The Academy Awards have become something more than a mere symbol of annual, cinematic triumph. To an actor or actress, the award can mean the validation of a career. To a film, it is entrance to the pantheon of immortality. The Oscars no longer simply acknowledge history -- they make it. This series tracks the evolution of the award and the effect it has had on the motion picture industry. In this episode, "A Message and a Method," viewers examine both the rise of social consciousness in American film and the technique of "method acting" popularized by Marlon Brando. Clips from All About Eve and A Streetcar Named Desire are included.

~ Rob Ferrier, All Movie Guide