Five Movies with Multiple Nominations but no Oscar Wins

Losing an Oscar is also a way to go down in history. There are great movies that are remembered not only for their excellence, but also because they didn't get the most prestigious recognition in Hollywood despite having multiple nominations. The latest awards ceremony adds "The Banshees of Inisherin", "Tár", "The Fabelmans" and "Elvis" to this repertoire, but their directors can take comfort in the occasions in which this fact has allowed the tapes to establish as movie classics.

These are five movies remembered for losing all of their Oscar nominations.

"Psycho" (1960)

The master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, never got an Academy Award. Nominated five times for best director, his last chance was with this classic that revolutionized the psychological thriller with its iconic shower scene where Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), the film's protagonist, died at the hands of a mysterious figure. Leigh was nominated for best supporting actress, a category in which her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis triumphed this year 61 years later.

"The Turning Point" (1978)

In 1978 Herbert Ross's film made history by setting the record for the most nominated film without a win when it lost in eleven categories. The Herbert Ross film stars the legendary Shirley MacLaine and Anne Bancroft. Deedee (MacLaine) must give up her dream of being a dancer when she becomes pregnant. Years later, she is visited by Emma (Anne Bancroft), an old friend from her dance company. She proposes that she take her daughter to pursue the goal that the mother gave up years ago, when she faced the decision between personal fulfillment and family.

Bancroft had already won the Oscar in 1963 for "The Miracle Worker" and MacLaine would do so later in 1984 with "Terms of Endearment." Although this was Ross's only individual nomination, his filmography is recognized as an inspiration to many filmmakers. Among them Rian Johnson, who has cited Ross's film "The Last of Sheila" as inspiration for his Oscar-nominated films "Knives Out" and "Glass Onion."

"The Color Purple" (1985)

"The Fabelmans" is not the first Steven Spielberg film without an Oscar. In the extensive filmography of the most prolific director in Hollywood, more than one has run out of statuettes. On the list are “The Post” (2017), “War Horse” (2011), “Munich” (2005) and most notably, “The Color Purple” (1985), which tied the record for the film with the most nominations without any victory.

Based on the 1982 novel by Alice Walker, it focuses on the reality of African-American women at the beginning of the 20th century, marked by racism and male violence, through the eyes of the young Celie Harris, played by Whoopi Goldberg. She earned her first Oscar nomination that year. Oprah Winfrey was also nominated in the supporting actress category and is currently producing, along with Spielberg, the musical remake that will be released in December 2023.

Read also: The Oscars 2023 Awards: A Ceremony with Little out of the Script

"American Hustle" (2013)

In 2013, the year after David O'Russell's acclaimed “Silver Linings Playbook” garnered eight nominations and brought Jennifer Lawrence the best actress Oscar, the director returned to the Dolby Theater with “American Hustle.” Starring Lawrence alongside Amy Adams, Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper, it is inspired by the FBI's Abscam operation between 1970 and 1980, which with the support of a convicted fraudster led to the capture of seven congressmen for corruption. It garnered ten nominations that included all 4 categories of acting, directing, and film.

Since the premiere, there have been reports of O'Russell's violent behavior on set. Among these, he was said to have verbally abused Adams and made her cry during filming, a fact that was confirmed by the actress in 2016. His return with “Amsterdam,” starring Bale and Margot Robbie, was expected to earn her new nominations, but the film was poorly received by critics and failed at the box office.

"The Irishman" (2019)

Matin Scorsese is another of the great directors who is famous for his losing streak at the Oscars. Of his 14 individual nominations, he has only won one for Best Director for "The Departed" (2006), which he received from Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg in one of the most memorable ceremonies. But this was the exception to the rule proven by "Taxi Driver" (1976) with four nominations, "The Wolf of Wall Street" (2013) with five, "Gangs of New York" (2001) with ten, a feat he repeated a few years ago a few years with “The irishman".

Based on the book Charles Brandt, it adapts the confessions of Frank Sheeran, the American unionist linked to the mafia, who claimed responsibility for the murder of Jimmy Hoffa in 1975. The film reunited Scorsese with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, whom he directed in his Oscar-winning performances for “Raging Bull” (1980) and “Goodfellas” (1990) respectively, as well as marking his first collaboration with Al Pacino. It was one of Netflix's big bets on a movie for an awards season.

This year Scorsese will try his luck again with "Killers of the flower moon", starring Leonardo DiCaprio, produced by Apple and with a budget of more than 200 million dollars. It is rumored to last for over three hours and will premiere at the Cannes film festival.