1938's Best Picture Nominees Ranked
Monday, September 7, 2020 at 12:00PM by Nathaniel R
A behind-the-scenes factoid: We've been recording the Smackdowns much earlier than we've been publishing them this year. That's because we figured with everyone social distancing or locked down at home this past summer it would be easier to corral guests for the panels. That was true. They're all recorded now and though the pace has been brutal that also gave me a personal headstart on 1938 (your votes are due by this coming Sunday morning, September 13th!) and since it was a year I was weak on I thought: why not watch ALL the Oscar nominated movies from the year since there were fewer categories? It seemed doable with a three month headstart but I'd forgotten that Oscar hadn't yet come to the conclusion that five was the perfect number and there were up to 11 nominations in some categories! Alas, I didn't complete the assignment but I did manage to watch or rewatch 21 movies. My goal is to hit 30 key films from this year before a tentative "retro film bitch awards" which we've always wanted to do for the older years for fun. Should we? Does that sound fun to you?
BEST PICTURE NOMINEES OF 1938, RANKED
All but one are available to rent at various platforms. If currently streaming for free somewhere, though, we've mentioned that...
10 The Citadel (King Vidor, US)
MGM. October 29th, 1938. 110 minutes
4 Oscar nominations
This well-meaning picture is about a doctor (Robert Donat) in a small mining town who runs into trouble when he won't ditch his ethics and, later, runs into trouble in the big city when he does ditch his ethics. Donat is strong in the tossed and turned redemption-minded leading role. Unfortunately Rosalind Russell is utterly wasted in a supporting role as his dutiful wife. We're meant to admire his devotion to his work but also cheer on her decision to ditch a career she truly loves (teaching) to iron his clothes and serve as his secretary. Which, well, it's a hurdle especially because she's much more fun in the early going when she's a teacher who he can't rattle when he verbally attacks her. The Citadel was named Best Picture of the year by the National Board of Review but noble message movies rarely age all that well (yet critics and awards voters are still falling for them on the regular nearly a 100 years later).
09 Boys Town (Norman Taurog, US)
MGM. September 9th, 1938. 96 minutes
5 Oscar noms and 2 wins (Best Actor, Best Writing)
Another noble message movie, this one in heavily fictionalized biopic form. Spencer Tracy won Best Actor playing Father Edward Flanagan, a real priest who founded an orphanage/troubled youth home for boys near Omaha, Nebraska in 1917. Well acted and inspirational in a preachy kind of way. Tracy won the Oscar, which is no surprise given the combo of a real life role, the speechifying nobility of the part, and his commanding screen presence. But the actual drama plays as overblown fiction, especially in relation to Mickey Rooney's headstrong bad boy. Only Father Flanagan doesn't believe there's any such thing as a "bad" boy, so naturally Rooney comes to believe it too, and changes his errant ways.
08 Alexander's Ragtime Band (Henry King, US)
20th Century Fox. May 24th, 1938. 106 minutes
6 Oscar noms and 1 win (Best Scoring)
Alice Faye and Tyrone Power chased their vaguely-historical sort of musical In Old Chicago (1937 sort of...) with a more traditional completely ahistorical musical. They play accidental bandmates whose hot and cold romance keeps disrupting their success. Both films were huge hits, with Oscar for two seasons, and with the public for basically all of 1938. More on this film later.
07 You Can't Take It With You (Frank Capra, US)
Columbia Pictures. September 1st, 1938. 126 minutes
7 Oscar noms and 2 wins (Best Picture and Best Director).
Part of the Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1938 next week. But in truth, as you can see by its placement here, I'm not its biggest fan. I've tried three times but it just doesn't do much for me. Intermittently good fun within a weirdly bloated running time for a madcap comedy, but not the best Frank Capra.
06 Test Pilot (Victor Fleming, US)
MGM. April 16th, 119 minutes
3 Oscar nominations
In this romantic drama about early death-defying aviators, Clark Gable almost literally falls from the sky into Myrna Loy's lap (via a farm in Kansas over which his plane malfunctions). They fall madly in love. Spencer Tracy makes up the third part of the romantic triangle, as the pilot's heterosexual life partner; they even repeat some of Gable & Loy's romantic banter in a comic / bromantic way:
Gable: And who do you love, honey?
Tracy: I love you.
Gable: And I love you, too.
What makes the picture an Old Hollywood winner is that the chemistry sparks in each direction of the triangle. Despite those three legendary stars, two "name" character actors (Lionel Barrymore and Marjorie Main) and one of the top directors of the 1930s, this is strangely the only one of the Best Picture nominees that's not available to rent anywhere. Thankfully, there's a bootleg online.
From here on up the Best Picture list gets strong...
05 Four Daughters (Michael Curtiz, US)
Warner Bros. August 9th, 1938. 90 minutes
5 Oscar nominations.
This was the discovery of the lineup as it's forgotten today but quite involving. It's the story of a music professor and his four adult daughters (of marrying age). The film starts as a mild-mannered family comedy before lurching swiftly into romantic comedy territory. It ends as a kind of chaotic marital melodrama. All in 90 minutes flat! I kid you not that this movie would have easily been designed as a 10 hour limited series in 2020 given the amount of characters and plot. Still, the journey from one kind of movie to another is always watchable and quite endearing. Despite the female-centric title it's the men who guide the tone. Briefly Claude Rains controls the picture as the jovially grumpy doting father before passing the baton to looker Jeffrey Lynn (pictured above) who brings the easy romance. Blame (or thank) the final shift in tone on a sour-tempered and riveting John Garfield (also pictured above), who was Oscar-nominated as a musician who falls for the youngest daughter, disrupting the movie's girlishly pleasant vibe about halfway through.
04 Jezebel (William Wyler, US)
Warner Bros. March 26th, 1938. 104 minutes
5 Oscar nominations and 2 wins (Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress)
We'll discuss on the Smackdown. Jezebel is problematic and messy, yes, in ways both general (Old Hollywood's romanticization of the antebellum south) and specific (you can feel how rushed it is trying to beat Gone With the Wind into theaters). But it's also a true corker thanks to Bette Davis' ascension into the pantheon. More on Davis's sensational star turn here.
03 La Grande Illusion (Jean Renoir, France)
World Pictures Corporation. September 12th, 1938. 113 minutes
1 Oscar nomination
Renoir's seriocomic picture about World War I hits sideways with its gentle expose of class warfare and the effortful illusions of civility in actual war. Three French POWs repeatedly attempt to escape German camps. Renoir's humanist approach soars thanks to a incisive touching performances across the board from the European ensemble led by Jean Gabin. This was the first non-English language film ever nominated for Best Picture (It's in German and French though the characters randomly throw in a few English sentences, too).
02 Pygmalion (Anthony Asquith & Leslie Howard, UK)
MGM. December 8th, 1938. 96 minutes
4 Oscar nominations and 1 win (Best Writing, Screenplay)
If you could fuse the dramedic and cinematic sensibility of this adaptation + the wonders of its two lead performances (Leslie Howard & Wendy Hiller > Rex Harrison & Audrey Hepburn) with the vibrant supporting cast + glorious score from the 1964 musical adaptation, you'd be talking an all-time masterpiece. As it is the perfect version of Pygmalion / My Fair Lady is, arguably, yet to be filmed. But don't let that deter you from the formidable delights of this swift, fun, and well-balanced entertainment. Currently streaming on the Criterion Channel
01 The Adventures of Robin Hood (Michael Curtiz & William Keighley, US)
Warner Bros. May 14th, 1938. 102 minutes
4 Oscar nominations and 3 wins (Art Direction, Film Editing, Original Score)
Oscar chose You Can't Take It With You as the year's best. My mind argues for either Grand Illusion or Pygmalion as 1938's rightful Best (nominated) Picture. But my heart and, hell, my body is with the vibrant technicolor giddiness, imaginative action sequences, grandiose but cozy production design, garish costumes, and silly nobility of The Adventures of Robin Hood. It's an all-timer of a comfort movie. Currently streaming on HBO Max
Reader Comments (18)
Damn. 1938 was a great year. When I started through this, I thought, "well GRAND ILLUSION is clearly the #1," but then I saw that you have two films that can quite justifiably be considered better. ROBIN HOOD, certainly, is a candidate for greatest "classical Hollywood film" ever, period, with only CASABLANCA, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN as serious competition in my book. (KANE and BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES kind of exceed the category, really.)
Absolutely agree on You Can't Take it With You, Nathaniel. It's got its charms but the pacing and length make it rather unwieldy—and it panders far too often to forced Feel Good whimsy. Worth seeing but I think there's a reason it's among the least discussed Best Picture winners these days. You've definitely convinced me to find Four Daughters though! That sounds like just the thing for an upcoming Sunday afternoon...
Wow! We totally agree on #1 & #2 (A first?) Every time I see Adventures of Robin Hood I'm more impressed. Here is the perfect example of what the Hollywood studio system is capable of when it's firing on all cylinders. And the casting? There isn't one role that could be improved. Una O'Connor is my choice for most overlooked Supporting Actress possibility of the year.
But from 3 - 10 we'll have to agree to disagree - like we have a choice:
3. The Citadel
4. Jezebel
5. La Grande Illusion - I've always been rather cold to this one
6. Alexander's Ragtime Band - Hollywood brainlessness at its most irresistible- and those great songs don't hurt
And now for the undeserving candidates:
7. Four Daughters
8. You Can't Take It with You
9. Boys Town
10. Test Pilot - Hollywood brainlessness at its most annoying
Suggested substitutes (just off the top of my head): Marie Antoinette, Algiers, Blockheads, Angels with Dirty Faces, even Suez (for the cyclone and Loretta Young's wowzah of a dress)
Adventures of Robin Hood is awesome. Clearly the best of the lot (I’ve seen them al except Pygmalion, which I’ll watch this week and Grand Illusion, which I’m considering 1937 in my complex foreign film release year categorization system).
Agree that Four Daughters was also a complete delight.
While You Can’t Take It With You is trash, I watched it the day after watching Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, so it was really horrible by comparison. It’s only saving grace was that cute kitten.
Any chance we can see the full list of 21 you've seen so far? There are lots of fun films to suggest for this year.
Love this list and though I haven't seen them all, I was also pleasantly surprised by Four Daughters. Robin Hood is a treat, and I especially enjoy de Havilland but La Grande Illusion edges out Pygmalion for my top slot among these. Of course, neither would stand a chance against Bringing Up Baby or Holiday among the year's true best.
La Grande Illusion is no. 1 for me. By quite a long way, too. Robin Hood is fun, but it's hard for me to handle the sped-up action sequences.
Great post and delicious reading!!
Completely agree with Robin Hood as the winner!! However Grand Illusion would be thisclose in second place.
Both Pygmalion and Jezebel are excellent films just not the best of their year.
Also glad to see I'm not the only one who has tried numerous times with You Can't Take It With You and still come up empty. I don't hate it, the cast is just too good to be totally immune to some enjoyment but it adds up to a whole lot of nothing ultimately. It would be the first one I'd kick to the curb.
Followed closely by The Citadel which I found too stuffy for words. Roz's part is a good example of the sort of thing she was often stuck in until The Women saved her.
I liked Four Daughters, again mostly a cast that can't fail to entertain-I'm especially fond of Priscilla Lane and John Garfield is my favorite actor period, but it only really comes alive when Garfield's Mickey Borden enters the scene. Jeffrey Lynn was good looking but frightfully bland.
I love Alice Faye and I love Tyrone Power and I really enjoyable Alexander's Ragtime Band but it does NOT belong anywhere near the Best Picture of the Year discussion. It's fluffy, puffy, loaded with great music and pleasantly performed but that's where it ends.
Gable, Loy and Tracy unbeatable. Test Pilot forgettable.
Boys Town made my teeth hurt from all the goo.
My list of ten would run this way.
Adventures of Robin Hood
Grand Illusion
Holiday
Marie Antoinette
La Bête Humaine
Sidewalks of London
Bringing Up Baby
Pygmalion
Jezebel
The Sisters
LOVE the idea of Retro Film Bitch Awards!
For me La grande illusion is my number 1 by far, perfect performances, great directing, very good screenplay and very good technical aspects.
The next 3 are very good and almost perfect in different ways
2.The adventures of Robin Hood
3.Jezebel
4.Pygmalion
Then I have a picture with good performances and a nice screenplay
5.You can't take it with you
Then 3 movies with good actors but not good screenplays or directors
6.The citadel
7.Four daughters
8.Test pilot
And finally 2 films that are watchable and nothing more
9.Boys town
10Alexander's ragtime band
What a treat, thanks for sharing Nat. Lots to hunt down and catch up on.
And FYI did a full SQUEEEE at the prospect of retrospective Film Bitch Awards. Yes please!
Thought 'd mention some of the 1938 musicals I like. "Cowboy from Brooklyn"'s a slice of 30's merriment with likeable Dick Powell as a rube trying (for reasons I can't quite remember) to pass himself off as a seasoned cowboy. The under-rated Priscilla Lane - feisty, dreamy and a good singer too - adds to the fun.
I tend to like most of Sonja Henie's skating musicals and "Happy Landing"'s lots of fun. Ethel Merman's presence may be a drawing card for some but the real standout among the musical performances is an amazing dance by the Condos Brothers to Raymond Scott's jazzy "War Dance of the Wooden Indian".
A couple of my favorite '38 musicals came from Europe. "Volga-Volga" from the U.S.S.R. - follows the amusing rivalry of two small town bands competing for a spot at a Moscow Music Festival. Most of it's filmed outdoors - and it's all pretty exhilarating. "Eine Nacht im Mai" is from Germany, a fast-paced musical romcom starring endlessly energetic dancer-comedienne Marika Rokk. She was a big star in her day, often touted as Germany's answer to Eleanor Powell. As a dancer, Powell had the edge but Rokk's bubbly personality made her more fun.
Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy (and operetta in general) don't have much currency with film fans these days (even the ones who seek out vintage stuff). But they were huge stars in the late 30's and i still love them. "Sweethearts", among their few films set in modern times, is one of those backstage comedies about married co-stars and the complications swirling around them. Dorothy Parker co-wrote the screenplay. So it's not to be sniffed at. And the color photography won a special Oscar. Jeanette sails gracefully through a fashion segment that's three strip Technicolor bliss. "Sweethearts" was a huge hit and Photoplay Magazine readers voted it their favorite film of the year. So it definitely stands as a prime example of what 1938 audiences craved.
Frank Capra can f*ck off. Corny Americana bullshit.
I think the Academy got this one right!
I guess they were still thanking Frank Capra for saving the Academy. Three Oscars in five years! I think the Top 4 here is pretty much a consensus, and the rest is just down to personal taste.
I've always liked John Garfield. He feels like a "method actor" before it was invented. I guess he was just a natural.
Ken, how on earth did you ever find those obscure European musicals? Can I find them? And you've convinced me to try Sweethearts even though Jeannette MacDonald usually gives me a headache.
(Oh, and I think in Cowboy From Brooklyn, he tries to pass himself off as a cowboy because he can sing and an agent wants to make him the next Roy Rogers. I think it was just your usual Shakespearean misunderstanding on the part of the agent thinking that Dick Powell actually was a cowboy that got it all started).
@ Dave in Hollywood
Thanks for your affable clarification of the "Cowboy from Brooklyn" plot machinations. And I notice that in my own post I mistakenly referred to Dick Powell's character as a rube when he's actually a big city boy. Who knew the plotline of a Warner Brothers musical from the 30's would require so many footnotes?
Nice to hear you're interested in the European titles I mentioned,
Google "Eine Nacht im Mai 1938 rare films" then click on the first item that comes up. That will take you directly to the site that sells the film. They also have "Volga-Volga". That one comes in black & white and colorized versions. The tinted one is actually quite nice.
And if you decide to watch "Sweethearts", hope it turns out to be a pleasant (and headache-free) experience.
I recently rewatched You Can't Take It With You (I first saw it years ago and loved it, then saw the play with Rose Bryne and James Earl Jones and loved the play more). On my rewatch I released I no longer loved it but still liked it a lot. I think I would have still loved it if it was a half hour shorter. They waste way too much time on Edward Arnold's rich jerk and the main couple who are pretty boring compared to the rest of the characters. The scene in the park between James Stewart and Jean Arthur seems to go on forever - if I ever rewatch the film I am fast forwarding through that part. I must note - even when I saw it the first time I was a little confused about why it won best picture.
Haven’t seen yet:
Army Girl
Girls’ School
Mad about Music
Sorry about my post. I thought this was going to be about all the pictures nominated in all categories. Thoroughly understand if you don’t post it.
Ken & Dave -- I actually like Macdonald & Eddy because one of the very first "old" movies I ever saw was NAUGHTY MARIETTA (1935) -- my parents must have lliked them because they took us to see it at a local repertory movie theater. So I will forever be fond of them because trips to that theater are among my most blissful memories from my youth.
so SWEETHEARTS is on my list of things from 1938 i'm trying to get to. I set myself a goal of 30 pictures and I'm at 22 now but I still have a list of about 20 more that I'd like to see (though obviously i won't get to all of them)
Domenico -- i haven't seen any of those three either so you're not alone