6 Shots From 6 Best Picture Winners: 1927 — 1939

Posted on March 10, 2024 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 Shots From 4 Films is just what it says it is, 4 shots from 4 of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 Shots From 4 Films lets the visuals do the talking!

Today, I’m using this feature to take a look at the history of the Academy Award for Best Picture. Decade by decade, I’m going to highlight my picks for best of the winning films. To start with, here are 6 shots from 6 Films that won Best Picture during the early days of the Academy Awards! Here are….

6 Shots From 6 Best Picture Winners

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927, dir by F.W. Murnau, DP: Charles Rosher and Karl Struss)

Wings (1927, dir by William Wellman, DP: Harry Perry)

All Quiet On The Western Front (1930, dir by Lewis Milestone, DP: Arthur Edeson)

It Happened One Night (1934, dir by Frank Capra, DP: Joseph Walker)

Mutiny on the Bounty (1935, dir by Frank Lloyd, DP: Arthur Edeson)

Gone With The Wind (1939, dir by Victor Fleming, DP: Ernest Haller)

4 Shots From 4 Films: Special Ernst Lubitsch Edition

Posted on January 29, 2021 by Lisa Marie Bowman

4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films is just what it says it is, 4 (or more) shots from 4 (or more) of our favorite films. As opposed to the reviews and recaps that we usually post, 4 (or more) Shots From 4 (or more) Films lets the visuals do the talking.

129 years ago today, Ernst Lubitsch was born in Germany. It was in Germany where he first started his directorial career, directing his first silent film in 1918. He came to Hollywood in 1922 and continued to work as a director up until he suffered a sudden and fatal heart attack in 1947. Lubitsch was famed for the “Lubitsch touch,” which could roughly be translated into the fact that he made sophisticated, sexually-charged comedies for adults. During the Depression, he provided audiences with an escape from the drudgery of everyday life. Lubitsch brought the comedy of manners to Hollywood and his influence is still felt to this day.

In honor of Ernst Lubitsch’s career and cinematic legacy, here are….

4 Shots From 4 Ernst Lubitsch Films

Rosita (1923, dir by Ernst Lubitsch, DP: Charles Rosher)

One Hour With You (1931, dir by Ernst Lubitsch, DP: Victor Milner)

Trouble In Paradise (1932, dir by Ernst Lubitsch, DP: Victor Milner)

The Merry Widow (1934, dir by Ernst Lubitsch, DP: Oliver T. Marsh)

4 Shots From 4 Inaugural Oscar Winners: Wings, Sunrise, The Last Command, Seventh Heaven

Posted on May 16, 2019 by Lisa Marie Bowman

Today is the 90th anniversary of the very first Academy Awards ceremony!

On May 16th, 1929, a private dinner was held at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles, California. The dinner was largely meant to celebrate the establishment of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The brainchild of Louis B. Mayer, the AMPAS was founded to help mediate labor disputes between the studios and the unions. As almost an afterthought, it was decided that AMPAS would also give out annual awards to honor the best films of the year.

12 awards were handed out on May 16th, before an audience of 270 people. The entire awards ceremony took 15 minutes. That’s quite a contrast to what the Academy eventually became.

In honor of that 15-minute ceremony, here’s….

4 Shots From 4 Films Honored At The Very First Oscar Ceremony

Wings (1927, dir by William Wellman) Won The Outstanding Production Awards

Sunrise (1927, dir by F.W. Murnau) Won Best Unique and Artistic Picture

The Last Command (1928, dir by Josef von Sternberg) Won Best Actor — Emil Jannings

Seventh Heaven (1927, dir by Frank Borzage) Winner Best Actress — Janet Gaynor

Along with her performance in Seventh Heaven, Janet Gaynor was also honored for her work in Street Angel and Sunrise. Emil Jannings was honored for his work in both The Last Command and The Way of all Flesh,

Here’s what else won at the inaugural Oscar ceremony:

Best Direction, Comedy Picture — Lewis Milestone for Two Arabian Knights

Best Direction, Drama Picture — Frank Borzage for Seventh Heaven

Best Original Story — Ben Hecht for Underworld

Best Adaptation — Benjamin Glazer for Seventh Heaven, based on the play by Austin Strong

Best Art Direction — William Cameron Menzies for The Dove and Tempest

Best Cinematography — Charles Rosher and Karl Struss for Sunrise

Best Engineering Effects — Roy Pomeroy for Wings

Best Title Writing — Joseph Farnham for Fair Co-Ed; Laugh, Clown, Laugh; and Telling the World.