A propaganda film like Reefer Madness exhorting against the problem of "social diseases".

For a movie you can watch for free on The Internet Archive this was actually kind of fun. Mr. Boggs is an unambitious fact-and-statistics professional who wins a bean counting contest and is convinced to use his prize money to pursue a more adventurous life. Apparently to Boggs this means buying a cooperage in a small town economically dominated by a failing pickle factory. I know, I know... what could possibly be done to spice up this worn out story line. The writing is mediocre except for periodic zingers from office girl Oleandar Tubbs. It's only an hour long. Watch it.

Although the entire internet agrees that this was a 1938 film, the copy I watched from Amazon had a 1942 copyright notice. Twelve-year-old actress Shirley Mills does a nude scene, and there are a few ripped bodice moments for a couple of the adult actresses. Those hillbillies in the Ozarks were marrying their women too young.

The Scarlet Pimpernel is the original hero with a secret identity, I guess. He is a seemingly foppish English aristocrat who dons disguises and leaves taunting poems as the Scarlet Pimpernel, rescuing Frenchmen who are headed toward beheading during Robespierre's Reign of Terror. This movie is "the return" because there had previously been another successful Pimpernel movie starring Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon. James Mason plays a secondary character.

A women in prison movie. Louis Hayward is really fun to watch. There are still a couple of 1938 movies with him that I haven't seen.

True to the title, the lead character played by Jackie Moran was barefoot the entire movie. Toward the end he almost kills Toto.

Familiar faces: Ralph Morgan. Also J. Farrell MacDonald, who had the line "You must mean two other trees" from It's a Wonderful Life.

In Japanese with subtitles.  The masseurs are blind. I think this finishes up everything that Hulu has in their Criterion collection for 1938.

Another Bulldog Drummond movie.  This one has John Barrymore as Col. Nielsen. I thought it needed more of Drummond's valet, Tenny.  Every time Drummond remarks that one of Tenny's suggestions has merit Tenny responds "I rather liked it, sir".

Until now, all I knew about Bulldog Drummond was a lyric from the Coaster's song "Searchin'".  This was a fun movie. The entertainment is all in the dialog between characters. Don't worry too much about plot. The strongest relationship is between Hugh 'Bulldog' Drummond and his valet, Tenny.  Anthony Quinn plays a minor tough guy.  H.B. Warner (IAWL's Mr. Gower) has a good role as a kidnapped Scotland Yard Colonel.

French with subtitles.

In French with subtitles. Witty. Mostly dialog, no action.

A movie musical about making a movie musical. Part of the plot involves a new color process for movies but the movie is entirely in black and white.

Roy Rogers's first movie. He even has Gene Autry's sidekick Smiley Burnette playing Frog Milhouse.

Lucille Ball must marry a common man in order to fulfill the conditions of her father's will. James Ellison's character is named Anthony J. Anthony.

Roy Rogers began his career with that name in 1938.  I think this is his fourth film using that name.

Another "Three Mesquiteers" movie. This one has John Wayne replacing Robert Livingston as lead Mesquiteer Stony Brooke.

A musical that doesn't take itself too seriously. The most familiar actor is Roland 'Topper' Young.  At one point a character uses the cockney rhyming slang "Here comes the storm and strife!" to warn someone that his wife is coming.

Another "Three Mesquiteers" movie. This one concerns a kidnapped racehorse.

A low budget film starring Lew Ayres, who began his role as Young Doctor Kildare this same year.

I liked this one a lot. Louis Hayward reminds me of Hugh Grant.

The benevolent New Dealers from the government fight the evil local power company while trying to convince hillbillies to allow themselves to be relocated from a proposed dam site to a life that any reasonable person would see as an improvement.

A "Three Mesquiteers" movie.

This is a B-Western that is part of a franchise called "The Three Mesquiteers". There were more than fifty of these movies. There were only nine in 1938 and Netflix only has four of those. I will try to work my way through them.

Lots of recognizable character actors, including Neil Hamilton who played Commissioner Gordon on the old Batman TV series, H.B. Warner who was druggist Mr. Gower in It's a Wonderful Life, Billy Gilbert playing his usual immigrant restaurateur, and Ralph Morgan who always reminds me so much of his brother Frank, the Wizard of Oz.

Henry Fonda makes up a little for my bad experience with Blockade. No more 1938 movies in my TiVo's "Now Playing"!  That hasn't happened for years!

The sixth of nine Torchy Blane movies, and the third of three from 1938. Torchy is reportedly (ha) the inspiration for Lois Lane.

Actually released in 1937, but has 1938 in the title. Who can fault me. This one is in color.

This has to be the worst movie of 1938.

Can you believe I didn't get to this one until now?

In French, with subtitles, Ballerina tells of Rose Souris, a young ballet student. Rose idolizes Mlle. Beaupre, the star of the ballet company. When a new Russian ballerina is given the lead in the next production, Rose contrives for her to have an "accident" to clear the way for Beaupre to play the lead. Beaupre proves unworthy of admiration, and Karine, who can no longer dance, becomes Rose's mentor.

I've lost heart in the blogging, but I'm still watching the movies. I will post the ones I watch.