The Best Movies of 1938

Updated September 23, 2019 3.7k votes 108 voters 3.6k views206 items

List of the best movies of 1938, with movie trailers when available. These top movies of 1938 are listed by popularity, so the movies with the most votes are at the top. This list consists of all different movie genres, but each film was released in 1938. You can filter this list of films that came out in 1938 for various bits of information, such as who directed the movie and what genre it is. Think the best 1938 movie isn't as high as it should be? Vote up your favorite so it will rise to the top.

The list you're viewing has a variety of movies, like The Adventures of Robin Hood and Bringing up Baby, in it.

This list answers the questions, "What are the best movies from 1938?" and "What are the most popular movies of 1938?"

1938 was a great year for movies, since a lot of classic films were released in 1938. This is a crowd sourced list that has been voted on by many people, so these top films of 1938 aren't just one persons opinion.

Photo:

...more

1
70
15
Jezebel
Bette Davis, Henry Fonda
Released: 1938
Directed by: William Wyler
Jezebel is a 1938 American romantic drama film released and directed by William Wyler. It... more
More Jezebel
#269 of 1,189 Every Oscar Winning Film Ever#72 of 105 The Best Movies About Disease Outbreaks
2
30
10
Carefree
Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire
Released: 1938
Directed by: Mark Sandrich
Carefree is a 1938 musical film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. With a plot similar... more
3
32
16
Bringing Up Baby
Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant
Released: 1938
Directed by: Howard Hawks
Bringing Up Baby is a 1938 American screwball comedy film directed by Howard Hawks, starring... more
More Bringing Up Baby
#183 of 925 The All-Time Greatest Comedy Films#525 of 836 The Greatest Chick Flicks Ever Made
4
31
15
Angels with Dirty Faces
Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney
Released: 1938
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Angels with Dirty Faces is a 1938 American gangster film directed by Michael Curtiz and... more
5
26
10
Sing You Sinners
Bing Crosby, Fred MacMurray
Released: 1938
Directed by: Wesley Ruggles
Sing You Sinners is a 1938 American musical comedy film directed by Wesley Ruggles and... more
6
25
10
The Girl of the Golden West
Walter Pidgeon, Jeanette MacDonald
Released: 1938
Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard
The Girl of the Golden West is a 1938 musical western film. It was adapted from the play of... more
7
22
7
Boys Town
Mickey Rooney, Spencer Tracy
Released: 1938
Directed by: Norman Taurog
Boys Town is a 1938 biographical drama film based on Father Edward J. Flanagan's work with a... more
More Boys Town
#1435 of 1,540 The Most Rewatchable Movies#14 of 72 The Best Movies About Orphans

8
30
17
You Can't Take It With You
James Stewart, Jean Arthur
Released: 1938
Directed by: Frank Capra
You Can't Take It With You is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra and... more
More You Can't Take It With You
#39 of 84 The Best Movies Based on Plays#118 of 224 The Best Black and White Movies Ever Made
9
21
6
Gold Diggers in Paris
Rudy Vallée, Eddie Anderson
Released: 1938
Directed by: Ray Enright
Gold Diggers in Paris is a 1938 Warner Bros. movie musical directed by Ray Enright with... more
10
23
9
The Divorce of Lady X
Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon
Released: 1938
Directed by: Tim Whelan
The Divorce of Lady X is a 1938 British colour romantic comedy film made by London Films; it... more
11
20
6
The Sisters
Bette Davis, Errol Flynn
Released: 1938
Directed by: Anatole Litvak
The Sisters is a 1938 American drama film produced and directed by Anatole Litvak. The... more
12
21
7
The Adventures of Marco Polo
Lana Turner, Gary Cooper
Released: 1938
Directed by: John Ford, Archie Mayo
The Adventures of Marco Polo is a 1938 drama-adventure genre film, and one of the most... more
13
21
8
Kidnapped
Billy Wilder, Reginald Owen
Released: 1938
Directed by: Alfred L. Werker, Otto Preminger
Kidnapped is an adventure film directed by Alfred L. Werker, starring Warner Baxter and... more
14
21
8
Mr. Moto's Gamble
Peter Lorre, Ward Bond
Released: 1938
Directed by: James Tinling
Mr. Moto's Gamble is the third film in the Mr. Moto series starring Peter Lorre as the title... more
15
18
5
Submarine Patrol
George Bancroft, Preston Foster
Released: 1938
Directed by: John Ford
Submarine Patrol is a 1938 film starring Richard Greene and Nancy Kelly. The supporting cast... more
16
21
8
A Christmas Carol
Ann Rutherford, Gene Lockhart
Released: 1938
Directed by: Edwin L. Marin
A Christmas Carol is a 1938 American film adaptation of Charles Dickens's 1843 novelette A... more
More A Christmas Carol
#111 of 369 The Best Movies Based On Books#42 of 127 The Best Christmas Movies of All Time
17
20
7
Merrily We Live
Constance Bennett, Billie Burke
Released: 1938
Directed by: Norman Z. McLeod
Merrily We Live is a comedy film directed by Norman Z. McLeod, starring Constance Bennett and... more
18
19
7
Mad About Music
Deanna Durbin, Herbert Marshall
Released: 1938
Directed by: Norman Taurog
Mad About Music is a 1938 American musical film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Deanna... more
19
18
5
Crime School
Humphrey Bogart, David Carradine
Released: 1938
Directed by: Lewis Seiler
Crime School is a 1938 Warner Bros. film directed by Lewis Seiler and starring the Dead End... more
20
18
5
Wives Under Suspicion
Frank Morgan, Milburn Stone
Released: 1938
Directed by: James Whale
Wives Under Suspicion is a film directed by James Whale, starring Warren William, Gail... more
21
21
8
Kentucky
Loretta Young, Walter Brennan
Released: 1938
Directed by: David Butler
Kentucky is a 1938 Technicolor film with Loretta Young, Richard Greene, and Walter Brennan. It... more
22
20
8
Four's a Crowd
Olivia de Havilland, Lana Turner
Released: 1938
Directed by: Michael Curtiz
Four's a Crowd is a romantic comedy directed by Michael Curtiz, starring Errol Flynn, Olivia... more
23
21
9
Sweethearts
Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy
Released: 1938
Directed by: Robert Z. Leonard, W. S. Van Dyke
Sweethearts is a 1938 Technicolor musical romance directed by W.S. Van Dyke, starring Jeanette... more
24
32
24
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn
Released: 1938
Directed by: Michael Curtiz, William Keighley
The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film directed by Michael Curtiz... more
More The Adventures of Robin Hood
#68 of 206 The Best Adventure Movies#63 of 553 The Greatest Epic Movies Ever Made
25
16
4
Of Human Hearts
James Stewart, Walter Huston
Released: 1938
Directed by: Clarence Brown
Of Human Hearts is a 1938 American drama film directed by Clarence Brown and starring Walter... more