If you've ever wondered why your favorite family-friendly movie didn't win Best Picture, it might be because, well, your favorite movie was family-friendly.
Eight of the last 10 Best Picture winners at the Academy Awards were rated R. So were 14 of the last 17. In order to win Best Picture -- it seems -- a movie must be loaded with so much "junk" that it would make Beelzebub blush.
It wasn't always this way.
In the 1980s, seven of the 10 Best Picture winners were rated PG or PG-13. The previous decade, half were. Yet since the 1990s, a majority of Best Picture winners each decade carried the "R" rating, meaning they're restricted to those under 17.
Of course, those Best Picture films rarely become the mega-blockbusters that are oh-so-coveted by Hollywood studios. In fact, not a single R-rated movie sits among the Top 20 grossing movies of all time. Oh well.
Still, plenty of movies with PG-13, PG, and even G ratings have won Best Picture, and -- even better -- many of them are loaded with powerful biblical lessons. No doubt, nearly every Hollywood movie contains biblical lessons if you just squint hard enough, but for this list, we aimed to keep it as family-friendly as possible.
Here are seven Best Picture-winning movies that were filled with biblical lessons
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1. Green Book (2018)
1. Green Book (2018)
A black classical pianist goes on a tour of the segregated Deep South in the early 1960s and hires a tough Italian-American bouncer as his driver and bodyguard. As they navigate the racial tensions and dangers of the era, they form a deep friendship, breaking down barriers of prejudice and discovering mutual respect. The film's title was inspired by a real-world guide that provided African American travelers with a list of safe places to stay, eat, and refuel during the Jim Crow era. The film confronts racism with a gripping story of friendship, love, nonviolence, and courage. It reminds us that hearts can change. It also highlights the power of music. Music "helped the races connect during a time of bigotry and racism," said Syl Johnson, a black artist during the time. In addition to Best Picture, Green Book won Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (Mahershala Ali). Rated PG-13 for thematic content, language including racial epithets, smoking, some violence, and suggestive material. (ClearPlay and VidAngel offer filters.)
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Universal Pictures
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
A young hobbit undertakes a dangerous journey to destroy a powerful ring that threatens the world as kingdoms unite to fight a dark force seeking total domination. Return of the King was the third film in a trilogy that was preceded by The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) and The Two Towers (2002). They were based on The Lord of the Rings novel by author J. R. R. Tolkien and included powerful biblical themes of providence, redemption, temptation, self-sacrifice, and good triumphing over evil. Return of the King won a record-tying 11 Oscars, an achievement matched only by Ben-Hur (1959) and Titanic (1997). Rated PG-13 for intense epic battle sequences and frightening images.
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3. Chariots of Fire (1981)
3. Chariots of Fire (1981)
A devout Christian refuses to compromise his faith when his favored race at the 1924 Paris Olympics is scheduled on a Sunday. The film tells the true story of Eric Liddell, a gifted athlete who excelled at the 100-meter dash and was a favorite to win but withdrew when he learned the finals would be held on the Lord's Day. Thanks to the selflessness of a teammate, Liddell was then given a chance to win a medal in a different race, the 400-meter run. Chariots of Fire is rich with biblical themes: faithfulness to God, perseverance under pressure, and glorifying God through one's life talents (Liddell says he worshiped God through his running). Producer David Puttnam discovered the story of Liddell as he was searching for a story similar to A Man for All Seasons (1966), another film on our list. Chariots of Fire won four Oscars. Rated PG.
Photo Credit: ©Warner Brothers
4. Oliver! (1968)
4. Oliver! (1968)
A young orphan escapes a brutal workhouse and navigates the perilous streets of Victorian London, where he becomes entangled with a group of child pickpockets while searching for love, family, and a place to call home. This entertaining musical with 14 songs was based on a stage production of the same name, which itself was based on Charles Dickens' 1838 novel Oliver Twist. Dickens penned the book to shine a spotlight on the issue of poverty, weaving in biblical lessons about grace, mercy and compassion for those less fortunate. The book and film also implicitly illustrates the necessity of mothers and fathers in a society. Oliver's mother died during childbirth. His father, sadly, was never in the picture. The film won five Oscars. Rated G.
Photo Credit: ©YouTube/Sony Pictures Entertainment
5. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
5. A Man for All Seasons (1966)
An English church leader refuses to compromise Scripture when he is ordered by King Henry VIII to annul the king's marriage to Catherine of Aragon. The movie tells the true story of Sir Thomas More (1478-1535), the Lord Chancellor of England, who chose to follow the teachings of Scripture and church law, even at the cost of his life. The controversy, of course, led to the creation of the Church of England. A Man for All Seasons was written by Robert Bolt, who based it on his play of the same name. It's filled with biblical lessons as it spotlights More's courage, integrity, and desire to obey God rather than man. Rated G, it won six Oscars.
Photo Credit: ©Columbia Pictures
6. The Sound of Music (1965)
6. The Sound of Music (1965)
An Austrian family unites through music and love as they navigate life under the looming threat of Nazi control. It's based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp and recounts her experiences as a governess to the von Trapp children and their eventual escape from Austria. With breathtaking cinematography and memorable tunes, The Sound of Music is a beloved musical featuring such classics as My Favorite Things, Do-Re-Mi and Edelweiss. Julie Andrews stars in the lead role. The film extols several biblical themes: the importance of marriage and family, the need to stand up to evil, and the duty of protecting one's children. For five years, it was the highest-grossing movie in history. Rated G, it won five Oscars.
Photo Credit: ©Disney
7. Ben-Hur (1959)
7. Ben-Hur (1959)
Set during the time of Christ, this classic film tells the story of two brothers whose bond is shattered after one of them, the Roman prince Messala, falsely accuses and condemns the other, Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince, to a life of slavery. While the story is fictional, it incorporates several biblical scenes, including the crucifixion of Jesus. Based on Lew Wallace's 1880 novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ, the film won a still-record-tying 11 Academy Awards, with Charlton Heston playing the leading role. It offers powerful biblical lessons about perseverance, forgiveness, reconciliation, grace and mercy. Rated G.
Photo Credit: ©Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Originally published February 27, 2025.
