Oscars: Every Best Picture Winner Ever Ranked From Worst To Best

54. West Side Story (1961)

Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins's romantic musical is an unapologetic slush-piece, but it's hard to argue with the sheer conviction with which the cast and crew shoot the project through.

The musical numbers, the dancing, the general production bombast and Rita Moreno's indelible, Oscar-winning performance are incredibly persuasive, enough at least that the excessive runtime and rather coy narrative aren't too bothersome.

Like many other Best Picture musicals, it's best remembered for being a fun, stylistic delight rather than a movie that endures for what it says of society, not that there's anything especially wrong with that. It's more an enjoyable romp than a great Best Picture winner, though, especially going up against The Hustler and Judgment at Nuremberg.