Many of our readers have been curious to know the literary source of the movies nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. How many of them are based on previously published books or formerly produced plays on Broadway? How many of the nominees are actually based on original scenarios, written directly and specifically for the big screen?
For the convenience of the readers, we have enlisted them alphabetically, and then by year of nomination.
A (winners are in bold)
12 Years a Slave (2013)
Source: Book
100 Men and a Girl (1937)
127 Hours (2010)
Accidental Tourist, The (1981)
Source: Book
Anne Taylor Novel
Adventures of Robin Hood, The (1938)
Source: Myths
Airport (1970)
Source: Book
Arthur Hailey
Alamo, The (1960)
Source: Original Screenplay
Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938)
Source: Original Story by Irving Berlin
Alfie (1966)
Source: Play, then Radio Play
Playwright: Bill Naughton
Alibi (1929)
Alice Adams (1935):
Source: Book
Book Tarkington Novel
All About Eve (1950)
Source: Short Story
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
Source: Book
All That Jazz (1979)
Source: Original Screenplay
Robert Arthur and Bob Fosse (also director)
All the King’s Men (1949)
All the President’s Men (1976)
Source: Book
Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein
All This, and Heaven Too (1940)
Source: Novel
Rachel Field
Amadeus (1984)
Source: Play
America, America (1963)
Original Screenplay: Elia Kazan (also producer and director)
American Beauty (1999)
Source: Original Screenplay
American Graffiti (1973)
Source: Original
George Lucas, Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
American Hustle (2010)
Source: Book
American Sniper (2014)
An American in Paris (1951)
Source: Music (not musical)
Amour (French film) (2012)
Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
Source: Book
Robert Traver (pen name of Michigan Judge, John D. Voelker)
Anchors Aweigh (1945)
Source: Original
Anne of the Thousand Days (1945)
Source: Play
Maxwell Anderson
Annie Hall (1977)
Source: Original Screenplay
Anthony Adverse (1936)
Apartment, The (1960)
Source: Original Screenplay
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Source: Inspired by Novel
Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness
Apollo 13 (1995)
Argo (2012)
Arrival (2016)
Around the World in 80 Days (1956)
Arrowsmith (1931)
Source: Novel
Sinclair Lewis
Artist, The (2011)
Source: Original Screenplay
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Source: Original Screenplay
James Lee Brooks (also producer and director)
Atlantic City (1981)
Source: Original Screenplay
John Guare
Source: Original Screenplay
Atonement (2007)
Auntie Mame (1958):
Source: Novel, then Play
Avatar (2009)
Source: Original Screenplay
Aviator, The (2004)
Source:
Awakenings (1990)
Source: Book
Dr. Oliver Sacks
Awful Truth, The (1937)
Source: Play, 1921
Remake: Silent film in 1925 (starring Ina Claire), talkie in 1929
