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Ranking 1939 Best Picture Nominees

1939 is according to many (and myself) the greatest year of all time for Hollywood. That level of greatness even reflected on the Academy Award for Best Picture. It rarely happens, but this year they actually nominated most of the worthy movies for the big Oscar with only a couple of movies not being deserving of their place here, but even they are far from bad. From dramas to a western to an epic to a fantasy classic, this slate is truly iconic and you really can’t go wrong by watching most of these films time and time again.

My Ranking of the Nominees:

10. Love Affair

Love Affair was seriously undone by its excessively melodramatic, needlessly tragic third act. Most of the movie is immensely charming, elegant in its sets and cinematography, and very atmospheric and romantic throughout. The highlight is Irene Dunne who has never been more lovely and radiant than she was in this sweet role for her. It’s a perfectly fine, solid romance that works more often than not, but still when judging it with these other classics, it pales in comparison, which is why it gets the last spot on this list.

9. Stagecoach

Yes, this might be a controversial placement for this revered western, but I personally never cared all that much about Stagecoach. I do like it and I find it to be solid, but just not great. Even though it is a truly sprawling picture that is astonishing in cinematography and its epic tone alone, it doesn’t really present anything more than that. Claire Trevor and John Wayne are both quite memorable, but others are all forgettable. It’s a movie that is overly concerned with spectacle and not nearly enough with genuinely strong storytelling.

8. Goodbye, Mr. Chips

This flick is quite endearing. Not only that, but it’s also genuinely moving in its second half. The film is consistently engaging, charming and very well crafted on all levels. But apart from it being good, it never rises above that level as it never reaches greatness in any of its areas. It’s maybe pleasantly old-fashioned, but probably too pedestrian at the end of the day in its plot with the romance really being rushed. And although Robert Donat was very good in the main role, his Oscar win was hardly deserved.

7. Of Mice and Men

The casting for this John Steinbeck adaptation was excellent as Burgess Meredith and Lon Chaney, Jr. were perfect for these roles and they both excelled. I also appreciated the extended role of the wife as that felt more modern. The overall movie is competent and quite dramatic, but it’s not great given its less than impressive technical aspects. Although I still deem it a good adaptation of this classic source novella, there is no denying that the 1992 version was better in almost every aspect.

6. Dark Victory

By far the most underrated movie in this slate and of this entire year has to be this stellar drama. Dark Victory is the first great movie here and the one that is truly difficult to watch, but an essential old-school Hollywood melodrama nonetheless. The ending in particular is not only devastating, but also dignified and highly inspirational. The highlight of course is Bette Davis. She has always been a great actress, but she was just at great in the good character roles as in the bitch roles, which is the case here. She is amazing in her every scene.

5. Wuthering Heights

Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon are lovely. William Wyler is superb in the directorial chair. The black-and-white cinematography is dazzling. The imagery is frequently dazzling. The score is majestic. Surely enough, this movie is an absolute classic that proves that sometimes film adaptations can be truly great. Here, the number of characters and plot points was reduced from the book and it was a great choice as we got a more streamlined cinematic experience that is still undeniably romantic and sweeping.

4. The Wizard of Oz

The Wizard of Oz continues to grow on me with each subsequent viewing and now I deem it a flawed masterpiece as it has its smaller issues, but overall the movie is so enchanting, so timeless in its message and so technically wondrous that it’s almost impossible not to fully adore it. Dorothy as played by Garland is such a lovable character and so are all the others here, but it is the stunning sets, costumes, songs and Technicolor that continue to astound even after many decades since its release. It was wonderful that the Academy actually nominated a family fantasy flick for once.

3. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

I adore Frank Capra movies. I know that many may find them dated and overly unrealistic and naïve during these very cynical times we live in, but for me his movies remain truly inspirational, especially this particular classic. The US politics is beautifully criticized here and the dialogue is exceptional, especially the final speech that magnificently capped the entire movie. The highlight is the acting. Jean Arthur is as lovely as always and James Stewart delivered his career-best performance here. The fact that he lost an Oscar for this terrific work remains puzzling.

2. Ninotchka

Ah, the lovely Ninotchka. Whether you’re talking about the amazing titular protagonist or that stupendous restaurant scene or everything else really, this is an absolute masterpiece of a movie that serves as a great reminder that romantic comedies can truly be great when done this well. The romance here is charming, the characterization is stellar and the humor is fantastic with many hilarious moments and brisk, clever dialogue interspersed throughout. It’s such a delightful flick that is superb every single time I watch it.

1. Gone with the Wind

This Best Picture slate was truly amazing, but in any year Gone with the Wind would still be my number one pick as it’s my favorite movie of all time. This cinematic masterpiece is gorgeously composed (its orchestral pieces give me goosebumps every single time), the Technicolor is arresting and the romance at its center is timeless. It has the war elements, the drama, the romantic stuff and the humor in spades, thus it can appeal to everyone out there. It also features Vivien Leigh’s brilliant performance as Scarlett O-Hara, probably the greatest character in all of fiction. It’s a very long, but consistently involving movie that gets better and better every single time I see it.

Films That Should Have Been Nominated:

The Hound of the Baskervilles – This ultimate Sherlock Holmes outing is not only perfectly acted by its talented cast, but it’s also wonderfully directed and gorgeously shot with great, artistic photography and a very eerie atmosphere to it. It’s not exactly classical as it is lacking in the detective elements, but as a historical adventure, it works in spades.

Destry Rides Again – Although somewhat messy at times, this western flick is much different than your usual genre movies, in particular as it relates to a strong emphasis on humor and a lightweight approach. I also really liked James Stewart and especially Marlene Dietrich in what was a different, interesting role for her.