Holy crap we have a really good year this year! After the terrible year that was 1936, I was surprised at how many good movies came out in 1937. It also helps that there are movies on this list that some of you might have heard of or seen, unlike in 1936 where even I had not heard of most of the movies nominated that year. Not every film from this year was perfect, but it is a huge improvement from the year before. Maybe this is a sign that the films nominated for Best Picture will get better in the next few years. But I know that is wishful thinking as not all the years can be winners like this one.
1.A Star is Born (1937):
I think everyone knows about the story and characters of this movie as it has been remade three times now. Once in 1954, again in 1976, and the newest one that came out in 2018, this seems to be a movie that will stand the test of time. The story of a famous, drunken, fading star of a Hollywood actor taking in a younger, unknown woman on as his lover, and eventually having her fame overshadow his, is a timeless story that Hollywood loves to tell. And I think this is the best version of this story. Not just because it’s the shortest and easiest to get through, but also because I think the writing and acting are much stronger. Fredric March and Janet Gaynor are a great onscreen couple who sell you on their tragic romance. The dialogue is sharp and witty, the direction is great, even the colors in the movie look good. This was filmed in technicolor and it looks really cool even today. This movie is a classic and there’s a reason why its been remade so many times.
2.Dead End (1937):
This one really surprised me as being one of the better movies on this list. It’s about a group called the Dead Ends Kids living on the wrong side of town and their interactions with the heroes and villains of the story. The writing and acting are what really sold it for me as both are excellent. Humphrey Bogart in particular as the gangster villain is really good here. As good as he was as a hero, I always liked him when he played the bad guy as he got to chew up the scenery. Even the child actors are good as most of the story is told from their perspective. This is just an expertly written and tightly directed drama with twist and turns I won’t spoil here.
3.The Good Earth (1937):
The only major problem with this movie that I, and most people, have is that the main Asian characters are played by white actors. It was a common practice in the 1930s, and even into the 1960s, to cast white actors as non-white characters because the Hays Code would not allow non-white actors to be on screen. Which sucks because there are Asian actors in this that would have done an excellent job portraying the main characters. But we are talking about the racist 1930s here and we can’t change history. But for what this is, this is a really compelling story of a Chinese farming family and their struggles in day to day life. It’s a great family drama with interesting and compelling characters. If you can get past the Asian face problem, then I have no doubt you will get sucked into this family, character drama that feels real.
4.Captains Courageous (1937):
This movie is both uplifting and sad at the same time. A rich boy falls off the steamer he was traveling on into a fisherman’s boat. The captain, Manuel Fidello (Spencer Tracy), forces the boy to work as a fisherman with him and the two end up forming a strong bond. It’s a pretty lighthearted story about two unlikely people coming together and becoming unlikely friends. The two leads have great chemistry and Tracy is especially compelling as this captain character. Freddie Bartholomew as the kid is also a really good child actor and is able to keep his own with Tracy. But it’s not all fun and games as it takes a dark turn in the second half and becomes a drama. I won’t spoil what happens, but lets just say it will bring you to tears. This is still a fun, tragic, engaging movie about an odd friendship.
5.Lost Horizon (1937):
This movie is totally different from Frank Capra’s other movies. It centers on a group of people who get into a plane crash and end up finding Shangri-La, a paradise on Earth. It’s one of Capra’s darker movies as characters die easily, there is a dark under belly to this seemingly beautiful paradise, and some of the characters are unlikeable on purpose. It’s one of his more interesting movies and I was surprised at how dark it could get. My only real complaint is the ending as it feels a little too happy. If it had ended on a more ambiguous note, then I would have put this closer to the top of the list. But as is, this is a really good adventure film with a dark side to it that I liked.
6.The Awful Truth (1937):
This movie is about a married couple who want a divorce. There is no other plot other than that. But it’s the writing and acting you come for in this type of comedy. Both Irene Dunne and Cary Grant have great chemistry. You believe they both hate, yet love each other and their comedic timing is on point. The dialogue is snappy, witty, and also has great comedic timing, as it should. Of course, however, this movie isn’t groundbreaking. You know all the twists even before they are revealed as you know these two will get back together. It’s a romantic comedy, not an intense drama, so you know what’s going to happen to the characters and in what order. Still though, this is a tightly written and well acted comedy that works as is.
7.Stage Door (1937):
My old enemy Katharine Hepburn is back in a story about the life of a stage actress trying to become a star along with the other chorus girls. While I, once again, think Hepburn is the worst part of this movie, there are enough good elements to actually like this movie. I think the rest of the cast is good like Ginger Rogers, Adolphe Menjou, Gail Patrick, and even a young Lucille Ball are all really good. I like the writing in this too as it really captures the bitchiness of these women and the cut-throat reality of being a stage actress. Hollywood loves a behind the scenes look at either movie making or stage life and this is not exception. It’s not as strong as something like All about Eve (1950), but it’s still pretty effective at telling a story of stage people and their day to day lives.
8.The Life of Emile Zola (1937):
Winner of the actual Best Picture award and it’s easily one of the weakest on this list. It shows us the life of Emile Zola, the famous writer, and how he became who he was. I think the only reason this won the award was because it dealt with antisemitism and that was a hot topic at the time (much like today). It’s just ok, a little dry as well in terms of story. It’s your by-the-book 1930s bio picture and it doesn’t stand out. Paul Muni is good, the writing is ok, so is the direction, and you’ll probably forget watching it like I did.
9.One Hundred Men and a Girl (1937):
The title to this one is really stupid. And the plot is no better as it’s about a father and his daughter starting a 100 piece orchestra and wanting to make it big. The only interesting thing is that Leopold Stokowski, the famous conductor, is in this movie and plays himself. He’s not a great actor, but it is interesting seeing him playing himself and reacting to the goofy shit happening around him. Other than that, there isn’t much story or character to dive into so I’ll just leave it at that.
10.In Old Chicago (1937):
This is the same exact movie as San Francisco (1936) from the year before. It’s about a family, their melodrama, and a fire happens at the same time. Like the earthquake in San Francisco, the fire doesn’t factor in until the last twenty minutes and the rest of the film is just bad family drama. This and One Hundred Men and a Girl are the only really bad movies on this list. Which is insane, given this year was a significant upgrade from the last one.
Movies for 20 Somethings 