The Golden Globe Award for Best Documentary Film was only awarded between 1972 and 1977. In 1973 Elvis Presley's Elvis on Tour won this award. Prior to the award, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association awarded the film A Queen is Crowned a special award for "Best Documentary Film of Historical Interest" in 1954, but that has not been awarded since then.

Winners and nominees

1970s

• 1972(t): Elvis on Tour
• 1972(t): Walls of Fire
  • Marjoe
  • Russia
  • Sapporo Orinpikku (Sapporo Winter Olympics)
• 1973: Visions of Eight
  • Love
  • The Movies That Made Us
  • The Second Gun
  • Wattstax