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    Home/Browse/1940s Movies

    1940s Movies

    The 40 most popular 1940s movies, ranked. Click any film for ratings, reviews, trailers, and where to watch.

    40films
    3rated by members
    Top ratedIt's a Wonderful Life5.0
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    It's a Wonderful Life
    TMDB4.1
    FF5.0

    It's a Wonderful Life

    1946 · 2h 11m

    country: United States

    George Bailey has spent his entire life giving to the people of Bedford Falls. All that prevents rich skinflint Mr. Potter from taking over the entire town is George's modest building and loan company. But on Christmas Eve the business's $8,000 is lost and George's troubles begin.

    Pinocchio
    TMDB3.6

    Pinocchio

    1940 · 1h 28m

    country: United States

    When the gentle woodcarver Geppetto builds a marionette to be his substitute son, a benevolent fairy brings the toy to life. The puppet, named Pinocchio, is not yet a human boy. He must earn the right to be real by proving that he is brave, truthful, and unselfish.

    Casablanca
    TMDB4.1

    Casablanca

    1943 · 1h 42m

    country: United States

    In Casablanca, Morocco in December 1941, a cynical American expatriate meets a former lover, with unforeseen complications.

    The Great Dictator
    TMDB4.1

    The Great Dictator

    1940 · 2h 5m

    country: United States

    Dictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.

    Citizen Kane
    TMDB4.0

    Citizen Kane

    1941 · 1h 59m

    country: United States

    Newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane is taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. As a result, every well-meaning, tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that deeply wounding event.

    Dumbo
    TMDB3.5

    Dumbo

    1941 · 1h 4m

    country: United States

    Dumbo is a baby elephant born with over-sized ears and a supreme lack of confidence. But thanks to his even more diminutive buddy Timothy the Mouse, the pint-sized pachyderm learns to surmount all obstacles.

    Bambi
    TMDB3.5

    Bambi

    1942 · 1h 10m

    country: United States

    Bambi's tale unfolds from season to season as the young prince of the forest learns about life, love, and friends.

    Fantasia
    TMDB3.7

    Fantasia

    1940 · 2h 4m

    country: United States

    Walt Disney's timeless masterpiece is an extravaganza of sight and sound! See the music come to life, hear the pictures burst into song and experience the excitement that is Fantasia over and over again.

    The Maltese Falcon
    TMDB3.9

    The Maltese Falcon

    1941 · 1h 40m

    country: United States

    A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a beautiful liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette.

    Bicycle Thieves
    TMDB4.1

    Bicycle Thieves

    1948 · 1h 29m

    country: Italy

    Unemployed Antonio is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. However on his first day, his bicycle—essential to his work—gets stolen. His job is doomed unless he can find the thief. With the help of his son, Antonio combs the city, becoming desperate for justice.

    Rebecca
    TMDB3.9

    Rebecca

    1940 · 2h 10m

    country: United States

    Story of a young woman who marries a fascinating widower only to find out that she must live in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died mysteriously several years earlier. The young wife must come to grips with the terrible secret of her handsome, cold husband, Max De Winter. She must also deal with the jealous, obsessed Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who will not accept her as the mistress of the house.

    Rope
    TMDB4.0
    FF5.0

    Rope

    1948 · 1h 21m

    country: United States

    Two young men attempt to prove they committed the perfect murder by hosting a dinner party for the family of a classmate they just strangled to death.

    The Third Man
    TMDB3.9

    The Third Man

    1949 · 1h 45m

    country: United Kingdom

    In postwar Vienna, Austria, Holly Martins, a writer of pulp Westerns, arrives penniless as a guest of his childhood chum Harry Lime, only to learn he has died. Martins develops a conspiracy theory after learning of a "third man" present at the time of Harry's death, running into interference from British officer Major Calloway, and falling head-over-heels for Harry's grief-stricken lover, Anna.

    Phantom of the Opera
    TMDB3.1

    Phantom of the Opera

    1943 · 1h 29m

    country: United States

    Following a tragic accident that leaves him disfigured, crazed composer Erique Claudin transformed into a masked phantom who schemes to make beautiful young soprano Christine Dubois the star of the opera and wreak revenge on those who stole his music.

    The Big Sleep
    TMDB3.8

    The Big Sleep

    1946 · 1h 54m

    country: United States

    Private Investigator Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy General Sternwood regarding a matter involving his youngest daughter Carmen. Before the complex case is over, Marlowe sees murder, blackmail, deception, and what might be love.

    The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
    TMDB4.0

    The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

    1948 · 2h 6m

    country: United States

    Two jobless Americans convince a prospector to travel to the mountains of Mexico with them in search of gold. But the hostile wilderness, local bandits, and greed all get in the way of their journey.

    Out of the Past
    TMDB3.8
    FF4.0

    Out of the Past

    1947 · 1h 37m

    country: United States

    The peaceful life of a gas station owner is disrupted when a man from his past arrives in town and forces him to return to the dark world he had tried to escape.

    The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
    TMDB3.3

    The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

    1949 · 1h 8m

    country: United States

    The Wind in the Willows: Concise version of Kenneth Grahame's story of the same name. J. Thaddeus Toad, owner of Toad Hall, is prone to fads, such as the newfangled motor car. This desire for the very latest lands him in much trouble with the wrong crowd, and it is up to his friends, Mole, Rat and Badger to save him from himself. - The Legend of Sleepy Hollow: Retelling of Washington Irving's story set in a tiny New England town. Ichabod Crane, the new schoolmaster, falls for the town beauty, Katrina Van Tassel, and the town Bully Brom Bones decides that he is a little too successful and needs "convincing" that Katrina is not for him.

    Shadow of a Doubt
    TMDB3.7

    Shadow of a Doubt

    1943 · 1h 48m

    country: United States

    In sleepy Santa Rosa, restless young Charlie’s world brightens when her sophisticated Uncle Charlie arrives for a long visit. But as his behavior grows increasingly strange, she begins to suspect that her beloved uncle may be hiding a terrible secret—and that danger has quietly entered her home.

    His Girl Friday
    TMDB3.7

    His Girl Friday

    1940 · 1h 32m

    country: United States

    Walter Burns is an irresistibly conniving newspaper publisher desperate to woo back his paper’s star reporter, who also happens to be his estranged wife. She’s threatening to quit and settle down with a new beau, but, as Walter knows, she has a weakness: she can’t resist a juicy scoop.

    The Grapes of Wrath
    TMDB3.9

    The Grapes of Wrath

    1940 · 2h 9m

    country: United States

    Tom Joad returns to his home after a jail sentence to find his family kicked out of their farm due to foreclosure. He catches up with them on his Uncle’s farm, and joins them the next day as they head for California and a new life... Hopefully.

    Arabian Nights
    TMDB3.0

    Arabian Nights

    1942 · 1h 26m

    country: United States

    Two half brothers battle each other for the power of the throne and the love of sensual, gorgeous dancing girl Scheherazade.

    Notorious
    TMDB3.9

    Notorious

    1946 · 1h 43m

    country: United States

    In order to help bring Nazis to justice, U.S. government agent T.R. Devlin recruits Alicia Huberman, the American daughter of a convicted German war criminal, as a spy. As they begin to fall for one another, Alicia is instructed to win the affections of Alexander Sebastian, a Nazi hiding out in Brazil. When Sebastian becomes serious about his relationship with Alicia, the stakes get higher, and Devlin must watch her slip further undercover.

    Fun and Fancy Free
    TMDB3.1

    Fun and Fancy Free

    1947 · 1h 13m

    country: United States

    Jiminy Cricket hosts two Disney animated shorts: Bongo about a circus bear escaping to the wild, and Mickey and the Beanstalk, a take on the famous fairy tale.

    Double Indemnity
    TMDB4.0

    Double Indemnity

    1944 · 1h 47m

    country: United States

    An insurance representative is seduced by a dissatisfied housewife into a scheme of insurance fraud and murder that arouses the suspicion of his colleague, a claims investigator.

    Sergeant York
    TMDB3.6

    Sergeant York

    1941 · 2h 14m

    country: United States

    Alvin York a hillbilly sharpshooter transforms himself from ruffian to religious pacifist. He is then called to serve his country and despite deep religious and moral objections to fighting becomes one of the most celebrated American heroes of WWI.

    Spellbound
    TMDB3.7

    Spellbound

    1945 · 1h 51m

    country: United States

    When Dr. Anthony Edwardes arrives at a Vermont mental hospital to replace the outgoing hospital director, Dr. Constance Peterson, a psychoanalyst, discovers Edwardes is actually an impostor. The man confesses that the real Dr. Edwardes is dead and fears he may have killed him, but cannot recall anything. Dr. Peterson, however is convinced his impostor is innocent of the man's murder, and joins him on a quest to unravel his amnesia through psychoanalysis.

    Miracle on 34th Street
    TMDB3.7

    Miracle on 34th Street

    1947 · 1h 36m

    country: United States

    Kris Kringle, seemingly the embodiment of Santa Claus, is asked to portray the jolly old fellow at Macy's following his performance in the Thanksgiving Day parade. His portrayal is so complete that many begin to question if he truly is Santa Claus, while others question his sanity.

    The Lady from Shanghai
    TMDB3.7

    The Lady from Shanghai

    1947 · 1h 27m

    country: United States

    A romantic drifter gets caught between a corrupt tycoon and his voluptuous wife.

    The Golden Peacock
    TMDB4.0

    The Golden Peacock

    1943 · 1h 31m

    country: Hungary

    Bálint Zeke, the honest old miller of the village, leaves his water-mill to Anna, his only daughter, while the will also provides for the mill to be managed by Forintos Mátyás, a young miller, whom he has been raising since he was very young and treats as his own son. The two young people seem to "like each other anyway", and their marriage would make the old man happy.

    Samson and Delilah
    TMDB3.3

    Samson and Delilah

    1949 · 2h 14m

    country: United States

    When strongman Samson rejects the love of the beautiful Philistine woman Delilah, she seeks vengeance that brings horrible consequences they both regret.

    Rosewood Cane
    TMDB4.0

    Rosewood Cane

    1940 · 1h 26m

    country: Hungary

    After having spent 22 months in prison, Viktor Pálos returns to his homeland, where he is going to be involved in the robbery committed by his relatives.

    The Best Years of Our Lives
    TMDB3.9

    The Best Years of Our Lives

    1946 · 2h 51m

    country: United States

    It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.

    Arsenic and Old Lace
    TMDB3.8

    Arsenic and Old Lace

    1944 · 1h 58m

    country: United States

    Mortimer Brewster, a newspaper drama critic, playwright, and author known for his diatribes against marriage, suddenly falls in love and gets married; but when he makes a quick trip home to tell his two maiden aunts, he finds out his aunts' hobby - killing lonely old men and burying them in the cellar!

    Laura
    TMDB3.8

    Laura

    1944 · 1h 28m

    country: United States

    A police detective falls in love with the woman whose murder he's investigating.

    Opium Waltz
    TMDB4.5

    Opium Waltz

    1943 · 1h 6m

    country: Hungary

    Five friends, a piano-player, an actor, a critic, a doctor and a banker meet again for a twentieth school anniversary in the countryside mansion of the piano player. But the sudden arrival of an attractive woman upsets their peaceful plans...

    Little Women
    TMDB3.7

    Little Women

    1949 · 2h 1m

    country: United States

    Four sisters come of age in America in the aftermath of the Civil War.

    The Three Caballeros
    TMDB3.1

    The Three Caballeros

    1944 · 1h 11m

    country: United States

    For Donald's birthday he receives a box with three gifts inside. The gifts, a movie projector, a pop-up book, and a pinata, each take Donald on wild adventures through Mexico and South America.

    Waterloo Bridge
    TMDB3.8

    Waterloo Bridge

    1940 · 1h 48m

    country: United States

    On the eve of World War II, a British officer revisits Waterloo Bridge and recalls the young man he was at the beginning of World War I and the young ballerina he met just before he left for the front.

    The Red Shoes
    TMDB4.0

    The Red Shoes

    1948 · 2h 13m

    country: United Kingdom

    A fledgling ballerina falls in love with a brilliant composer, but the jealous head of the ballet company plots to drive them apart.

    About 1940s Movies

    The 1940s

    1940s cinema is split by the war: propaganda and home-front melodrama, then the darker, more cynical film noir that followed. Italian neorealism emerged from the rubble at the decade's end.

    In this list

    Best reviewed
    The Great Dictator (8.3)
    Most common genres
    Drama, Romance, Crime

    Common questions

    What are the best 1940s movies?
    By popularity across Flickfolio and TMDB, the top picks right now are It's a Wonderful Life, Pinocchio, and Casablanca. The full ranked list of 40 sits above — open any movie for ratings, reviews, and streaming availability.
    How is this list ranked?
    1940s movies are ordered by overall popularity, which blends how often a title is viewed, searched, and logged. It updates as viewing habits shift, so the list reflects what people are actually watching rather than a fixed critical canon.
    Where can I watch these movies?
    Every movie page lists current streaming, rental, and purchase options for your region, alongside community ratings and reviews from Flickfolio members.

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    1940s by Genre

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    1940s Documentary
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    1940s Mystery
    1940s Music
    1940s Romance
    1940s Family
    1940s War

    1940s by Country

    1940s Japanese1940s Korean1940s French1940s Italian1940s British1940s German1940s Spanish1940s Indian1940s Chinese1940s Hong Kong1940s Swedish1940s Mexican1940s Brazilian1940s Russian

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