Nothing But the Best: "How Green Was My Valley" (1941)

Scene from How Green Was My Valley 

Welcome to the series Nothing But the Best in which I chronicle all of the Academy Award Best Picture winners as they celebrate their anniversaries. Instead of going in chronological order, this series will be presented on each film's anniversary and will feature personal opinions as well as facts regarding its legacy and behind the scenes information. The goal is to create an in depth essay for each film while looking not only how the medium progressed, but how the film is integral to pop culture. In some cases, it will be easy. Others not so much. Without further ado, let's start the show.

R.I.P. Maureen O'Hara (1920-2015)

Left to right: Maureen O'Hara and Walter Pidgeon in How Green Was My Valley

On October 24, 2014, actress Maureen O'Hara passed away at the age of 95 from natural causes while in her sleep. The actress was best known for being a fierce and confident redhead who worked alongside such great directors as John Ford and Alfred Hitchcock. Over the years, she starred in films ranging from westerns to holiday movies such as the iconic Miracle on 34th Street. While she doesn't have the most prolific legacy in her later years, she is nonetheless one of the most iconic actresses of the Golden Era of Hollywood - serving as one of the finest performers of her time as well as one of the best Irish actresses in film history.

Check This Out: Watch the Videos from this Year's Academy Awards' Governors Ball

This past weekend, the Academy held the annual Governors Awards. Every year, honorary awards are handed out to selected individuals who have made an impact in the realm of film. As discussed when this year's selections were announced, this year's line-up is fairly impressive and features a mixtures of performers and animators that we owe a great deal of respect to. Thanks to the people over at The Oscars' Youtube page, you can watch highlights of the night's biggest events, including introductions and speeches from the recipients. Click the jump to see videos of the many winners from that night's ceremony.

Miyazaki, O'Hara and Others to Receive Honorary Oscars

While Oscar season doesn't officially start until next week, the Academy has already announced the recipients of the annual Governor's Awards. The four that were selected reflect a wide array of talent within the world of cinema and have contributed to its overall growth. But who are these individuals that have won? What do we remember them from? Here is a quick rundown of their Oscar history and why they are deserving of this year's awards. 

(All biographies are credited to the Oscars Press Release)