AllMovie

The Academy Awards have become something more than a mere symbol of annual, cinematic triumph. To an actor or actress, the award can mean the validation of a career. To a film, it is entrance to the pantheon of immortality. The Oscars no longer simply acknowledge history -- they make it. This series tracks the evolution of the award and the effect it has had on the motion picture industry. In this episode, "The Vintage Year," viewers take an in-depth look at 1939, considered by many to be the greatest year in film history. Movies such as Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and The Philadelphia Story are examined and celebrated.