"L.A. Confidential" & Other Ensembles

[Buttmunker]

The 1997 film "L.A. Confidential" had a great ensemble cast, with Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, and Guy Pearce as the lead male characters. The film picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Picture, but all male leads were overlooked because, I think, all did such a great job that one didn't stand out from the other.

If you had to choose, which out of the three would have won the Oscar?

*I think other ensemble films like "Jaws" fell under the same fate. Roy Schneider (Chief Brody), Richard Dreyfuss (Matt Hooper), and Robert Shaw (Capt. Quint) were all standouts, but could you really pick one as better than the other? Apparently the Academy couldn't, so they chose not to nominate any of them, but nominated the film itself as a whole.

[Souljahh]

When I think great ensemble cast, I think "Glengarry GlenRoss."

[Buttmunker]

Yet Al Pacino was singled out for an Oscar.

[flixtime]

On a somewhat related note, for Mutiny on the Bounty (1935 Oscar winner for Best Picture), all 3 male leads (Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone) received Best Lead Actor nominations. Ultimately, the Oscar went to Victor McLaglen for his work in The Informer.

Sorry I can't comment on your question about who should have won the Oscar (if nominated) from L.A. Confidential. I'd have to watch the movie again to refresh my memory.

When I think of ensemble cast/all-star cast films, the first that spring to mind - and two of my favorites - are The Magnificent Seven and The Great Escape.