The romantic comedy has somewhat of an infamous reputation. Many consider it a female-only genre and discard it because of its well-known tropes and predictability. However, some of cinema's most iconic movies are romantic comedies, and they should get the respect they deserve.
The Academy is certainly not above recognizing the rom-com. And while the genre remains underrepresented in comparison to, say, biopics or straight-up dramas, it has been more widely embraced than horror or sci-fi. Indeed, throughout its 94 years, the Oscars have acknowledged and rewarded multiple romantic comedies.
It Happened One Night (1934)
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It Happened One Night is a pre-code romantic comedy starring two of the greatest actors in movie history, Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert. It tells the story of a headstrong socialite who falls for an intrepid reporter as she tries to escape her father's control.
Mixing elements of screwball and romance, It Happened One Night was a smashing critical and commercial success. It received five Academy Award nominations, winning them all. The film is one of only three--along with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and The Silence of the Lambs--to claim all "Big Five" Oscars: Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay.
The Philadelphia Story (1940)
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Legendary director George Cukor directed Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and Jimmy Stewart in 1940's The Philadelphia Story. The film centers on Tracy Lord, an arrogant socialite whose wedding complicates with the arrival of her ex-husband and an intrusive journalist.
Praised at the time of its release, The Philadelphia Story received six nominations at the 1941 Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Stewart claimed the Oscar for Best Actor, while Donald Ogden Stewart won for his witty and timeless screenplay.
Roman Holiday (1953)
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There's no doubt that Audrey Hepburn has one of the greatest filmographies in Hollywood history. Her breakthrough came in William Wyller's 1953 rom-com Roman Holiday, the story of a princess who joins an undercover journalist and sets out to explore the Eternal City.
An absolute critical and commercial success, Roman Holiday received ten nominations at the 1954 Oscars. Hepburn won the Oscar for Best Actress, writer Dalton Trumbo prevailed in the screenplay category, and legendary designer Edith Head claimed the trophy for costumes.
The Goodbye Girl (1977)
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1977 was a landmark year for rom-coms at the Oscars, with two nominated for Best Picture. One of Richard Dreyfuss' best movies, The Goodbye Girl follows a struggling actor who shares an apartment with his friend's ex-girlfriend and her precocious daughter. The film stars Dreyfuss alongside Marsha Mason and Quinn Cummings.
With five nominations, including Best Picture, The Goodbye Girl was one of the most-nominated films at the 1978 Oscars. Dreyfuss, Mason, and Cummings received nominations, as did Neil Simon's screenplay; however, only Dreyfuss prevailed.
Annie Hall (1977)
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Joining The Goodbye Girl at the 1977 Oscars was Annie Hall, Woody Allen's undisputed masterpiece. Starring Allen and Diane Keaton, the plot centers on Alvie, a neurotic New Yorker trying to understand the reasons for his break-up with the quirky titular character.
Often considered one of the best films of all time by numerous critics and fans, Annie Hall received nominations for the "Big Five" Oscars. It ended up winning four, including Best Picture. Keaton claimed the award for Best Actress, while Allen prevailed in Best Director and Best Original Screenplay.
Broadcast News (1987)
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Legendary producer, director, and writer James L. Brooks is no stranger to the Oscars. He was already a three-time winner for Terms of Endearment when 1987's Broadcast News came out. The film centers on an ambitious news producer and her relationships with a seasoned reporter and his charismatic rival and stars Holly Hunter, Albert Brooks, and William Hurt.
Broadcast News is one of the most-nominated movies at the Oscars with no wins, receiving seven mentions, the second-most for any 1987 film at the 1988 ceremony. Hunter, Hurt, and Brooks received acting nominations, while Brooks earned acknowledgments for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Alas, they all went home empty-handed.
Moonstruck (1987)
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Ten years after 1977 produced two Oscar-nominated rom-coms, 1987 followed suit with Broadcast News and Moonstruck. Starring Cher and Nicolas Cage, Moonstruck follows Loretta Castorini, a 37-year-old Italian widow who falls for the much-younger brother of her new fiancé.
A massive critical and commercial success, Moonstruck earned Cher the Academy Award for Best Actress. Supporting actress Olympia Dukakis also won the Oscar, as did the film's writer, John Patrick Shanley. Additionally, Moonstruck earned nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actor for Vincent Gardenia.
Jerry Maguire (1996)
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Nowadays, Tom Cruise might be best-known for playing Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible franchise, but his career is full of acclaimed and iconic movies that cemented him as one of the best actors of his generation. Case in point, 1996's Jerry Maguire, the story of a sports agent who begins his own management firm alongside a young single mother after getting fired by his long-time company.
Directed by Cameron Crowe, Jerry Maguire earned five nominations at the 1997 Oscars, including Best Picture. However, it only took home one prize, Best Supporting Actor for Cuba Gooding Jr.'s electric breakthrough performance.
As Good As It Gets (1997)
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Another James L. Brooks rom-com that received plenty of Oscar love, As Good As It Gets stars Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. It follows Melvil Udall, a misanthropic man with obsessive-compulsive disorder, whose life changes through contact with his gay neighbor and a struggling waitress.
As Good As It Gets received seven nominations at the 1998 Oscars, including Best Picture. Unfortunately, that was the year Titanic dominated the Oscars, winning eleven out of its record fourteen nominations. Still, Nicholson and Hunt won Best Actor and Best Actress, making As Good As It Gets the most recent example of a film claiming both leading acting Oscars.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
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David O. Russell's 2012 rom-com Silver Linings Playbook follows Patrizio "Pat" Solitano, a bipolar man recently released from a mental institution. Returning home to live with his parents, he forms a bond with a young and volatile widow with whom he enters a dance contest.
Starring Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Jackie Weaver, the film earned eight nominations at the 2013 Academy Awards. All four actors received mentions for their work, with Lawrence prevailing in the Best Actress and becoming one of the youngest actors to win an Oscar. Her win was the film's sole victory, cementing O. Russell and his films as perpetual Oscar bridesmaids.