Still the greatest sequel in Hollywood history, this film emulated its predecessor The Godfather, in winning the best picture Oscar and out-stripped it in the brilliance of its craftsmanship and performances.
Look over the list of Best Picture winners over the years and you realise that almost every film selected is still in circulation.
Joseph L Mankiewicz’s drama about a young actress on the make and the established star whose career she wants to usurp boasts some of the most caustic dialogue in any Hollywood Best Picture winner.
The rival Best Picture nominees in 1974 included Lenny, Chinatown and The Conversation (also directed by Francis Ford Coppola).
Even so, the Best Picture Oscar remains one of the most reliable bellwethers for films that will have an afterlife.
