Surprise! I haven’t forgotten about these. For whatever reason it just took me a while to get to it. I hope those of you who celebrate Christmas had a good time, and I hope to be more frequent with my blogging in the future. (You can look forward to reviews, Oscar coverage, and maybe even a return of ‘The Ultimate Snub’, if you remember that.)
Best Adapted Screenplay is one category that the Academy tended to get it right. When there was a good screenplay, they tended to acknowledge it here. Also, the majority of I think Adapted Screenplay might be the single most competitive category in the race. There are some really awesome screenplays that were left out, and I guarantee you’re probably not gonna agree with the five that I ultimately chose.
First, a few of the also-rans.
25.) A Man For All Seasons (WON)
24.) Driving Miss Daisy (WON)
23.) Rebecca (nominated)
22.) Gentleman’s Agreement (nominated)
21.) Ben-Hur (nominated)
20.) Mrs. Miniver (nominated)
19.) From Here To Eternity (WON)
18.) One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (WON)
17.) Terms From Endearment (WON)
16.) No Country For Old Men (WON)
15.) Schindler’s List (WON)
14.) Million Dollar Baby (nominated)
13.) The Lost Weekend (WON)
12.) The Silence Of The Lambs (WON)
11.) Midnight Cowboy (WON)
And now, the runner-ups.
10.) The Godfather (WON)
Now this is what you call a classic, and for good reason.
9.) A Beautiful Mind (WON)
Perfect example of how to do a biopic right.
8.) Forrest Gump (WON)
A children’s storybook brought to life, wonderfully.
7.) It Happened One Night (WON)
Charming. Quotable, Classic.
6.) Ordinary People (WON)
How to adapt a play right. Really wanted to include this in the final lineup.
Now, in the top five, I decided to use brief excerpts from the film’s screenplays. They’re all really well written. Also, all five of these won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, so there’s that.
And now, the top five.
“ALL ABOUT EVE”
Slowly, she walks to a large three-mirrored cheval. With grace and infinite dignity she holds the award to her, and bows again and again… as if to the applause of a multitude.
“AMADEUS”
OLD SALIERI (V.O.): So that was he! That giggling, dirty-minded creature I’d just seen crawling on the floor. Mozart. The phenomenon whose legend has haunted my youth. Impossible.
“CASABLANCA”
RICK: Sam, if it’s December 1941 in Casablanca, what time is it in New York? SAM: Uh, my watch stopped. RICK: I bet they’re asleep in New York. I’ll bet they’re asleep all over America.
“THE GODFATHER: PART II”
MICHAEL: I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart.
“KRAMER VS. KRAMER”
(NOTE – Ted does not for a moment believe his wife will really leave him. All he can think of right now is that he will have to spend the rest of the evening coping with one of her moods.)
8.) Titanic
6.) Amadeus
3.) Casablanca
3.) The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King
2.) A Beautiful Mind
2.) Ben-Hur
2.) Forrest Gump
2.) The Godfather: Part II
2.) Gone With The Wind
2.) Lawrence Of Arabia
2.) Midnight Cowboy
2.) Out Of Africa
2.) Platoon
2.) Rebecca
1.) All About Eve
1.) All Quiet On The Western Front
1.) An American In Paris
1.) Birdman
1.) Crash
1.) Gandhi
1.) Gigi
1.) The Godfather
1.) Going My Way
1.) Kramer Vs. Kramer
1.) The Lost Weekend
1.) My Fair Lady
1.) Oliver
1.) Shakespeare In Love
1.) Unforgiven
CONMAN AT THE MOVIES 