Film Data for 1938

The Film Daily's Ten Best Pictures of 1938 (poll of 536 film critics and reviewers) 

1) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)- 419 votes 

2) You Can't Take it with You- 372 

3) Alexander's Ragtime Band- 324 

4) Boy's Town- 313 

5) Marie Antoinette- 287 

6) In Old Chicago (1937)- 243 

7) The Adventures of Robin Hood- 218 

8) The Citadel- 210 

9) Love Finds Andy Hardy- 180 

10) The Hurricane (1937)- 172 

The Honor Roll: 

11) Four Daughters- 168 

12) Test Pilot- 142 

13) Jezebel- 115 

14) If I Were King- 89 

15) Wells Fargo (1937)- 84 

16) Algiers- 79 

      Three Comrades- 79 

18) Mad About Music- 77 

19) Suez- 64 

20) Of Human Hearts- 60 

21) The Buccaneer- 54 

22) A Man to Remember- 50 

23) White Banners- 47 

24) Holiday- 46 

      Tovarich- 46 

26) The Sisters- 44 

27) Nothing Sacred (1937)- 41 

28) The Firefly (1937)- 39 

29) Brother Rat- 38 

      Men With Wings- 38 

      That Certain Age- 38

New York Film Critics Awards (Winners announced on January 3, 1939. Awards presented on January 8, 1939 at the Rainbow Room in New York. Sources: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards, 2001 and Donald Lyons, "The Lights of New York," Film Comment, March-April, 1993)

Best Picture

The Citadel (won on ballot VI)

Runner-up: The Lady Vanishes

Best Director

Alfred Hitchcock, The Lady Vanishes (won on ballot I)

Best Actor

James Cagney, Angel with Dirty Faces (won on ballot IX)

Best Actress

Margaret Sullavan, Three Comrades (won on ballot IV)

Runner-up: Wendy Hiller in Pygmalion

Best Foreign Film

Grand Illusion (France)

Special Award

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

National Board of Review (Voting results announced on December 15, 1938. Source: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards).

Best Picture

The Citadel

Rest of the Top Ten (Listed in order of preference):

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The Beachcomber

To the Victor

Sing, You Sinners

The Edge of the World

Of Human Hearts

Jezebel

South Riding

Three Comrades

Best Acting (Listed in alphabetical order):

Lew Ayres, Holiday and Young Dr. Kildare

Pierre Blanchar, Harry Baur, Louis Jouvet, Raimu in Un Carnet de Bal

James Cagney, Angels with Dirty Faces

Joseph Calleia, Algiers

Chico, The Adventures of Chico

Robert Donat, The Citadel

Pierre Fresnay, Jean Gabin, Dita Parlo, Eric von Stroheim, Grand Illusion

Will Fyffe, To the Victor

John Garfield, Four Daughters

Wendy Hiller, Pygmalion

Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, The Beachcomber

Robert Morley, Marie Antoinette

Ralph Richardson, South Riding, The Citadel

Margaret Sullavan, Three Comrades

Spencer Tracy, Boys Town

The Academy Awards (Nominations announced on February 5, 1939. Awards were presented on February 23, 1939 the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Sources Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards and Mason Wiley and Damien Bona's Inside Oscar)

Best Picture

The Adventures of Robin Hood, Warner Bros. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, with Henry Blanke.

Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, with Harry Joe Brown.

Boy's Town, MGM. Produced by John W. Considine, Jr.

The Citadel, MGM (British). Produced by Victor Saville.

Four Daughters, Warner Bros.-First National. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, with Henry Blanke.

Grand Illusion, R.A.O., World Pictures (French). Produced by Frank Rollmer and Albert Pinkovitch.

Jezebel, Warner Bros. Produced by Hal B. Wallis, with Henry Blanke.

Pygmalion, MGM (British). Produced by Gabriel Pascal.

Test Pilot, MGM. Produced by Louis D. Lighton.

You Can't Take It with You, Columbia. Produced by Frank Capra.

Best Director

Frank Capra for You Can't Take It with You (Columbia).

Michael Curtiz for Angels with Dirty Faces (Warner Bros.).

Michael Curtiz for Four Daughters (Warner Bros.).

Norman Taurog for Boy's Town (MGM) (British).

King Vidor for The Citadel (MGM) (British). 

Best Actor

Charles Boyer in Algiers (Wanger, UA).

James Cagney in Angels with Dirty Faces (Warner Bros.).

Robert Donat in The Citadel (MGM) (British).

Leslie Howard in Pygmalion (MGM) (British).

Spencer Tracy in Boy's Town (MGM).

Best Actress

Fay Bainter in White Banners (Warner Bros.)

Bette Davis in Jezebel (Warner Bros.)

Wendy Hiller in Pygmalion (MGM) (British).

Norma Shearer in Marie Antoinette (MGM).

Margaret Sullavan in Three Comrades (MGM). 

Best Supporting Actor

Walter Brennan in Kentucy (20th Century-Fox).

John Garfield in Four Daughters (Warner Bros.).

Gene Lockhart in Algiers (Wanger, UA).

Robert Morley in Marie Antoinette (MGM).

Basil Rathbone in If I Were King (Paramount).

Best Supporting Actress

Fay Bainter in Jezebel (Warner Bros.)

Beulah Bondi in Of Human Hearts (MGM).

Billie Burke in Merrily We Live (Roach, MGM).

Spring Byington in You Can't Take It with You (Columbia).

Miliza Korjus in The Great Waltz (MGM).

Writing (Original Story)

Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox. Irving Berlin

Angels with Dirty Faces, Warner Bros. Rowland Brown.

Blockade, Wanger, UA. John Howard Lawson.

Boy's Town, MGM. Eleanore Griffin and Dore Schary.

Test Pilot, MGM. Frank Wead.

Writing (Screenplay)

Boy's Town, MGM. John Meehan and Dore Schary.

The Citadel, MGM (British). Ian Dalrymple, Elizabeth Hill and Frank Wead

Four Daughters, Warner Bros.-First National. Lenore Coffee and Julius J. Epstein.

Pygmalion, MGM (British). George Bernard Shaw; adaptation by Ian Dalrymple, Cecil Lewis and W.P. Lipscomb.

You Can't Take It with You, Columbia. Robert Riskin.

Best Interior Decoration

The Adventures of Robin Hood, Warner Bros. Carl J. Weyl.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Selznick, UA. Lyle Wheeler.

Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox. Bernard Herzbrun and Boris Leven.

Algiers, Wanger, UA. Alexander Toluboff.

Carefree, RKO Radio. Van Nest Polglase.

Goldwyn Follies, Goldwyn, UA. Richard Day.

Holiday, Columbia. Stephen Goosson and Lionel Banks.

If I Were King, Paramount. Hans Dreier and John Goodman.

Mad About Music, Universal. Jack Otterson.

Marie Antoinette, MGM. Cedric Gibbons.

Merrily We Live, Roach, MGM. Charles D. Hall

Best Cinematography 

Algiers, Wanger, UA. James Wong Howe.

Army Girl, Republic. Ernest Miller and Harry Wild.

The Buccaneer, Paramount. Victor Milner.

The Great Waltz, MGM. Joseph Ruttenberg.

Jezebel, Warner Bros. Ernest Haller.

Mad About Music, Universal. Joseph Valentine.

Merrily We Live, Roach, MGM. Norbert Brodine.

Suez, 20th Century-Fox. Peverell Marley.

Vivacious Lady, RKO Radio. Robert de Grasse.

You Can't Take It with You, Columbia. Joseph Walker.

The Young in Heart, Selznick, UA. Leon Shamroy.

Film Editing

The Adventures of Robin Hood, Warner Bros. Ralph Dawson.

Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox. Barbara McLean.

The Great Waltz, MGM. Tom Held.

Test Pilot, MGM. Tom Head.

You Can't Take It with You, Columbia. Gene Havlick. 

Best Song

"Always and Always" (Mannequin, MGM); Music by Edward Ward. Lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright.

"Change Partners and Dance with Me" (Carefree, RKO Radio); Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin.

"The Cowboy and the Lady" (The Cowboy and the Lady, Goldwyn, UA); Music by Lionel Newman. Lyrics by Arthur Quenzer.

"Dust" (Under Western Stars, Republic); Music and Lyrics by Johnny Marvin.

"Jeepers Creepers" (Going Places, Warner Bros.); Music by Harry Warren. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

"Merrily We Live" (Merrily We Live, Roach, MGM); Music by Phil Craig. Lyrics by Arthur Quenzer.

"A Mist Over the Moon" (The Lady Objects, Columbia); Music by Ben Oakland. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

"My Own" (That Certain Age, Universal); Music by Jimmy McHugh. Lyrics by Harold Adamson.

"Now It Can Be Told" (Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox); Music and Lyrics Irving Berlin.

"Thanks for the Memory" (Big Broadcast of 1938, Paramount); Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin.

Best Score

Alexander's Ragtime Band, 20th Century-Fox. Alfred Newman.

Carefree, RKO Radio. Victor Baravalle.

Girls School, Columbia. Morris Stoloff and Gregory Stone.

Goldwyn Follies, Goldwyn, UA. Alfred Newman.

Jezebel, Warner Bros. Max Steiner

Mad About Music, Universal. Charles Previn and Frank Skinner.

Storm Over Bengal, Republic. Cy Feuer.

Sweethearts, MGM. Herbert Stothart.

Tropic Holiday, Paramount. Boris Morros.

The Young in Heart, Selznick, UA. Franz Waxman.

Best Original Score

The Adventures of Robin Hood, Warner Bros. Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Army Girl, Republic. Victor Young.

Blockade, Wanger, UA. Werner Janssen.

Blockheads, Roach, UA. Marvin Hatley.

Breaking the Ice, RKO Radio. Victor Young.

The Cowboy and the Lady, Goldwyn, UA. Alfred Newman.

If I Were King, Paramount. Richard Hageman.

Marie Antoinette, MGM. Herbert Stothart.

Pacific Liner, RKO Radio. Russell Bennett.

Suez, 20th Century-Fox. Louis Silvers.

The Young in Heart, Selznick, UA. Franz Waxman.

Best Sound Recording

Army Girl, Republic. Charles Lootens. 

The Cowboy and the Lady, Goldwyn, UA. Thomas Moulton.

Four Daughters, Warner Bros. Nathan Levinson.

If I Were King, Paramount. L.L. Ryder.

Merrily We Live, Roach, MGM. Elmer Raguse.

Sweethearts, MGM. Douglas Shearer.

Suez, 20th Century-Fox. Edmund Hansen.

That Certain Age, Universal. Bernard B. Brown.

Vivacious Lady, RKO Radio. James Wilkinson.

You Can't Take It with You, Columbia. John Livadary. 

Best Short Subject Cartoon

Brave Little Tailor, Disney, RKO Radio.

Mother Goose Goes Hollywood, Disney, RKO Radio.

Ferdinand the Bull, Disney, RKO Radio.

Good Scouts, Disney, RKO Radio.

Hunky and Spunky, Paramount. 

Best One-Reel Short Subject

The Great Heart, MGM (Miniatures).

That Mothers Might Live, MGM (Miniatures).

Timber Toppers, 20th Century-Fox (Ed Thorgensen-Sports).

Best Two-Reel Short Subject

Declaration of Independence, Warner Bros. (Historical Featurette).

Swingtime in the Movies, Warner Bros. (Broadway Brevities).

They're Always Caught, MGM (Crime Doesn't Pay).

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Hal B. Wallis.

Special Awards

Deanna Durbin and Mickey Rooney for their significant contribution in bringing to the screen the spirit and personification of youth, and as juvenile players setting a high standard of ability and achievement (miniature statuette trophies).

Harry M. Warner in recognition of patriotic service in the production of historical short subjects presenting significant episodes in the early struggle of the American people for liberty (scroll). 

Walt Disney for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, recognized as a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field for the motion picture cartoon (one statuette- seven miniature statuettes).

Oliver Marsh and Allen Davey for the color cinematography of the MGM production Sweethearts (plaques).

For outstanding achievement in creating special photographic and sound effects in the Paramount production Spawn of the North: special effects by Gordon Jennings, assisted by Jan Domela, Dev Jennings, Irmin Roberts and Art Smith; transparencies by Farciot Edouart, assisted by Loyal Griggs; sound effects by Loren Ryder, assisted by Harry Mills, Louis H. Mesenkop and Walter Oberst (plaques).

Scientific or Technical Awards

Class I (Statuette)

None.

Class II (Plaque)

None.

Class III (Citation)

John Aalberg and the RKO Radio Studio Sound Dept. for the application of compression to variable area recording in motion picture productions.

Byron Haskin and the Special Effects Dept. of Warner Bros. Studio for pioneering the development and for the first practical application to motion picture production of the triple head background projector.

Venice Film Festival (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg)

Best Foreign Film:

Olympia, Leni Riefenstahl

Best Italian Film:

Lucianno Serra Pilota, Goffredo Alessandrini

Great Art Trophy:

Walt Disney, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

Best Direction:

Karl Ritter, Urlaub auf Ehreuwort

Marcel Carne, Le Quai des Brumes

Best Actor:

Leslie Howard, Pygmalion

Best Actress:

Norma Shearer, Marie Antoinette

Best Acting:

The Rage of Paris

Hanno Rapito Un Uomo

Der Mustergatte

Best Technique:

Goldwyn Follies

Sotto la Croce del Sud

Best Story:

Break the News

Geniusz Sceny

Special Mention Medals:

En kvinnas ansikte

Vivacious Lady

Alla en el Rancho Grande

Fahrendes Volk

Jezebel

The New York Times Ten Best List (Listed in chronological order. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg.)

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)

The Citadel

To the Victor

Pygmalion

A Slight Case of Murder

Three Comrades

The Lady Vanishes

The Adventures of Robin Hood

A Man to Remember

Four Daughters

The Top Box-Office Hits of 1938 (According to Variety. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg. Totals were not listed.)

1938 Films listed on the 1937/38 list:

The Adventures of Robin Hood

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer

The Buccaneer

The Gold of the Golden West

The Goldwyn Follies

Happy Landing

Holiday

Test Pilot

1938 Films listed on the 1938/39 list:

Angels with Dirty Faces

Boys Town

Out West with the Hardys

Pygmalion

Sweethearts

That Certain Age

You Can't Take It with You

The Top Ten Box-Office Stars of 1938 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)
1) Shirley Temple

2) Clark Gable

3) Sonja Henie

4) Mickey Rooney

5) Spencer Tracy

6) Robert Taylor

7) Myrna Loy

8) Jane Withers

9) Alice Faye

10) Tyrone Power

The Next Fifteen:

11) Gary Cooper

12) Wallace Beery

13) Bing Crosby

14) Jeanette MacDonald

15) Deanna Durbin

16) Don Ameche

17) Dorothy Lamour

18) Ginger Rogers

19) Nelson Eddy

20) Bob Burns

21) Errol Flynn

22) Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy

23) Irene Dunne

24) Paul Muni

25) William Powell

The Top Ten Western Stars of 1938 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)

1) George Autry

2) William Boyd

3) Buck Jones

4) George O'Brien

5) Three Mesquiteers

6) Charles Starrett

7) Bob Steele

8) Smith Ballew

9) Tex Ritter

10) Dick Foran

The Top Ten Box-Offices Stars of 1938 in Britain (according to The Motion Picture Herald)

British Stars:

1) George Formby

2) Gracie Fields

3) Will Hay

4) Jessie Matthews

5) Sandy Powell

6) Jack Buchanan

7) Charles Laughton 

8) Anna Neagle

9) Will Fyffe

10) George Arliss

International Stars:

1) Shirley Temple

2) Jeanette MacDonald

3) Spencer Tracy

4) Clark Gable

5) George Formby

6) Deanna Durbin

7) Robert Taylor

8) Ronald Colman

9) Gary Cooper

10) William Powell