Podcast Summary: Everything Everywhere Daily – "The Greatest Oscar Snubs"
Host: Gary Arndt
Date: March 15, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Gary Arndt explores the notorious times when the Academy Awards failed to reward the films that have stood the test of time. Focusing exclusively on the Best Picture category, Gary discusses the most controversial "Oscar snubs"—moments when the Academy overlooked or outright excluded movies now considered classics. The episode weaves together history, hindsight, and film criticism, offering listeners a concise yet thoughtful catalogue of some of the greatest missteps in Oscar history.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Defining an "Oscar Snub"

[03:45]

• Gary clarifies that for brevity, he will focus only on the Best Picture category, acknowledging bad calls in other categories but setting “guardrails given the time constraints.”
• “This is going to be a very subjective episode, but I think I have a good background for compiling such a list.” (Gary Arndt, 04:21)

2. Iconic Snubs: Films That Should Have Won

Citizen Kane vs. How Green Was My Valley (1941)

[05:05]

• Citizen Kane is “widely considered to be the greatest film of all time,” yet lost to How Green Was My Valley.
• Noted that William Randolph Hearst’s power in Hollywood enabled him to “pressure Academy members to vote against Citizen Kane.”
• “How Green Was My Valley’s greatest claim to fame is beating Citizen Kane for the Oscar, and it’s far from John Ford’s best film.” (Gary Arndt, 06:30)

Saving Private Ryan vs. Shakespeare in Love (1999)

[07:45]

• “Shakespeare in Love has been all but forgotten since it won the Oscar over a quarter century ago. Saving Private Ryan has only grown in stature… widely considered to be one of the greatest war films ever made.”
• The win is attributed to Harvey Weinstein’s “aggressive awards campaign,” including early, widespread DVD screeners and targeted lobbying.
• “Needless to say, the whole Harvey Weinstein involvement has not helped the film’s perception over time.” (Gary Arndt, 09:06)

Vertigo and 2001: A Space Odyssey – Not Even Nominated

[12:18], [16:55]

• Vertigo: Overlooked in 1959 when Gigi won Best Picture; “Vertigo received only modest recognition when it was released… but has accumulated some of the highest honors ever given any film.”
  • “It’s routinely ranked as among the greatest films in cinema history.”
  • “In 2012, Vertigo ranked number one in the British Film Institute’s Sight and Sound Critics Poll, ending a 50-year run in which Citizen Kane held the top spot.” (14:02)
• 2001: A Space Odyssey: Not nominated for Best Picture in 1968, even though it “has become one of the most acclaimed and influential films ever made.”
  • "At the 41st Academy Awards, the film won Best Visual Effects, the only Oscar that Stanley Kubrick ever received." (17:45)
  • In 2022, ranked the greatest film of all time by directors in the Sight and Sound poll.

3. Analysis of the Academy’s Conservatism

[18:50]

• The Oscars “tend to vote for dramas and traditional studio films,” often snubbing genres like horror, action, and science fiction that challenge conventions.
• “Films that are groundbreaking or that challenge conventional filmmaking haven’t tended to win Best Picture.” (Gary Arndt, 19:15)

4. Other Significant Snubs Across Decades

• Driving Miss Daisy (1990) vs. Do The Right Thing

  • “Do the Right Thing wasn’t even nominated in 1990, and the eventual winner Driving Miss Daisy has mostly been forgotten.” (21:04)
  • All four other nominees “were arguably all better than Driving Miss Daisy and have had a greater legacy.”

• Greatest Show on Earth (1953) vs. High Noon

  • High Noon, “considered to be one of the greatest Westerns of all time,” lost to a “fine movie, but nothing special.”

• Around the World in 80 Days (1957) vs. Giant

  • “It’s the only Best Picture winner to have never been released on Blu Ray… which kind of says something."
  • "Giant was clearly better than Around the World in 80 Days." (24:45)

• Ordinary People (1981) vs. Raging Bull

  • “Ordinary People—fine movie—but Raging Bull is widely considered to be the best American film of the 1980s.” (25:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you remember back to my episode on Citizen Kane, it was the not-so-subtle retelling of the story of William Randolph Hearst.” (Gary Arndt, 05:45)
• “While Citizen Kane is the most obvious example of the Academy getting it wrong, it’s far from the only one.” (Gary Arndt, 07:04)
• On Gigi: “The story is about Gigi, a girl raised by her grandmother and aunt, both former courtesans who train her… specifically so she can attract and financially depend on a rich patro[n].” (Gary Arndt, 11:27)
• “Modern audiences usually find it troubling and creepy because it shows a system in which young women are essentially prepared for transactional relationships with older men.” (Gary Arndt, 12:06)
• Concluding remark: “So the next time you watch the Oscars or just read the results and you’re puzzled as to why something you didn’t think was very good won, there’s a good chance you’re right and it also wouldn’t be the first time that it happened.” (Gary Arndt, 26:41)

Segment Timestamps

• [03:45] – Setting the scope: Only Best Picture snubs
• [05:05] – Citizen Kane vs. How Green Was My Valley
• [07:45] – Shakespeare in Love vs. Saving Private Ryan
• [12:18] – Gigi wins over Vertigo (Vertigo not even nominated)
• [16:55] – 2001: A Space Odyssey overlooked for Best Picture
• [18:50] – Commentary on the Academy’s traditionalism
• [21:04] – Driving Miss Daisy vs. other 1990 nominees
• [24:45] – Around the World in 80 Days vs. Giant
• [25:50] – Ordinary People vs. Raging Bull
• [26:41] – Final thoughts and recurring theme

Tone and Style

Gary maintains a conversational, accessible, and slightly wry tone—mixing critical historical analysis with the affection of a true movie-lover. His approach is both informative and opinionated, leveraging his deep knowledge of film history while freely admitting his own subjectivity and the benefit of hindsight.

Summary Takeaway

The episode offers a compact but insightful tour through Oscar history’s biggest “what were they thinking?” moments. Gary contextualizes each snub with a mix of contemporary and historical viewpoints, underscoring how the Oscars often favor the conventional or politically convenient over the innovative, as proven by their long track record of overlooking what would become cinema’s most lauded masterpieces.