Seven Films That Scored Big at the Globes—But Won Nothing

Every awards season, punters and film buffs alike place their bets on which titles will sweep the major prizes. But as history shows, even the most much-hyped contenders can walk away with nothing but a handful of nominations. It’s a tough pill to swallow, especially when you’re up for seven Golden Globes and still end the night without a single win. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to a select group of films—now infamous for their unlucky streaks at the Globes.

It’s a curious thing, really. Some of these films are now considered all-time greats, the sort of classics that get referenced in film schools and quoted by mates at the pub. Despite their critical success and lasting influence, they couldn’t snag a single trophy at the Globes. It’s a reminder that, with so many strong contenders each year and the quirks of awards voting, even the best can get snubbed.

Unlucky Seven: The Films That Missed Out

So, which films hold the record for the most Golden Globe nominations without a win? There are seven in total, each with seven nods to their name. The first to cop this fate was Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Mike Nichols’ directorial debut from 1966. It was up for just about every major category, but didn’t manage to convert any of those into a win. Still, it went on to earn 13 Oscar nominations and took home five, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Just a year later, Bonnie and Clyde found itself in the same boat. Despite its status as a New Hollywood icon, it lost out on ‘Best Motion Picture – Drama’ to In the Heat of the Night. The Oscars were a bit kinder, with Estelle Parsons winning ‘Best Supporting Actress’ and Burnett Guffey nabbing ‘Best Cinematography’.

Classics That Couldn’t Crack the Globes

Other films on this list include Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), a landmark drama that tackled social issues head-on, and Dog Day Afternoon (1975), Sidney Lumet’s tense crime drama. You’d reckon Al Pacino or John Cazale might have picked up some silverware, but it wasn’t to be. Cazale didn’t even get a look-in at the Oscars that year.

Then there’s Foul Play (1978), a comedy-thriller that was a hit with audiences but failed to impress the Globe voters. Ragtime (1981), Miloš Forman’s sweeping period piece, also went home empty-handed despite its strong showing in the nominations.

The Godfather Part III and the End of the Streak

The most recent addition to this unlucky club is The Godfather Part III (1990), directed by Francis Ford Coppola. While the film had plenty of buzz, it was met with mixed reviews, and Sofia Coppola’s performance copped a fair bit of criticism. It’s one of the rare cases where a film lost out at both the Globes and the Oscars, but given the reception, it’s not exactly a shocker.

Here’s the full list of films that scored seven Golden Globe nominations but didn’t win a single one:

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Mike Nichols, 1966)
Bonnie and Clyde (Arthur Penn, 1967)
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Stanley Kramer, 1967)
Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet, 1975)
Foul Play (Colin Higgins, 1978)
Ragtime (Miloš Forman, 1981)
The Godfather Part III (Francis Ford Coppola, 1990)

Despite their bad luck at the Globes, several of these films still managed to pick up Oscars, proving that sometimes, a snub at one awards show doesn’t mean the end of the road.