On this day March 31 1981 Ordinary People took home the Oscar for Best Picture at the 53rd Annual Academy Awards held at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles. The ceremony was hosted by Johnny Carson and broadcast on ABC.
Directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut the emotional drama explored grief guilt and family breakdown following the death of a teenage son. The film starred Donald Sutherland Mary Tyler Moore Timothy Hutton and Judd Hirsch and was praised for its honest performances and powerful storytelling. Ordinary People was the big winner of the night earning four Oscars including Best Picture Best Director Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton and Best Adapted Screenplay.
80s insight: At just 20 years old Timothy Hutton became the youngest male actor to ever win an Academy Award in a supporting role.
Directed by Robert Redford in his directorial debut the emotional drama explored grief guilt and family breakdown following the death of a teenage son. The film starred Donald Sutherland Mary Tyler Moore Timothy Hutton and Judd Hirsch and was praised for its honest performances and powerful storytelling. Ordinary People was the big winner of the night earning four Oscars including Best Picture Best Director Best Supporting Actor for Timothy Hutton and Best Adapted Screenplay.
80s insight: At just 20 years old Timothy Hutton became the youngest male actor to ever win an Academy Award in a supporting role.
