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The Oscars are supposed to reward the best films and performances of the year. But in reality, lots of other factors influence who gets their hands on a golden statuette. 

Do the Oscars pick the best films? "God, no," laughs film critic Thelma Adams. "That's the simple answer."

There are plenty of winners from Academy Awards history that stand the test of time. But there are many examples where film buffs look back and think: "Really?"

One of the biggest travesties occurred in 1959 when Gigi, a sub-My Fair Lady musical, won nine Oscars.

Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo, which one 2012 poll decided was the best film ever made, went home with nothing.

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