10 Musicals That Have Won the Best Picture Oscar

La La Land is a heavy favorite to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The fizzy Damien Chazelle film would be the 11th musical to dance off with the top prize. It would be just the fifth original musical (one not based on material from another medium) to win. Here are the 10 musicals that have won Best Picture, working backwards.

This was the last MGM musical to win Best Picture. It won in all nine categories in which it was nominated. This was the first of two musicals by Lerner and Loewe to win Best Picture. In addition to sharing the award for Best Song (“Gigi”), Lerner took adapted screenplay. Vincente Minnelli won for directing. The musical was based on a 1951 play of the same name. (Photo: MGM)

This was the first musical to win Best Picture that also spawned an Oscar-winning song (“Swinging on a Star”). Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald both won Oscars for playing priests. Leo McCarey won for directing and writing (story). He also produced the film, but that award went to the studio (Paramount). The film received seven Oscars (from 10 noms). (Photo: Paramount Pictures)

This MGM musical about the life of Broadway producer Florenz Ziegfeld won three Oscars, including Best Actress for Luise Rainer. Robert Z. Leonard directed the film, which received seven noms. The film is best remembered for its big production number of “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody.” (Photo: MGM)

This was the first musical to win Best Picture — in just the second year of the Oscars. Charles King, Anita Page, and Bessie Love starred in the MGM film. Irving Thalberg (best known today for the honorary Oscar that was named for him) was one of the producers. Harry Beaumont directed. (Photo: MGM)