The 10 movies to have won the most Oscars
The Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, is a prestigious event that celebrates the best in cinematic brilliance. Certain films throughout history have made a pronounced impact at these ceremonies, amassing an astonishing collection of Oscar accolades. Here, we delve into the ten films that have accumulated the highest number of much-coveted awards since the event began in 1929.
Victor Fleming’s 1939 classic Gone with the Wind begins our list. A timeless epic drama set against the backdrop of the American Civil War, it was bestowed with eight Oscars – a groundbreaking achievement at the time, securing awards for ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Actress’ for Vivien Leigh. Equally rewarded with eight Oscars was From Here to Eternity, the 1953 WWII masterpiece from Fred Zinneman that examined the lives of soldiers stationed in Hawaii before the infamous Pearl Harbour attack. A poignant story and compelling performances from Burt Lancaster and Frank Sinatra garnered widespread acclaim, helping the film secure eight Oscars, including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’.
Reviving the status of British cinema on the global scene, 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle was another eight-time Oscar winner. Taking audiences to the slums of Mumbai, it told a riveting tale of perseverance framed through a unique narrative structure of flashbacks to the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Clearly resonating with critics and the Academy alike, it won ‘Best Picture’, ‘Best Director’ and ‘Best Adapted Screenplay’, among five other categories.
If there’s one thing the Academy loves, it’s a good ol’ WWII film. Next, we have Anthony Minghella’s 1996 epic The English Patient, a poignant tale of love and loss set in Italy during the mid-1940s. The film’s beautiful storytelling and cinematic prowess led to its nine Oscar wins, including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’. Only two films prior had secured that many Academy Awards: Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Last Emperor, an opulent historical drama that traced the life of China’s last imperial ruler and took home ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’, and the 1958 musical Gigi by Vincente Minnelli, with it’s charming Parisian romance marking another clean sweep at the Oscars with nine victories, including ‘Best Picture’.
Racking up one extra golden statue with ten Oscars to its name, West Side Story is an unforgettable romantic musical that cleverly transported Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet to the gang-ridden streets of 1950s New York City. Still widely considered one of the best musicals and films of all time, this classic took home top awards, including ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’.
Now, the final three films on our list share the honour of receiving the most Oscars ever in the history of the awards, each with a staggering 11 wins. The most recent was The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Peter Jackson’s epic 2003 conclusion to the unforgettable fantasy trilogy, which was praised for its visual effects, storytelling and direction. Six years before that, James Cameron’s phenomenally successful Titanic brought a real historical tragedy to life with sweeping grandeur and cinematic romance, and its achievements ranged from technical aspects like ‘Best Visual Effects’ to major categories like ‘Best Picture’ and ‘Best Director’.
And last but certainly not least, we have William Wyler’s Ben-Hur. This epic historical drama centred on a Judean prince who seeks revenge after being betrayed by his Roman friend. It laid the foundations for the definitive swords-and-sandals epic, and even follow-ups like Ridley Scott’s Gladiator have yet to be able to recreate the waves it made at the Academy Awards.
Whilst it didn’t make the cut, talking about mammoth Academy Award wins without nodding to the recent Everything Everywhere All at Once would feel wrong. This surprise multiversal gem from A24 completely cleaned up at the awards, heralding a bright future for directors Daniel Kwan with Daniel Scheinert and a progressive step forward for the Academy for bestowing seven Oscars on an Asian-American-led feature.
The movies to have won the most Oscars:
- Gone with the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939) – 8 Oscars
- From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann, 1953) – 8 Oscars
- Slumdog Millionaire (Danny Boyle, 2008) – 8 Oscars
- Gigi (Vincente Minnelli, 1958) – 9 Oscars
- The Last Emperor (Bernardo Bertolucci, 1987) – 9 Oscars
- The English Patient (Anthony Minghella, 1996) – 9 Oscars
- West Side Story (Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins, 1961) – 10 Oscars
- Ben-Hur (William Wyler, 1959) – 11 Oscars
- Titanic (James Cameron, 1997) – 11 Oscars
- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (Peter Jackson, 2003) – 11 Oscars
