5: Ordinary People beats Raging Bull
Back in 1981 the Best Picture race was really between two films, Robert Redford’s Ordinary People and Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull. Redford’s Ordinary People ending up taking home the statuette, and Redford also took home best director.
At the time this may not have seemed as outrageous as it does now, but in retrospect this is one of the biggest mistakes the Academy have ever made. Raging Bull has gone on to become a classic, whilst Ordinary People now looks, well, rather ordinary. Many people consider Raging Bull as not only the best film of 81, but of the 80’s in general, something which must leave the Academy feeling a little red faced.
