950 Best Picture Nominees

1950 was a great year for cinema and this remains one of the best years ever for the Academy Awards, especially Best Picture. This slate was incredible with one pretty solid film, two strong ones and two undeniable masterpieces. And it’s an eclectic list containing an adventure adaptation, two charming comedies and two iconic dramas. Ranking these films was quite easy for me, but I did enjoy all of them nonetheless.

My Ranking of the Nominees:

5. King Solomon’s Mines

This adaptation of the eponymous book is a solid, though inherently flawed one. The addition of Deborah Kerr was wonderful as it led to more feminist overtones and a romance that was rather charming. The Oscar-winning Technicolor cinematography was an absolute delight to witness. The film being shot on actual location made it look astonishing. But the structural problem with the titular mines appearing ridiculously late in the game and the pacing being way too slow for what was supposed to be a rousing adventure were the main issues that prevented the film from achieving greatness. But it’s still quite a solid flick and it’s only last on this list due to the sheer strength of this slate.

4. Father of the Bride

Coming in at number four is Father of the Bride, which is this delightful and quite underrated family comedy that deserves more love out there. The film is about the travails and joys of a harassed well-to-do father as he experiences his only daughter’s expensive wedding. It’s limited in scope and pretty much a one-man show, but what a show this is – Spencer Tracy was so incredibly nuanced and vulnerable in this superb turn that just might be his career-best one. He should have won an Oscar for this film instead of the two inferior movies that he won for.

3. Born Yesterday

Born Yesterday is nowadays best known for Judy Holliday “stealing” the Oscar from Bette Davis and Gloria Swanson. But for anyone who’s seen this charming gem, Judy Holiday will still win you over – she’s playful, charming, goofy and believable through and through. She stole the show from Holden and Crawford, who were both excellent themselves. The overall movie deserves more attention among the pantheon of great romantic comedies as it is truly a classic. In most other years this film would have even been close to my number one choice, but in this incredible slate it takes the third spot.

2. Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard is the ultimate movie about Hollywood. Exploring delusion versus reality, the dangers of greed and fame, and just how ageist this industry is, this is also a story that is deeply existentialist in nature, so human and so tragic. This is one of Billy Wilder’s finest directorial jobs, a film that also has gorgeous cinematography, a wonderful noirish atmosphere to it, a great score and phenomenal editing. Brilliant casting led to incredible performances with Gloria Swanson being particularly impressive in her career-best turn. This is such an inherently dark and unforgiving film that treats all of its characters brutally, but a lot of black humor was included and that made the film more palatable to watch. It is one of the most timeless and masterful films from the Golden Age of Hollywood and one of the best movies of all time. The fact that it’s not number one here is just bad luck as it was released the same year as…

1. All About Eve

Yes, All About Eve clearly is the best movie of 1950 and it’s in my personal top five films of all time. This is a top-notch production all-around that features some of the best casts ever assembled for the big screen. George Sanders was unforgettable in his devilish role, Anne Baxter killed it as the villainous Eve, Thelma Ritter and Celeste Holm were both very charming and likable, and of course Bette Davis delivered her most famous turn in the superb role of Margo Channing. This is easily her most complex and best character and Davis was magnetic, funny and vulnerable all at the same time. The film flows well, it’s so well constructed, and it features a fantastic structure and a terrific ending that was deliciously ironic. It’s an ever relevant story about the pitfalls of fame and ambition that is still riveting to watch to this day. It’s pretty much an impeccable movie and I am so glad that the Academy got it right.

Films That Should Have Been Nominated:

Rashomon – The Academy back then was not on board with international cinema, so Rashomon did not get its proper due, but nowadays it would definitely be nominated. This is an absolute masterpiece from Akira Kurosawa, a film that is propelled by an incredibly innovative structure and riveting storytelling.

Cinderella – Once again a Disney classic was snubbed, but it is in reality one of the best movies of the year. It has its flaws for sure, but the animation is an absolute work of art, the soundtrack is strong and it has a plethora of unforgettable and timeless sequences. It’s an elegantly constructed fairy tale for the ages.

In a Lonely Place – In a Lonely Place needed more thrills and it is entirely predictable. It is more of a doomed romance film than true noir. But it succeeds in its romance as it is so subtly depicted, both characters are so well developed, and the performances from Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame are both fantastic, ranking among some of their best works.