10 Best Directors That Have Never Won An Oscar
7. Orson Welles
Remember that classic John Ford movie How Green Was My Valley? No? It’s a shame then that the movie which typified the ‘good but not great’ approach to filmmaking beat the legendary Citizen Kane to Best Picture, as well as Ford beating Welles to Best Director.
There’s nothing particular wrong with How Green Was My Valley, or even with it winning the Oscar; the Academy frequently passes over movies which go on to be iconic, making their choices look strange with hindsight.
Citizen Kane, as one of the definitive movies in cinema, feels like a particularly poor oversight. While that’s the only time Welles was nominated, it’s not the only movie which you feel might have earned him the coveted Best Director Oscar.
The Trial, Confidential Report and especially Touch Of Evil were all decent contenders, while Othello and Macbeth had half a chance too.
Citizen Kane also saw him nominated for Best Screenplay and Best Actor, the former of which he won, so at least that’s something. Regardless, Orson Welles requires you to look past the awards to truly understand his legacy in the movie business.