Summary
- A three-way tie exists for the most Oscar wins, held by Ben-Hur, Titanic, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
- The iconic films share an emphasis on high production value, great actors, and brilliant directors who brought home the Oscars.
- While Ben-Hur, Titanic, and LOTR may have 11 Oscars each, West Side Story (1961) holds close with an impressive 10 wins.
Every spring the Academy Awards showcase the most celebrated, prestigious films of the previous year, but which movie has the most Oscars under its belt? There are countless standouts that have been acknowledged and praised for their awards, and while the main focus tends to be on celebrities who win Best Actor/Actress or Director, the other categories shouldn't be overlooked. Across 23 categories, everything from sound to costumes to art direction — everything that goes into making a movie incredible — is rewarded.
Across its history, the number of Oscars categories has changed, and most recently in 2020, Sound Editing and Sound Mixing were combined for one sound category. Many Academy changes generate controversy, and though the Oscars have had some dark moments in the past, they are an undeniably important part of Hollywood history. While many types of films have won at the Oscars, from musicals to indies to period dramas, those that sweep the categories tend to have several things in common: high production value, top-notch actors, and acclaimed directors. And the record holder for a movie with the most Oscar wins is a three-way tie.
Ben-Hur (1959) - 11 Wins
Ben-Hur (1959) is an epic historical drama directed by William Wyler, starring Charlton Heston in the titular role. Set during the time of Christ, the story follows Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince who is betrayed and enslaved by his childhood friend. The film is renowned for its chariot race scene and earned eleven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
Category |
Winner |
Best Actor |
Charlton Heston |
Best Director |
William Wyler |
Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture |
Miklos Rozsa |
Best Costume Design |
Elizabeth Haffenden |
Best Color Art Direction |
Hugh Hunt, William A. Horning, & Edward Carfagno |
Best Film Editing |
Ralph E. Winters & John D. Dunning |
Best Sound |
Franklin E. Milton |
Best Cinematography |
Robert L. Surtees |
Special Effects |
Robert MacDonald, A. Arnold Gillespie, & Milo Lory |
Best Motion Picture |
Sam Zimbalist |
Best ing Actor |
Hugh Griffith |
Ben-Hur starred Charlton Heston as the main character (Judah Ben-Hur), Jack Hawkins (Quintus Arrius), and Haya Harareet (Esther). Following the rise and fall of a Jewish prince who became enslaved at the hands of his adopted brother, Judah challenged his brother to a chariot race for their freedom. Some of the best action movies can't offer what Ben-Hur offered, especially the chariot race. The race is known as one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history because of the amount of detail that went into it, including an 18-acre track, 18 chariots, and sand brought in from Mexico (via Pololine).
Ben-Hur became a massive success in the late '50s, winning 11 Academy Awards. At the time, it was one of the most expensive to film, costing a whopping $15 million (via Nazanin Boniadi and Rodrigo Santoro felt the pressure of Ben-Hur when it was revived by Timur Bekmambeto, but it never touched 1959's Ben-Hur in the awards category.
Oscars 2024 Best Picture Nominees & Final Winner Prediction
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Titanic (1997) - 11 Wins
Titanic is the 1997 blockbuster romantic/disaster epic based on the events surrounding the sinking of the legendary "unsinkable" vessel. Flashing back to the past and forward to the present, the film primarily follows the stories of the well-to-do and somewhat timid Rose and the poor but lively Jack, star-crossed lovers who meet aboard the doomed ship. In addition, the film tells true and fictionalized s of the engers of the RMS Titanic, with an older Rose recounting her tale to the crew of a research ship.
- Cast
- David Warner, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gloria Stuart, s Fisher, Victor Garber
- Runtime
- 3h 14m
- Director
- James Cameron
- Writers
- James Cameron
- Studio(s)
- Paramount Pictures, 20th Century
- Distributor(s)
- Paramount Pictures, 20th Century
- Budget
- 200 million
Category |
Winner |
|---|---|
Best Director |
James Cameron |
Best Picture |
James Cameron & Jon Landau |
Best Original Song |
"My Heart Will Go On" by James Horner & Will Jennings |
Best Cinematography |
Russell Carpenter |
Best Film Editing |
James Cameron, Conrad Buff, & Richard A. Harris |
Best Original Score |
James Horner |
Best Sound |
Gary Rydstrom, Gary Summers, Mark Ulano, & Tom Johnson |
Best Sound Effects Editing |
Tom Bellfort & Christopher Boyes |
Best Art Direction |
Peter Lamont & Michael Ford |
Best Costume Design |
Deborah L. Scott |
Best Visual Effects |
Robert Legato, Michael Kanfer, Mark Lasoff, & Thomas L. Fisher |
The iconic Titanic is still considered a masterpiece.
Everything from DiCaprio and Winslet's chemistry to the Titanic's authenticity was praised, and it became one of the highest-grossing movies of all time after bringing in $2.19 billion at the box office (via USA Today). At the 1998 Academy Awards, the movie swept 11 categories and it was later selected as one of the American Film Institute's Best American Films of All Time in 2007 (via AFI). Ten years later, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress in 2017 for "cultural importance" (via Library of Congress).
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The Lord of the Rings: The Return Of The King (2003) - 11 Wins
The final installment of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King concludes the epic saga of the Fellowship's quest to destroy the One Ring and put an end to Sauron's reign of terror. As Frodo and Sam continue on their way to Mordor and Mount Doom, accompanied by Gollom, the rest of the Fellowship work to defend Minas Tirith from Sauron's forces. The film's ensemble cast includes Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen, Vigo Mortensen, Orlando Bloom, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan.
- Cast
- Elijah Wood, Andy Serkis, Ian Holm, Sean Bean
- Runtime
- 201 Minutes
- Director
- Peter Jackson
- Writers
- Peter Jackson
- Franchise(s)
- The Lord of the Rings
- Studio(s)
- New Line Cinema
- Distributor(s)
- New Line Cinema
- Budget
- $94 million
Category |
Winner |
|---|---|
Best Director |
Peter Jackson |
Best Picture |
Peter Jackson, Barrie M. Osborne & Fran Walsh |
Best Adapted Screenplay |
Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, & Philippa Boyens |
Best Original Song |
"Into the West" by Fran Walsh, Annie Lennox, & Howard Shore |
Best Visual Effects |
Joe Letteri, Jim Rygiel, Alex Funke, & Randall William Cook |
Best Costume Design |
Ngila Dickson & Richard Taylor |
Best Film Editing |
Jamie Selkirk |
Best Original Score |
Howard Shore |
Best Art Direction |
Alan Lee, Grant Major, & Dan Hennah |
Best Sound Mixing |
Michael Hedges, Christopher Boyes, Hammond Peek, & Michael Semanick |
Best Makeup |
Richard Taylor & Peter King |
Return of the King broke Oscars records with its 11 wins, an impressive feat especially considering none of the stellar cast, including Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, and Viggo Mortensen, was nominated for acting awards. The plot carried on the tale of Frodo (Wood) and co.'s trek to Mount Doom to destroy the One Ring and bring it to its demise.
The Best Picture winner was also a huge financial success, raking in $1.1 billion at the box office (via Box Office Mojo), making it the most successful movie in the franchise. While big-name fantasy films perform well financially, that doesn't usually translate to big awards wins, making Return of the King's Oscar glory even more exciting.
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West Side Story (1961) - 10 Wins
West Side Story
- Release Date
- December 13, 1961
- Runtime
- 151 Minutes
- Director
- Robert Wise, Jerome Robbins
Cast
Natalie Wood-
Richard Beymer
WHERE TO WATCH
West Side Story is a classic American musical film directed by Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise. The film is an adaptation of William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, set in New York City's Upper West Side. The story revolves around the rivalry between two gangs, the Jets and the Sharks, and the tragic romance between Tony, a former Jet, and Maria, the sister of the Sharks' leader.
Category |
Winner |
|---|---|
Best Picture |
Robert Wise |
Best Director |
Robert Wise & Jerome Robbins |
Best ing Actress |
Rita Moreno |
Best ing Actor |
George Chakiris |
Best Film Editing |
Thomas Stanford |
Best Costume Design |
Irene Sharaff |
Best Cinematography |
Daniel L. Fapp |
Best Original Score |
Johnny Green, Irwin Kostal, Saul Chaplin, & Sid Ramin |
Best Sound |
Fred Hynes & Gordon E. Sawyer |
Best Art Direction-Set Decoration |
Boris Leven & Victor A. Gangelin |
Titanic, Ben-Hur, and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King may have tied with 11 Oscar wins, but there’s a musical that comes in a close second: West Side Story (1961). West Side Story centered around star-crossed lovers Maria (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) while they were at a standstill with their families and friends being in rival gangs. To end the battle, Tony took a stand for his relationship. The iconic musical is under preservation by the US National Film Registry. It's most known for its cultural significance and is one of Hollywood's most famous musicals. Even if it didn't win the most Oscars, the legacy of West Side Story lives on.
What separates these films from the others based on the Oscars won are the original screenplays and cinematography. Best Picture nominees at the Oscars have captivating scenes and scripts that bring audiences into another world. It would take a lot for another movie to forces with these dynamic films. It's been over 60 years since Ben-Hur came out and it's still one of the heavy hitters at the Academy Awards. After West Side Story, the next lineup of movies with the highest Oscar wins are The English Patient (1996) Gigi (1958), and The Last Emperor (1987) — all of which have nine wins.
