The 10 most shocking Oscar snubs of all time include iconic, critically-acclaimed films that were never nominated for an Academy Award. Much is said about the biggest snubs for movies, actors, or directors nominated for Oscars that didn’t win, such as how Vertigo and Citizen Kane – two of the most highly revered films of all time – either didn’t receive nods for or lost Best Picture. However, even more surprising are the classic and influential movies that didn’t receive a single Oscar nomination in the first place.
Oscar nomination snubs can have political, industry-based, or largely inexplicable reasons, which could be related to controversial campaigns for nominees or that some films were cult classics unappreciated in their day. While there are some examples of the best movies of all time that were snubbed in the big categories for acting or Best Picture, some weren’t even given nods for creative categories like Best Production Design. This has happened on numerous occasions since the Academy Awards commenced in 1929, but there are 10 incredibly shocking Oscar movie snubs that stand out among the rest, which include films by the Coen brothers and Orson Welles.
10 Lady And The Tramp (1955)
Despite the fact that it’s considered one of the best animated movies ever, Disney’s 1955 animated musical Lady and the Tramp in live-action in 2019, the beloved musical still failed to earn any Academy Award nominations.
9 Before Sunrise (1995)
Richard Linklater’s romantic drama Before Sunrise was heavily featured on critics’ lists of the best movies of 1995, but was snubbed of any recognition at the 1996 Oscars. The film still holds a coveted 100% Fresh score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, with Linklater’s direction and screenplay, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s performances, and its cinematography continuing to be praised today. Unfortunately, Before Sunrise didn’t receive any Oscar nominations in these deserving categories, with the 1996 ceremony giving several nods to films like Sense and Sensibility, Braveheart, Apollo 13, and The Usual Suspects instead.
That year had also favored the work of industry legends and familiar stories, whereas Hawke, Delpy, and filmmaker Richard Linklater were much fresher in Hollywood. While Before Sunrise was snubbed at the Oscars, the classic movie’s sequels fared better with awards recognition. Before Sunset was nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2005 Oscars, with Before Midnight receiving a nod in the same category at the 2014 ceremony.
8 His Girl Friday (1940)
The 1940 film His Girl Friday is recognized as a quintessential screwball comedy, with its rapid dialogue, remarkable wit, innovative editing techniques, and brilliant changes in its screenplay adaptation cementing it as a classic in the Golden Age of Hollywood. While His Girl Friday is considered the better film, the 1931 movie adaptation of The Front Page earned a nomination for Best Picture, whereas the 1940 movie was snubbed across the board. Even today, His Girl Friday holds a 99% positive critic score on movie star Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell’s performances.
Since Cary Grant starred in two of the biggest movies of 1940 (His Girl Friday and The Philadelphia Story), it’s possible that he was snubbed for a Best Actor nomination due to votes being spread between his performances. Every Best Actress nomination at the 1941 Oscars was for a movie also nominated for Best Picture, which may explain why Rosalind Russell was snubbed of an Academy Award nod. Howard Hawks being snubbed for Best Director is another shocking oversight, yet it appears the Academy wasn’t too keen on awarding remakes of already-nominated stories back in 1941.
7 The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)
Sergio Leone’s massively influential Italian spaghetti Western Clint Eastwood, the Western is a masterpiece of the genre with highly distinctive cinematography, scoring, and art direction. The reason for The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly’s Oscars oversight is partially due to the fact that spaghetti Westerns were considered inferior films at the time, so critics weren’t eager to give good reviews or reward it with nods at the most prestigious film event of the year. Over time, recognition of the artistic value and influence of the movie has grown, but not soon enough to make an impact at the Oscars.
6 Touch Of Evil (1958)
Orson Welles’ Touch of Evil was also shockingly snubbed with zero nominations at the 1959 Oscars. Directed by, written by, and starring Welles in one of the most chilling performances of his career, the definitive film noir Touch of Evil remains an archetype of its genre that also includes innovative technical work and a compelling story on the nature of good and evil. It may be considered one of the greatest movies of all time today, but Touch of Evil was surprisingly not well-received upon its premiere in 1958, which explains its lack of Academy Award nominations. Following Touch of Evil’s 1998 re-edit release, the film gained more popularity with critical re-evaluations praising Welles’ work.
5 The Shining (1980)
Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 adaptation of Stephen King’s book Razzie Award nominations during the satire awards’ inaugural ceremony. The film is far better recognized today, but was still met with mixed reviews from critics when snubbed at the 1981 Oscars.
4 City Lights (1931)
City Lights is another example of a film considered to be one of the greatest of all time that was shockingly snubbed by the Academy. Just as it is today, City Lights was popular among critics upon its release, with Chaplin’s performance, direction, writing, and music doubtlessly being among the best of 1931. However, Charlie Chapin’s masterpiece silent film is regarded as a defiant rejection of Hollywood’s shift to “talkies,” which is thought to be why it received zero nominations at the 1931 Oscars. Only one silent film was nominated at the 4th Academy Awards, which was Tabu: A Story of the South Seas for Best Cinematography.
3 The Big Lebowski (1998)
Another shocking example of a great film snubbed by the Oscars is the 1998 The Big Lebowski’s snubs came as a massive surprise. The movie’s score and performances by Jeff Bridges and John Goodman were widely praised upon release, but the story and filmmaking techniques were considered almost too absurdist by some critics after the success of Fargo. Despite the Coens’ winning status with the Academy at the time, the 1999 Oscars gave zero recognition to The Big Lebowski, which would receive more positive reviews over time.
2 Blade Runner (1982)
Another example of a cult classic that was initially dismissed before gaining rightful praise over time, Blade Runner received mixed reviews in 1982 for its slow pace and reserved action, it’s a tragedy that the film’s iconic “tears in rain” monologue in the screenplay, performances by Harrison Ford and Rutger Hauer, visual effects, score, and direction went without Academy recognition. Blade Runner was deeply misunderstood by critics and audiences alike upon its release, but it was still a shocking oversight for the Oscars to give zero nominations to one of the most important sci-fi movies of all time.
1 Bringing Up Baby (1938)
Much like His Girl Friday, Bringing Up Baby is one of the greatest American movies in history, which boasts two show-stopping screwball comedy performances by classic Hollywood icons Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn. The fact that Hepburn was snubbed of a Best Actress nomination is shocking, as the 1939 Oscars featured brilliant performances from stars that year, but none as influential or frankly as memorable as Katharine Hepburn in Bringing Up Baby. Cary Grant was also a highlight of the performances of that year, but was overlooked entirely.
What’s shocking about Bringing Up Baby being snubbed of nominations in every category at the 1939 Oscars is that the film was widely popular with critics and audiences upon its release. Howard Hawks’ movie remains a timeless classic in its genre with sophisticated and witty dialogue that deserved recognition from the prestigious voting body. Hepburn would go on to win several Oscars, Grant would be nominated for a few, and Hawks would receive one nomination for Best Director, but Bringing Up Baby’s groundbreaking screwball comedy writing and influential style should have been what launched their critical successes with Oscar nods.
