Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama

The Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama is a Golden Globe Award that has been awarded annually from 1944 until 2023 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA). Since its institution in 1943, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is an organization of journalists who cover the film industry in the United States, but are affiliated with publications outside North America. Since 2023, the award is now presented by Dick Clark Productions.

When the awards were introduced, there was a single category for Best Picture. Starting with the 9th Golden Globe Awards, the Golden Globes split the Acting and Best Picture awards into Drama and Musical or Comedy categories. Since 1951, the only time the awards were reunified was in 1953. This year, the award of "Best Picture" went to The Robe. IMdb considers the "Best Picture" and "Best Picture Drama" the same award in its listings.

This award goes to the producers of the film. In the following lists, the first titles listed are winners. These are also in bold and in blue background; those not in bold are nominees.

The years given are those in which the films under consideration were released, not the year of the ceremony, which always takes place the following year.

Winners and Nominees

1940s Year Film DirectorWhen there is more than one director, only the first billed is displayed. Producer/sWhen there is more than one producer, only the first billed is displayed. 1943 The Song of Bernadette Henry King William Perlberg 1944 Going My Way Leo McCarey Leo McCarey 1945 The Lost Weekend Billy Wilder Charles Brackett 1946 The Best Years of Our Lives William Wyler Samuel Goldwyn 1947 Gentleman's Agreement Elia Kazan Darryl F. Zanuck 1948 Johnny Belinda Jean Negulesco Jerry Wald The Treasure of the Sierra Madre John Huston Henry Blanke 1949 All the King's Men Robert Rossen Robert RossenCome to the Stable Henry Koster Samuel G. Engel

1950s Year Film Director Producer/s 1950 Sunset Boulevard Billy Wilder Charles BrackettAll About Eve Joseph L. Mankiewicz Darryl F. ZanuckBorn Yesterday George Cukor S. Sylvan SimonCyrano de Bergerac Michael Gordon Stanley KramerHarvey Henry Koster John Beck 1951 A Place in the Sun George Stevens George StevensBright Victory Mark Robson Robert BucknerDetective Story William Wyler Quo Vadis Mervyn LeRoy Sam ZimbalistA Streetcar Named Desire Elia Kazan Charles K. Feldman 1952 The Greatest Show on Earth Cecil B. DeMille Cecil B. DeMilleCome Back, Little Sheba Daniel Mann Hal B. WallisThe Happy Time Richard Fleischer Earl FentonHigh Noon Fred Zinnemann Stanley KramerThe Thief Russell Rouse Clarence Greene 1953 The Robe Henry Koster Frank Ross 1954The nominees' names are not listed for this year. On the Waterfront Elia Kazan Sam Spiegel 1955The nominees' names are not listed for this year. East of Eden Elia Kazan Elia Kazan 1956 Around the World in 80 Days Michael Anderson Kevin McCloryGiant George Stevens Henry GinsbergLust for Life Vincente Minnelli John HousemanThe Rainmaker Joseph Anthony Hal B. WallisWar and Peace King Vidor Dino De Laurentiis 1957 The Bridge on the River Kwai David Lean Sam Spiegel12 Angry Men Sidney Lumet Henry FondaSayonara Joshua Logan William GoetzWild Is the Wind George Cukor Hal B. WallisWitness for the Prosecution Billy Wilder Arthur Hornblow Jr. 1958 The Defiant Ones Stanley Kramer Stanley KramerCat on a Hot Tin Roof Richard Brooks Lawrence WeingartenHome Before Dark Mervyn LeRoy Mervyn LeRoyI Want to Live! Robert Wise Claude MillerSeparate Tables Delbert Mann Harold Hecht 1959 Ben-Hur William Wyler Sam ZimbalistAnatomy of a Murder Otto Preminger Otto PremingerThe Diary of Anne Frank George Stevens The Nun's Story Fred Zinnemann Henry BlankeOn the Beach Stanley Kramer Stanley Kramer

1960s Year Film Director Producer/s 1960 Spartacus Stanley Kubrick Kirk DouglasElmer Gantry Richard Brooks Bernard SmithInherit the Wind Stanley Kramer Sons and Lovers Jack Cardiff Jerry WaldSunrise at Campobello Vincent J. Donehue Dore Schary 1961 The Guns of Navarone J. Lee Thompson Carl ForemanEl Cid Anthony Mann Samuel BronstonFanny Joshua Logan Ben KadishJudgment at Nuremberg Stanley Kramer Splendor in the Grass Elia Kazan Elia Kazan 1962 Lawrence of Arabia David Lean Sam Spiegel The Chapman Report George Cukor Darryl F. ZanuckDays of Wine and Roses Blake Edwards Martin ManulisFreud: The Secret Passion John Huston Wolfgang ReinhardtHemingway's Adventures of a Young Man Martin Ritt Jerry WaldLisa Philip Dunne Mark RobsonThe Longest Day Ken Annakin Darryl F. ZanuckThe Miracle Worker Arthur Penn Fred CoeMutiny on the Bounty Lewis Milestone Aaron RosenbergTo Kill a Mockingbird Robert Mulligan Alan J. Pakula 1963 The Cardinal Otto Preminger Martin C. SchuteAmerica America Elia Kazan Captain Newman, M.D. David Miller Robert ArthurThe Caretakers Hall Bartlett Cleopatra Joseph L. Mankiewicz Walter WangerThe Great Escape John Sturges Hud Martin Ritt Irving RavetchLilies of the Field Ralph Nelson 1964 Becket Peter Glenville Hal B. WallisThe Chalk Garden Ronald Neame Ross HunterDear Heart Delbert Mann Martin ManulisThe Night of the Iguana John Huston Zorba the Greek Michael Cacoyannis 1965 Doctor Zhivago David Lean Carlo PontiThe Collector William Wyler Jud KinbergThe Flight of the Phoenix Robert Aldrich A Patch of Blue Guy Green Ship of Fools Stanley Kramer 1966 A Man for All Seasons Fred Zinnemann Born Free James H. Hill Sam JaffeThe Professionals Richard Brooks The Sand Pebbles Robert Wise Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Mike Nichols Ernest Lehman 1967 In the Heat of the Night Norman Jewison Walter MirischBonnie and Clyde Arthur Penn Warren BeattyFar from the Madding Crowd John Schlesinger Joseph JanniGuess Who's Coming to Dinner Stanley Kramer George GlassIn Cold Blood Richard Brooks 1968 The Lion in Winter Anthony Harvey Martin PollCHAЯLY Ralph Nelson The Fixer John Frankenheimer Edward LewisThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter Robert Ellis Miller Joel FreemanThe Shoes of the Fisherman Michael Anderson George Englund 1969 Anne of the Thousand Days Charles Jarrott Hal B. WallisButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid George Roy Hill John ForemanMidnight Cowboy John Schlesinger Jerome HellmanThe Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Ronald Neame James CressonThey Shoot Horses, Don't They? Sydney Pollack Robert Chartoff

1970s Year Film Director Producer/s 1970 Love Story Arthur Hiller Howard G. MinskyAirport George Seaton Ross HunterFive Easy Pieces Bob Rafelson Robert DaleyI Never Sang for My Father Gilbert Cates Patton Franklin J. Schaffner Frank Caffey 1971 The French Connection William Friedkin Philip D'AntoniA Clockwork Orange Stanley Kubrick Si LitvinoffThe Last Picture Show Peter Bogdanovich Stephen J. FriedmanMary, Queen of Scots Charles Jarrott Hal B. WallisSummer of ‘42 Robert Mulligan Richard A. Roth 1972 The Godfather Francis Ford Coppola Albert S. RuddyDeliverance John Boorman Frenzy Alfred Hitchcock William HillThe Poseidon Adventure Ronald Neame Irwin AllenSleuth Joseph L. Mankiewicz Morton Gottlieb 1973 The Exorcist William Friedkin William Peter BlattyCinderella Liberty Mark Rydell The Day of the Jackal Fred Zinnemann John WoolfLast Tango in Paris Bernardo Bertolucci Alberto GrimaldiSave the Tiger John G. Avildsen Edward S. FeldmanSerpico Sidney Lumet Dino De Laurentiis 1974 Chinatown Roman Polanski Robert EvansThe Conversation Francis Ford Coppola Earthquake Mark Robson The Godfather Part II Francis Ford Coppola A Woman Under the Influence John Cassavetes Sam Shaw 1975 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Miloš Forman Michael DouglasBarry Lyndon Stanley Kubrick Dog Day Afternoon Sidney Lumet Martin BregmanJaws Steven Spielberg David BrownNashville Robert Altman 1976 Rocky John G. Avildsen Robert Chartoff and Irwin WinklerAll the President's Men Alan J. Pakula Walter CoblenzBound for Glory Hal Ashby Robert BlumofeNetwork Sidney Lumet Howard GottfriedVoyage of the Damned Stuart Rosenberg Robert Fryer 1977 The Turning Point Herbert Ross Arthur LaurentsClose Encounters of the Third Kind Steven Spielberg Julia PhillipsI Never Promised You a Rose Garden Anthony Page Daniel H. BlattJulia Fred Zinnemann Richard A. RothStar Wars George Lucas Gary Kurtz 1978 Midnight Express Alan Parker Alan MarshallComing Home Hal Ashby Robert C. JonesDays of Heaven Terrence Malick Bert SchneiderThe Deer Hunter Michael Cimino Barry SpikingsAn Unmarried Woman Paul Mazursky 1979 Kramer vs. Kramer Robert Benton Stanley R. JaffeApocalypse Now Francis Ford Coppola The China Syndrome James Bridges Michael DouglasManhattan Woody Allen Charles H. JoffeNorma Rae Martin Ritt Alexandra Rose

1980s Year Film Director Producer/s 1980 Ordinary People Robert Redford Ronald L. SchwaryThe Elephant Man David Lynch Jonathan SangerThe Ninth Configuration William Peter Blatty Raging Bull Martin Scorsese Robert ChartoffThe Stunt Man Richard Rush 1981 On Golden Pond Mark Rydell Bruce GilbertThe French Lieutenant's Woman Karel Reisz Leon ClorePrince of the City Sidney Lumet Ragtime Miloš Forman Dino De LaurentiisReds Warren Beatty 1982 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Steven Spielberg Steven SpielbergMissing Costa-Gavras Edward LewisAn Officer and a Gentleman Taylor Hackford Martin ElfandSophie's Choice Alan J. Pakula The Verdict Sidney Lumet David Brown 1983 Terms of Endearment James L. Brooks James L. BrooksReuben, Reuben Robert Ellis Miller Julius J. EpsteinThe Right Stuff Philip Kaufman Irwin WinklerSilkwood Mike Nichols Alice ArlenTender Mercies Bruce Beresford Philip Hobel 1984 Amadeus Miloš Forman Saul ZaentzThe Cotton Club Francis Ford Coppola Robert EvansThe Killing Fields Roland Joffé David PuttnamPlaces in the Heart Robert Benton A Soldier's Story Norman Jewison Norman Jewison 1985 Out of Africa Sydney Pollack Sydney PollackThe Color Purple Steven Spielberg Kiss of the Spider Woman Hector Babenco David WeismanRunaway Train Andrei Konchalovsky Richard GarciaWitness Peter Weir Edward S. Feldman 1986 Platoon Oliver Stone Arnold KopelsonChildren of a Lesser God Randa Haines Chris BenderThe Mission Roland Joffé Fernando GhiaMona Lisa Neil Jordan Stephen WoolleyA Room with a View James Ivory Ismail MerchantStand by Me Rob Reiner Bruce A. Evans 1987 The Last Emperor Bernardo Bertolucci Jeremy ThomasCry Freedom Richard Attenborough Empire of the Sun Steven Spielberg Kathleen KennedyFatal Attraction Adrian Lyne Stanley R. JaffeLa Bamba Luis Valdez Stuart BenjaminNuts Martin Ritt Teri Schwartz 1988 Rain Man Barry Levinson Mark JohnsonThe Accidental Tourist Lawrence Kasdan Phyllis CarlyleA Cry in the Dark Fred Schepisi Yoram GlobusGorillas in the Mist Michael Apted Peter GuberMississippi Burning Alan Parker Robert F. ColesberryRunning on Empty Sidney Lumet Griffin DunneThe Unbearable Lightness of Being Philip Kaufman Bertil Ohlsson 1989 Born on the Fourth of July Oliver Stone A. Kitman HoCrimes and Misdemeanors Woody Allen Charles H. JoffeDead Poets Society Peter Weir Paul Junger WittDo the Right Thing Spike Lee Glory Edward Zwick Freddie Fields

1990s