In 1978, the Academy voters split the major awards between two radically different Vietnam War movies. “The Deer Hunter” won five: Best Picture, Director (Cimino), Supporting Actor (Christopher Walken), sound, and editing. “Coming Home” received the two lead acting awards (Fonda and Voight), and original screenplay.

In 1956, “Friendly Persuasion” competed for the Best Picture Oscar with two bloated epic-adventures, “Around the World in 80 Days,” which won, and Cecil B. DeMille's biblical saga, “The Ten Commandments.” The other two nominees were George Stevens' modern Western “Giant,” and the musical “The King and I.”

It took six or seven years for Tony Gilroy to put into production “Michael Clayton,” a project he had pitched to Castle Rock as his directorial debut and eventually got made with money from indie mogul Steve Samuels.

February 5, 2008–At the annual nominees‚Äô luncheon at the Beverly Hilton hotel Monday (Feb 4), talking to the nominated actors and filmmakers, Sid Ganis, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), stressed the importance of keeping Oscar night on track, even if striking writers picket the ceremony.