It's the moment every movie director and actor dreams of - the gold envelope is slowly opened and the Oscar goes to... them!

Paul Gambaccini reveals how David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia won the Best Picture Award in 1963.

But - away from the red carpet and the bright lights and the tearful speeches - what do the Academy's decisions tell us about the state of America?

Are the awards a hotline to the American psyche, revealing an array of political, cultural and social calculations - conscious or unconscious - behind what are presented as purely artistic judgements.

Producers: Sara Jane Hall and Paul Kobrak

First broadcast on Radio 4 in February 2008. Show less