13 thoughts on “Best Original Score Oscar Winning Movies”

1. Did they have multiple winners in some years, I mean 117 films in 93 years or so,

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   1. Hey Dan. From the 1930s to 1979 the Oscar people gave two Best Oscar Score awards….one for movies that were musicals and one for non-musical movies. The musical Oscar Score made it for another 10 years after the musical boom of the 1960s…but by the end of the 1970s….there were not that many musicals being made. I bet when A Little Night Music won in 1977 the Oscar people started thinking it was time to go to one Oscar for the sound category.

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      1. Hey Dan……here is some more Oscar Score trivia I found fascinating….when the category was started…there seemed to be no limit to how many movies could get nominated…in 1941 30 movies earned Best Original Score Oscar nominations…..30 movies! Goodness the entire Oscar audience would be musical composers.

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         1. For about 10 years every studio was allowed to have a film nominated. This included pictures independently made but were released through the majors. So RKO would have a film of their own. They distributed both Disney and Samuel Goldwyn films at the time so those 2 could submit their own. I had a book on the Oscars given to me by my late mother-in-law which showed all the nominated films in each category but I have no idea where it is now.

            Example from Wikipedia; These are the 1944 films up for best score

            4
            (17th)
            Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture

            Since You Went Away Max Steiner (Selznick / UA)
            Address Unknown Morris Stoloff & Ernst Toch (Columbia)
            The Adventures of Mark Twain Steiner (Warner Brothers)
            The Bridge of San Luis Rey Dimitri Tiomkin (Benedict Bogeaus / UA)
            Casanova Brown Arthur Lange (International / RKO)
            Christmas Holiday Hans J. Salter (Universal)
            Double Indemnity Miklós Rózsa (Paramount)
            The Fighting Seabees Walter Scharf & Roy Webb (Republic)
            The Hairy Ape Michel Michelet & Edward Paul (Mayfair / UA)
            It Happened Tomorrow Robert Stolz (Arnold Pressburger / UA)
            Jack London Fred Rich (Samuel Bronston / UA)
            Kismet Herbert Stothart (MGM)
            None but the Lonely Heart Constantin Bakaleinikoff & Hanns Eisler (RKO)
            The Princess and the Pirate David Rose (Samuel Goldwyn / RKO)
            Summer Storm Karl Hajos (Angelus Pictures / UA)
            Three Russian Girls Franke Harling (R-F Prods. / UA)
            Up in Mabel’s Room Edward Paul (Edward Small Prods. / UA)
            Voice in the Wind Michel Michelet (Ripley/Monter Prods. / UA)
            Wilson Alfred Newman (Fox)
            The Woman of the Town Miklós Rózsa (Harry Sherman Prods. / UA)

            10 are independents released through UA (United Artists) and 2 independents through RKO (besides their own.)

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            1. Hey Dan….thanks for all of this information. Glad you found the book. Sounds like your mother-in-law knew what her son-in-law liked. Good information on the independent and major studio releases.

         2. I found the book. So in 1941 you had the following indies.

            Ball of Fire – Goldwyn / RKO
            Cheers for Miss Bishop – Rowland / UA
            Citizen Kane – Mercury / RKO
            KIng of the Zombies – Monogram
            Little Foxes – Goldwyn / RKO (2 from the same indie)
            Lydia – Korda / UA
            Mercy Island – Republic
            So Ends Our Night – Loew – Lewin / UA
            Sundown – Wanger / UA
            Tanks a Million – Roach / UA
            That Uncertain Feeling – Lubitsch / UA
            All American Coed – Roach / UA
            Dumbo – Disney / RKO
            Ice Capades – Republic

            Those are from both categories (Drama/Musical)

            What a year.

            9 best song nominees
            10 best picture
            8 special effects
            16 cinematography (10 black and white, 6 color)
            10 short subject cartoons
            7 one reel shorts
            15 art direction (12 black and white 3 color)
            11 sound recording
            9 documentary

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            1. 1941 was a very busy year for Hollywood. I imagine the war in Europe was our their minds….and for good reason when December 1941 came along. Once again, thanks for finding the missing book and for including that information here. You are the man.

2. Hey Flora. This is my second attempt to comment back….my first comment disappeared. Tally count: the other Bob gets the win with an incredible 117 of these movies seen. I sit in 2nd with 109 movies seen. Your total is impressive….but a little behind us. Pretty surprised that you have only seen 65% of the Top 20….but then I know the reason why you missed some of those movies. My dad would be happy to see The Bridge on the River Kwai getting on your favorites list. Good stuff as always.

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3. great page.
   i saw 117 including top 93. this happened because i let UMR guide my watchlist. i love it. yea UMR, Yea Cogerson, Yea commenters.
   at Cogerson’s suggestion i have already ordered 5 of the unseen from my public library

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   1. Hey bob cox. Good to hear from you. Tally count….bob cox with the win….117, 109 for me and 83 for Flora. I have seen the Top 64…before my first miss. Glad our lists are getting you to see some good movies. Good stuff.

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4. I have seen 83 of these movies. I will focus only on the top 20, however.

   I have seen 13 of the top 20 Best Original Score winners.

   Favourite Original Song Winners:

   Lawrence of Arabia
   The Best Years of Our Lives
   The Bridge on the River Kwai
   The Sound of Music
   West Side Story
   My Fair Lady
   The Sting
   An American in Paris
   Doctor Zhivago

   Other Best Original Score Winners I Have Seen:

   Ben-Hur
   Shakespeare in love
   Dances With Wolves
   E.T.

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5. Great UMR Page

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   1. Thank you Mike.

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