21 instant classics that won Oscar gold

When released in 1939, "Gone With the Wind" broke just about every record. Based on Margaret Mitchell's groundbreaking and controversial novel, audiences couldn't wait to see the novel hit the big screen. When awards time came, there were few surprises as the Academy gave "Gone With the Wind" 13 nominations, of which it won eight, including Best Picture and the first Oscar for an African-American, as Hattie McDaniel won Best Supporting Actress. 

Almost as soon as it was released, "Casablanca" was an instant classic that resonated heavily with both critics and audiences. Many found it to be an excellent piece of anti-Axis propaganda wrapped within the folds of a bittersweet romance between a nightclub owner (Humphrey Bogart) and an old flame (Ingrid Bergman) that had no peer at the time. "Casablanca" was nominated for eight Oscars and came away with the most important three in Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

In 1946, American audiences were weary from a long world war, and as soldiers returned home in various conditions, audiences welcomed films that depicted the aftermath. Few were better received than William Wyler's "The Best Years of Our Lives." Focusing on the lives of three returning veterans, the film was highly regarded for its sensitivity and honesty, and the Academy absolutely noticed, giving the film eight nominations with seven wins. Harold Russell, not a professional actor, received an honorary award "for bringing hope and courage to his fellow veterans through his appearance," in addition to Best Supporting Actor, making him the only actor to win two Oscars for the same performance.

Directed by Elia Kazan and written by Budd Schulberg, two of Hollywood's best creative minds at the time, "On the Waterfront" was an instant critical and commercial darling, depicting the life of a washed-up boxer and his wannabe gangster brother in the midst of a union turf war. The film earned 12 nominations from the Academy, easily winning eight.

As epics go, few were bigger than "Ben-Hur," the most notable blockbuster of the time. Audiences and critics were dazzled by the Technicolor cinematography and harrowing stunts, making the film a ton of money and an instant classic in the process. The Academy followed suit with a whopping 12 nominations, of which "Ben-Hur" won an unprecedented 11, only losing for Best Adapted Screenplay.

When it comes to epic motion pictures, the only director to top William Wyler was David Lean. His "Lawrence of Arabia," a sweeping account of the life and times of T.E. Lawrence and his exploits in the Sahara, was not only a major critical and financial boon in 1962, but it also is widely considered one of the best films ever put to celluloid. The Academy certainly agreed, giving "Lawrence of Arabia" an impressive 10 nominations, winning seven.

Although it had stiff competition at the time from fellow classic "Doctor Zhivago," in 1965, critics were not nearly as in love with David Lean's epic romance as they were with the story of the Von Trapp family. Audiences also agreed, making "The Sound of Music" an instantly beloved classic, as it became the highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing "Gone With the Wind." The Academy gave the film 10 nominations, with Best Picture and Best Director among the five total wins.

By 1970, the epic had largely become a thing of the past, with audiences gravitating toward smaller, more intimate films. "Patton" broke that mold, providing a sweeping and honest account of WWII, far separated from the propaganda-like epics of the past, and an acting showcase for George C. Scott, who treated his portrayal of Gen. George S. Patton like an acting masterclass. "Patton" won seven out of 10 Oscar nominations, and Scott famously was the first actor to refuse his Oscar due to his dislike of the voting process.

Audiences made Mario Puzo's novel "The Godfather" a success in 1969, so it was little surprise that when Francis Ford Coppola released his film version in 1972 it became an instant sensation. Critics and audiences hailed this story of the rise of a mafia family in the years following WWII, and it served as the launch pad for actors Al Pacino, Robert Duvall and James Caan. For his brief performance, Marlon Brando walked away with a Best Actor Oscar, which he refused due to treatment of Native Americans in film. "The Godfather" won six other awards, including Best Picture.

Few sequels ever serve as more than a cash grab, but Francis Ford Coppola did the unthinkable when his sequel to 1972's "The Godfather" managed to not only surpass the original, but also become the first sequel to win an Oscar for Best Picture. While it did not out-gross the original film, it was the highest-grossing film in 1974, and the Academy responded to the instant classic status of "The Godfather II" with 11 nominations and six wins. Surprisingly, although it was an Oscar darling, Al Pacino was stunningly left out in the cold in the Best Actor category.

As tearjerkers go, 1983's "Terms of Endearment" had all the makings for an instant classic, as it featured a stellar cast and a heart-wrenching story. Critics and audiences took to this film from its release, making it one of the few movies of its time to surpass the $100 million mark at the box office. The film took home five Oscars and four Golden Globes, solidifying its place as a rare classic.

The '80s had few sweeping epics, so it wasn't hard to see Bernardo Bertolucci's "The Last Emperor," a biography of child emperor Puyi, going all the way to Oscar gold. Audiences made it one of the highest-grossing films of the year, and the Academy treated this instant classic even better, awarding it all nine Oscars it was nominated for, a rare clean sweep. 

Beloved by critics and controversial with mental health professionals, Barry Levinson's "Rain Man" struck an immediate chord with audiences, and its massive popularity made it the most talked about film of the year — along with the most lucrative. The film's success led to eight Oscar nominations and four wins, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman, whose portrayal of a man afflicted with autism is considered to this day to be his best performance.

Horror films, no matter how sophisticated, rarely ever find consideration when awards season rolls around. But it was hard to deny director Jonathan Demme's take on the Thomas Harris novel of an FBI agent who has to work with pure evil to stop another form of evil. "The Silence of the Lambs" was a financial and critical hit, and while it was considered an instant classic and the best film of the year, the Academy shocked many when it awarded the film Best Picture honors to go along with four other Oscars, sweeping the major categories.

Considered by many to be the last great Western, "Unforgiven" is a somber affair and something that resonated well with audiences and critics who felt director Clint Eastwood gave the genre a beautifully shot and scripted send-off, at least from his perspective, as, to date, Eastwood never filmed or starred in another Western. The Academy gave this instant Western classic nine nominations, with "Unforgiven" winning four, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actor for Gene Hackman's performance. Ironically, even though the Academy gave Eastwood statues for producing and directing, it decided not to give him Best Actor.

Steven Spielberg has been at the top of his game for years, so many of his films have the fortune of being regarded as instant classics. However, despite their status, he couldn't go all the way, something that changed with 1993's "Schindler's List." The story of a German businessman who risked everything to save as many Jewish employees he could during WWII was beloved from its release and considered an Oscar lock. When it was time for nominations, the Academy was generous with 12, of which "Schindler's List" won seven, finally confirming Spielberg as one of the true greats.

Stories about a troubled production and skyrocketing costs made "Titanic" a source of more than a few jokes, as many expected the film to bomb. Once released, the jokes turned into massive accolades as it crashed into the box office and made a fortune, going on to become the highest-grossing film of all time. "Titanic" also set records with the Academy, earning 14 nominations and winning 11, minting director James Cameron as the "king of the world."

Director Ridley Scott was going for a flavor of the old epic as he single-handedly resurrected the swords and sandals genre with "Gladiator," a film whose sweeping vision and amazing visuals resonated with critics and audiences, making it one of the most talked about movies of the new millennium. The Academy gave "Gladiator" a hefty 12 nominations and five Oscars. Interestingly enough it was one of the few films to win Best Picture without also winning Best Director and Best Screenplay awards.

Those in the know felt early on that this would finally be Martin Scorsese's year. As one of America's best auteurs, Scorsese was nominated six previous times for Best Director honors, losing each and every time. However, "The Departed," a remake of the Chinese film "Infernal Affairs," was not only an instant hit with critics and audiences, but also the Academy showered the film with five nominations and four wins, finally giving Scorsese the nod for Best Picture and Best Director, which some feel was akin to a lifetime achievement award. The reality is that no other film released in 2006 came close.

In a year full of stiff competition critically from films like "Boyhood" and "Whiplash," no film released in 2014 was talked about quite like Alejandro G. Iñárritu's "Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)." Featured on more than 50 year-end best-of lists, "Birdman" was considered an early favorite for Best Picture, and once the Oscars came, it was. The only real surprise is that despite nine nominations, Michael Keaton was left holding the bag in the Best Actor category, losing to Eddie Redmayne in a category that was seen by many as an easy win for Keaton.

In a year with a packed field of great films such as "The Big Short," "The Revenant" and "Room," director Tom McCarthy's "Spotlight" was both underdog and the right film to choose as Best Picture. Critics and filmgoers alike looked favorable on this depiction of the Boston Globe's Spotlight investigation desk as it exposed a long-running sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church. While the film won only one other Oscar, the Best Picture win solidified "Spotlight" as a dark horse instant classic.