7th NSFC Awards ;br ;
December 29, 1972
Best Film: ;br ;
 The Discreet Charm ;br ;of the Bourgeoisie 
The 7th National Society of Film Critics Awards, given on 29 December 1972, honored the best filmmaking of 1972.
The member critics voting were Hollis Alpert of "World", Gary Arnold of "The Washington Post", Vincent Canby of "The New York Times", Charles Champlin of the "Los Angeles Times", Jay Cocks of "Time", Judith Crist of "New York", David Denby of "The Atlantic", Bernard Drew of the Gannett News Service, Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times", Joseph Gelmis of "Newsday", Penelope Gilliatt of "The New Yorker", Roger Greenspun of "The New York Times", Molly Haskell of "The Village Voice", Pauline Kael of "The New Yorker", Michael Korda of "Glamour", Arthur Knight of "Saturday Review", Thomas Meehan of "Saturday Review", William S. Pechter of "Commentary", Andrew Sarris of "The Village Voice", Richard Schickel of "Life", Bruce Williamson of "Playboy", and Paul D. Zimmerman of "Newsweek".
Winners.
Best Picture.
2. "The Godfather" (28 points) ;br ;
3. "Cries and Whispers" (25 points) ;br ;
4. "The Emigrants" (13 points) ;br ;
5. "The Sorrow and the Pity" (9 points)
Best Director.
2. Francis Ford Coppola – "The Godfather" (25 points) ;br ;
3. Ingmar Bergman – "Cries and Whispers" (24 points) ;br ;
4. Jan Troell – "The Emigrants" (9 points)
Best Actor.
2. Marlon Brando – "The Godfather" (21 points) ;br ;
3. Peter O'Toole – "The Ruling Class" (13 points) ;br ;
4. Alec McCowen – "Travels with My Aunt" (9 points)
Best Actress.
2. Harriet Andersson – "Cries and Whispers" (23 points) ;br ;
3. Bulle Ogier – "La Salamandre" and "L'amour fou" (20 points) ;br ;
4. Janet Suzman – "A Day in the Death of Joe Egg" (16 points) ;br ;
5. Liza Minnelli – "Cabaret" (9 points)
Best Supporting Actor (tie).
3. Robert Duvall – "The Godfather" (14 points) ;br ;
4. Barry Foster – "Frenzy" (13 points)
Best Supporting Actress.
2. Ida Lupino – "Junior Bonner" (11 points) ;br ;
2. Susan Tyrrell – "Fat City" (11 points) ;br ;
4. Cybill Shepherd – "The Heartbreak Kid" (10 points) ;br ;
5. Harriet Andersson – "Cries and Whispers" (9 points)
Best Screenplay.
2. Luis Buñuel and Jean-Claude Carrière – "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" (20 points) ;br ;
3. John Berger and Alain Tanner – "La Salamandre" (11 points) ;br ;
4. Jan Troell and Bengt Forslund – "The Emigrants" (9 points) ;br ;
4. Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo – "The Godfather" (9 points)
Best Cinematography.
2. Vilmos Zsigmond – "Images" (25 points) ;br ;
3. Gordon Willis – "The Godfather" (22 points) ;br ;
4. Geoffrey Unsworth – "Cabaret" (11 points)
References.
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