Knocking on Oscar's Door-Houses from Academy Award Winning Movies

Mary Poppins, 1964

How many times have you sat in a dark movie theatre watching a film when a fabulous house comes on screen-  You forget all about the plot and concentrate on the wallpaper--well at least I do!

The Great Gatsby,2013 via

So often the homes that a movie is set within can be as important to that movie as any actor or actress.   In Under the Tuscan Sun, 2003 the transformation that wonderful house goes through mirrors Frances' own.

  The Holiday (2006) centers around the storyline of house swapping and how the women who exchange houses actually transform the spaces they move into to reflect the changes they go through.

With Oscar Night here I decided to visit some Movie Sets from Oscar Winning films---now most of my favorite movie homes were never in the running for Oscars so it was interesting to look through Oscar history to see where Oscar lives-very often  rooms and places that not only expressed the personality of the characters in the script, but also locations that became key characters in their films--Can you imagine Downton Abbey without Downton Abbey

or Rebecca, Best Picture 1940 without Manderley?

Grab the popcorn and enjoy and Happy Oscar Night!

It Happened One Night-Best Picture, Best Actor Clark Gable, Best Actress Claudette Colbert, Best Director Frank Capra, 1934-It may not be the most glamorous set in film history but it is certainly one of the most memorable and key to the story line... one of my favorites.

The Awful Truth -Best Director Leo McCarey, 1937-I love this film and all the sets

 Mrs. Miniver-Best Picture, Best Actress Greer Garson, Best Supporting Actress Teresa Wright, Best Director William Wyler, 1942-This wonderful film about a family shattered by war has at its center the warmth of the Miniver home which would also become a victim of war.

All About Eve-Best Picture,Best Supporting Actor George Sanders, Best Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz 1950

Roman Holiday-Best Actress Audrey Hepburn-Of course the city of Rome is the true set for Audrey's debut.

My Fair Lady- Best Picture,Best Actor Rex Harrison, Best Director George Cukor 1964

The Sound of Music- Best Picture, Best Director Robert Wise 1965

 Guess Who's Coming to Dinner- Best Actress Katherine Hepburn, Best Screenplay 1967-Ninety percent of the film was shot on one set-the Drayton family home in San Francisco--this set/house remains one of my favorite Movie homes ever -I was surprised to discover that it was for the most part created on a sound stage

Out of Africa-Best Picture, Best Director Sydney Pollack 1985

Moonstruck-Best Actress Cher,Best Supporting Actress Olympia Dukakis, 1987-So much of this movie comes back to that kitchen table

 

Driving Miss Daisy, Best Picture, Best Actress Jessica Tandy, 1989-The sets of this house captured  the Southern style of the late 1940s and also the changes taking place not only within that house but also within society

The Queen -Best Actress Helen Mirren 2006-a castle for for The Queen of course-

The King's Speech -Best Picture, Best Actor Colin Firth, Best Director Tom Hooper 2010

Great Sources on Movie Interiors:
Cote de Texas
Hooked on Houses
Silver Screen Surroundings
AMC Filmsite

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