Golden Globe Winner Predictions: Best Original Score

The competition:
Joker was composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir, marking her first nomination. The film also contends for Best Motion Picture – Drama, director Todd Phillips, and star Joaquin Phoenix. This is Göransson’s first collaboration with Phillips.

Little Women was composed by Alexandre Desplat, who was nominated last year for “Isle of Dogs” and won the year before that for “The Shape of Water.” He has eight other previous nominations, including another win, for “The Painted Veil” for 2006. His film also contends for star Saoirse Ronan’s performance. This is his first collaboration with director Greta Gerwig.

Marriage Story was composed by Randy Newman. He was previously nominated for “Avalon” in 1998 and “A Bug’s Life” in 1998, as well as four times in the Best Original Song category. His film is the nominations leader, contending for several awards including Best Motion Picture – Drama. This is his second collaboration with director Noah Baumbach.

Motherless Brooklyn was composed by Daniel Pemberton, who was previously nominated for “Steve Jobs” in 2015. This is the only nomination for his film. This is his first collaboration with director Edward Norton.

1917 was composed by Thomas Newman, who was previously nominated for “American Beauty” in 1999, which was director Sam Mendes’ directorial debut. This is his sixth collaboration with Mendes. The film is also nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama and for its directing.

Additional notes: The winner of this award has gone on to win the corresponding Oscar nine times in the past fifteen years, failing to receive a nomination just three times, including last year for “First Man.” All five of these scores made the fifteen-wide finalist list for this year’s Oscar category.
What should win? I didn’t remember the music from “Marriage Story” or “Joker” all that much, whereas it’s very central to the success of both “Little Women” and “1917,” either of which I’d be happy to see triumph. I wasn’t as fond of the score from “Motherless Brooklyn.”
What will win? I think this is going to Little Women.