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Best movies of the 1940s

The 1940s: all 523 films TOPICAL scores from these years, best first. The top three are Casablanca (1942), Citizen Kane (1941), It's a Wonderful Life (1946). The last column is each film's rank among all 6,624 films.

RankFilmYearScoreAll-time rank
1Casablanca194298.16
2Citizen Kane194195.723
3It's a Wonderful Life194695.525
4The Treasure of the Sierra Madre194891.772
5The Third Man194991.773
6Rebecca194091.478
7The Grapes of Wrath194090.887
8Double Indemnity194490.495
9The Philadelphia Story194090.397
10The Best Years of Our Lives194689.8106
11The Great Dictator194089.3114
12Bicycle Thieves194888.2136
13Notorious194687.7148
14The Maltese Falcon194187.2158
15Gaslight194483.6249
16How Green Was My Valley194183.2260
17Pinocchio194082.6276
18The Lost Weekend194582.6277
19The Heiress194980.5339
20The Red Shoes194879.7367
21Mildred Pierce194579.6369
22The Lady Eve194179.1384
23Bambi194279.0389
24Mrs. Miniver194278.1421
25Fantasia194077.8430
26Red River194877.8431
27Shadow of a Doubt194377.7434
28Brief Encounter194577.6436
29Laura194476.9461
30Miracle on 34th Street194776.3483
31Dumbo194175.9498
32Yankee Doodle Dandy194275.1529
33The Ox-Bow Incident194374.7544
34The Big Sleep194674.1569
35The Magnificent Ambersons194273.5593
36Meet Me in St. Louis194472.6630
37Children of Paradise194572.3641
38The Shop Around the Corner194072.0656
39Spellbound194571.9658
40Hamlet194871.8663
41Gentleman's Agreement194771.3685
42Out of the Past194771.2692
43My Darling Clementine194670.7710
44Rome, Open City194570.6716
45National Velvet194470.5721
46Black Narcissus194770.2735
47The Killers194670.0742
48Going My Way194468.1830
49His Girl Friday194067.6856
50Now, Voyager194267.5859
51Sergeant York194167.0885
52Twelve O'Clock High194966.8895
53Key Largo194865.8943
54Leave Her to Heaven194565.7947
55White Heat194965.7950
56Great Expectations194665.2973
57Ball of Fire194165.1976
58The Pride of the Yankees194265.0983
59Suspicion194164.9987
60Shoeshine194664.11,032
61Adam's Rib194963.61,056
62Woman of the Year194262.61,110
63To Be or Not to Be194261.21,184
64The Snake Pit194859.71,269
65She Wore a Yellow Ribbon194959.51,279
66The Little Foxes194159.31,291
67Sullivan's Travels194258.91,316
68The Picture of Dorian Gray194558.51,339
69To Have and Have Not194458.41,345
70Paisan194657.81,379
71Beauty and the Beast194657.61,392
72The Letter194057.61,395
73Henry V194457.31,411
74Gilda194657.21,416
75On the Town194956.61,452
76Rope194856.01,488
77Detour194555.91,494
78The Fallen Idol194855.81,500
79The Naked City194855.81,502
80A Letter to Three Wives194955.61,512
81Foreign Correspondent194055.51,521
82The Thief of Bagdad194055.31,533
83Monsieur Verdoux194755.11,544
84Letter from an Unknown Woman194855.11,548
85Here Comes Mr. Jordan194154.31,599
86Holiday Inn194254.21,604
87For Whom the Bell Tolls194253.41,652
88The Lady from Shanghai194753.41,656
89The More the Merrier194353.31,660
90The Long Voyage Home194053.01,682
91Johnny Belinda194852.91,687
92The Yearling194652.91,689
93The Westerner194052.71,696
94The Talk of the Town194252.41,720
95The Bishop's Wife194752.01,742
96The Bells of St. Mary's194551.11,803
97A Tree Grows in Brooklyn194550.81,824
98Germany, Year Zero194850.51,847
99The Ghost and Mrs. Muir194750.21,867
100Lassie Come Home194349.81,895
101Stray Dog194949.61,909
102Life with Father194749.21,935
103Arsenic and Old Lace194449.01,949
104The Song of Bernadette194348.71,967
105Random Harvest194248.51,981
106In Which We Serve194248.51,984
107Hold Back the Dawn194148.41,993
108The Search194847.92,022
109Fort Apache194847.92,026
110The Mark of Zorro194046.92,099
111Crossfire194746.72,112
11249th Parallel194146.02,158
113Champion194945.32,216
114Heaven Can Wait194345.22,217
115Drunken Angel194845.12,227
116Pride and Prejudice194044.92,244
117The Great McGinty194044.82,249
118Odd Man Out194744.72,256
119Since You Went Away194444.62,266
120Watch on the Rhine194344.32,287
121Dark Passage194744.32,290
122Lifeboat194443.52,348
123Portrait of Jennie194843.12,377
124High Sierra194143.02,386
125The Sea Hawk194043.02,387
126Wilson194442.92,389
127Bitter Rice194942.12,457
128All This, and Heaven Too194041.92,470
129The Farmer's Daughter194741.42,510
130Road to Morocco194241.32,513
131That Hamilton Woman194140.62,571
132Hail the Conquering Hero194440.42,584
133Joan of Arc194840.42,588
134Duel in the Sun194639.72,643
135Cat People194239.62,651
136Sahara194339.52,655
137Anchors Aweigh194539.32,676
138Easter Parade194839.22,682
139Scarlet Street194539.12,689
140Anna and the King of Siam194638.62,728
141Sorry, Wrong Number194837.82,791
142A Double Life194737.82,794
143All That Money Can Buy194137.72,804
144Sands of Iwo Jima194937.72,806
145Five Graves to Cairo194337.52,819
146A Foreign Affair194837.42,824
147Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde194137.32,839
148The Woman in the Window194437.22,844
149The Three Caballeros194437.02,860
150Obsession194336.62,897
151The Keys of the Kingdom194436.52,900
152Kings Row194236.52,901
153Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein194836.52,902
154The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad194936.42,912
155The Wolf Man194136.32,920
156The Razor's Edge194635.82,957
157The Jolson Story194635.72,971
158None But the Lonely Heart194435.52,982
159They Were Expendable194535.23,009
160Our Town194035.13,015
161Madame Curie194335.13,022
162To Each His Own194634.93,037
163My Favorite Wife194034.93,038
164Little Women194934.83,041
165Story of G.I. Joe194534.53,066
166The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer194734.53,069
167The Paradine Case194734.13,108
168I Remember Mama194834.03,110
169The Devil and Miss Jones194134.03,116
170The Pied Piper194233.73,142
171The Human Comedy194333.13,193
172Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo194432.83,218
173A Walk in the Sun194532.83,219
174Force of Evil194832.73,228
175The Walls of Malapaga194932.73,229
176Penny Serenade194132.63,237
177The Spiral Staircase194632.33,256
178The Black Swan194232.13,274
179The Postman Always Rings Twice194632.03,289
180Phantom of the Opera194331.63,320
181Blood and Sand194131.63,321
182Northwest Passage194031.23,355
183Kitty Foyle194031.23,359
184The Strawberry Blonde194131.03,378
185Waterloo Bridge194030.83,394
186Louisiana Story194830.73,402
187Kiss of Death194730.63,408
188Reap the Wild Wind194230.33,434
189Air Force194330.33,439
190The Southerner194530.33,441
191Cover Girl194430.13,457
192Dark Command194029.83,486
193The Valley of Decision194529.13,544
194The Great Lie194128.53,601
195You Were Never Lovelier194228.43,611
196Green Dolphin Street194728.13,636
197The North Star194328.03,648
198The Gang's All Here194327.83,665
199Boom Town194027.73,670
200Wake Island194227.63,686
201Blithe Spirit194527.33,710
202The Seventh Cross194427.23,720
203I Married a Witch194227.23,723
204Hangmen Also Die!194327.03,738
205Saludos Amigos194226.93,747
206The Uninvited194426.93,752
207Moscow Strikes Back194226.73,770
208The Bank Dick194026.63,775
209Passport to Pimlico194926.53,781
210Mr. Skeffington194426.53,788
211The Three Musketeers194826.43,798
212Princess O'Rourke194326.23,816
213Body and Soul194726.23,817
214The Miracle of Morgan's Creek194425.83,852
215The Harvey Girls194625.23,909
216Possessed194725.13,922
217This Land Is Mine194325.03,924
218For Me and My Gal194225.03,929
219Melody Time194825.03,930
220The Pearl194724.93,940
221Boomerang!194724.73,953
222Caesar and Cleopatra194523.84,045
223The Blue Dahlia194623.74,048
224Come to the Stable194923.64,060
225Saratoga Trunk194523.54,067
226The Seventh Veil194522.94,126
227Objective, Burma!194522.84,135
228A Song to Remember194522.74,146
229Johnny Eager194122.34,187
230Strike Up the Band194022.34,190
231Road to Utopia194622.04,217
232Let There Be Light194621.94,228
233North West Mounted Police194021.94,230
234Ride the Pink Horse194721.74,248
235Mrs. Parkington194421.54,269
236Beyond the Forest194921.44,273
237Fun and Fancy Free194721.34,286
238Monsieur Vincent194721.24,301
239Abe Lincoln in Illinois194021.14,309
240The Pirate194820.94,325
241The White Cliffs of Dover194420.94,328
242The Reluctant Dragon194120.84,336
243The Shanghai Gesture194120.74,345
244The Corn Is Green194520.44,378
245Jungle Book194220.34,383
246Victory Through Air Power194320.24,400
247Saboteur194219.84,438
248This Above All194219.74,450
249Cabin in the Sky194319.64,455
250Under Capricorn194919.64,458
251Mighty Joe Young194919.54,466
252Tom, Dick and Harry194119.54,469
253Adventures of Don Juan194819.44,475
254Wonder Man194519.44,477
255Blood on the Sun194519.04,515
256Song of the South194619.04,521
257Arise, My Love194018.94,522
258The Sea Wolf194118.94,523
259Love Letters194518.84,532
260I Wanted Wings194118.84,542
261Unconquered194718.64,553
262The True Glory194518.14,610
263Down Argentine Way194018.14,612
264One of Our Aircraft Is Missing194218.14,613
265Dragon Seed194418.04,619
266The Fighting Lady194417.84,636
267The Window194917.74,651
268Stormy Weather194317.54,666
269The Hasty Heart194917.54,670
270Road to Rio194717.34,686
271Arabian Nights194217.04,718
272A Stolen Life194616.94,731
273The Emperor Waltz194816.94,735
274Blossoms in the Dust194116.64,762
275Knute Rockne All American194016.44,781
276Mourning Becomes Electra194716.14,812
277The Egg and I194716.14,813
278Prince of Foxes194916.14,817
279So Proudly We Hail194315.54,875
280Romance on the High Seas194815.44,891
281Marie-Louise194415.24,908
282Tortilla Flat194215.04,927
283The Blood of Jesus194115.04,929
284The Spoilers194215.04,933
285Madame Bovary194915.04,934
286Captain Kidd194514.54,979
287Dance, Girl, Dance194014.35,003
288Desert Victory194314.35,009
289Make Mine Music194614.25,010
290The Secret Land194814.25,012
291Moonrise194814.15,024
292The Fighting Seabees194414.05,031
293Captains of the Clouds194213.95,052
294Sitting Pretty194813.75,067
295Days of Glory194413.55,086
296Experiment Perilous194413.55,089
297Once Upon a Honeymoon194213.45,100
298State Fair194513.15,129
299Sister Kenny194613.15,133
300Süss, the Jew194012.85,164
301The Constant Nymph194312.65,190
302Topper Returns194112.45,205
303Kismet194412.45,206
304My Sister Eileen194212.45,213
305Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet194012.35,222
306Moontide194212.25,226
307Wing and a Prayer194412.25,229
308Frenchman's Creek194412.25,230
309Lady on a Train194512.25,231
310You'll Never Get Rich194112.15,236
311Humoresque194612.15,241
312Mom and Dad194512.15,243
313In Old Oklahoma194312.05,246
314Arizona194012.05,254
315Thousands Cheer194311.95,262
316The Luck of the Irish194811.95,263
317Blue Skies194611.75,285
318The Loves of Carmen194811.65,294
319The Enchanted Cottage194511.55,308
320The Quiet One194811.35,324
321Two Girls and a Sailor194411.35,330
322That Uncertain Feeling194111.25,334
323Crash Dive194311.05,359
324Mr. & Mrs. Smith194111.05,365
325Stage Door Canteen194310.95,371
326Dr. Cyclops194010.85,378
327Invisible Agent194210.85,380
328It Happened Tomorrow194410.85,381
329Lady in the Dark194410.75,394
330Smash-Up: The Story of a Woman194710.65,399
331Desperate Journey194210.55,415
332Too Many Husbands194010.55,419
333Sun Valley Serenade194110.45,422
334The Eternal Jew194010.45,428
335This Is the Army194310.35,434
336Casanova Brown194410.25,444
337Flying Tigers194210.25,446
338The Invisible Man Returns194010.25,447
339Angels Over Broadway194010.05,466
340Captain from Castile19479.95,483
341The Princess and the Pirate19449.75,502
342Up in Arms19449.45,538
343One Million B.C.19409.35,552
344Primrose Path19409.25,564
345The Green Years19469.15,574
346Night and Day19469.05,584
347Hollywood Canteen19448.95,587
348The Blue Bird19408.95,590
349The Memphis Belle19448.85,605
350Mother Wore Tights19478.75,614
351The Story of Dr. Wassell19448.65,623
352Lady of Burlesque19438.25,672
353T-Men19478.15,685
354Christmas Holiday19448.05,698
355The Flame of New Orleans19417.85,711
356The Moon and Sixpence19427.85,717
357The Adventures of Mark Twain19447.85,719
358Lillian Russell19407.75,722
359When Ladies Meet19417.65,734
360The Negro Soldier19447.65,735
361Corvette K-22519437.65,736
362Dillinger19457.65,737
363Design for Death19477.65,741
364B.F.'s Daughter19487.65,742
365Dive Bomber19417.45,763
366Why We Fight: The Battle of Russia19437.45,766
367Flame of Barbary Coast19457.35,773
368The Howards of Virginia19407.35,776
369When My Baby Smiles at Me19487.15,793
370Summer Storm19447.15,794
371They Knew What They Wanted19407.05,810
372Buck Privates19416.95,822
373The Spanish Main19456.85,829
374Mission to Moscow19436.65,848
375Guest Wife19456.65,850
376King of the Zombies19416.65,853
377The House of the Seven Gables19406.55,860
378Take a Letter, Darling19426.55,862
379Sundown19416.55,863
380Stand by for Action19426.55,864
381Report from the Aleutians19436.55,868
382Commandos Strike at Dawn19426.45,872
383The Invisible Woman19406.45,875
384Second Chorus19406.35,886
385My Gal Sal19426.25,896
386Green Grass of Wyoming19486.25,900
387George Washington Slept Here19426.25,901
388Brewster's Millions19456.25,902
389Address Unknown19446.15,911
390It Started with Eve19416.15,913
391The Climax19446.05,923
392Forever Amber19475.95,927
393To the Shores of Tripoli19425.95,931
394The Fallen Sparrow19435.85,940
395Louisiana Purchase19415.85,942
396Higher and Higher19435.75,960
397Joan of Paris19425.65,962
398Tin Pan Alley19405.65,965
399So Ends Our Night19415.55,973
400The Foxes of Harrow19475.45,985
401No Time for Love19435.45,989
402A Medal for Benny19455.45,990
403Tonight and Every Night19455.35,998
404Music for Millions19445.36,000
405Swiss Family Robinson19405.36,004
406Rhapsody in Blue19455.26,015
407Billy the Kid19415.26,017
408Guest in the House19445.06,035
409Birth of the Blues19414.96,046
410Ladies in Retirement19414.96,047
411Star Spangled Rhythm19424.86,053
412Brazil19444.86,054
413Can't Help Singing19444.86,057
414His Butler's Sister19434.76,069
415Hello, Frisco, Hello19434.66,083
416San Antonio19454.56,098
417Step Lively19444.46,102
418Home in Indiana19444.46,109
419Fiesta19474.26,125
420Bitter Sweet19404.26,127
421A Yank in the R.A.F.19414.26,131
422Holy Matrimony19434.26,132
423Jack London19434.06,149
424Flight Command19404.06,152
425A Thousand and One Nights19453.96,160
426Kitty19453.96,166
427Hi Diddle Diddle19433.86,176
428The War Against Mrs. Hadley19423.76,186
429Janie19443.76,190
430Pride of the Marines19453.76,191
431The Amazing Mrs. Holliday19433.66,193
432Flight for Freedom19433.66,198
433The Unseen19453.56,205
434The Chocolate Soldier19413.56,211
435Appointment for Love19413.56,212
436Cheers for Miss Bishop19413.56,214
437Resisting Enemy Interrogation19443.36,233
438Johnny Come Lately19433.36,234
439Skylark19413.36,235
440Lydia19413.26,248
441Spring Parade19403.26,249
442Saraband for Dead Lovers19483.16,252
443The Sky's the Limit19433.16,254
444Swanee River19403.16,257
445The Son of Monte Cristo19403.16,262
446Salty O'Rourke19453.06,269
447Ten Gentlemen from West Point19423.06,271
448Captain Eddie19452.96,275
449Back Street19412.96,281
450The Kansan19432.86,290
451What Next, Corporal Hargrove?19452.86,293
452Commandment Keeper Church, Beaufort South Carolina, May 194019402.86,296
453Centennial Summer19462.86,297
454Minstrel Man19442.76,308
455The Boys from Syracuse19402.76,309
456Paris Underground19452.66,315
457This Love of Ours19452.66,321
458Deep Waters19482.56,330
459Melody Ranch19402.56,331
460Bill and Coo19482.46,336
461All-American Co-Ed19412.46,338
462Mother Is a Freshman19492.36,346
463Something to Shout About19432.36,347
464This Woman Is Mine19412.36,348
465Belle of the Yukon19442.36,356
466Flying with Music19422.16,380
467The Bridge of San Luis Rey19442.06,382
468Coney Island19432.06,383
469Bombardier19432.06,384
470Voice in the Wind19442.06,390
471Hit Parade of 194119402.06,392
472Captain Caution19401.96,393
473The Man Who Walked Alone19451.96,398
474Aloma of the South Seas19411.86,404
475The Men in Her Life19411.86,407
476Why Girls Leave Home19451.86,409
477Topaz19451.76,418
478Tanks a Million19411.76,425
479Song of the Open Road19441.66,428
480Lady, Let's Dance19441.66,431
481My Wild Irish Rose19471.66,432
482The Hairy Ape19441.56,442
483Incendiary Blonde19451.56,444
484Tall, Dark and Handsome19411.56,451
485Once More, My Darling19491.46,453
486Johnny Doughboy19421.46,461
487Devil Pays Off19411.46,462
488My Son, My Son!19401.36,466
489Hit Parade of 194319431.36,467
490Silver Queen19421.36,472
491Knickerbocker Holiday19441.36,473
492Hitchhike to Happiness19451.36,475
4933 Is a Family19441.26,477
494Irish Eyes Are Smiling19441.26,479
495Three Russian Girls19431.26,480
496Sensations of 194519441.26,484
497Music in Manhattan19441.16,489
498G.I. Honeymoon19451.16,492
499Women in War19401.06,503
500The Navy Comes Through19421.06,510
501Sunbonnet Sue19451.06,511
502The World Is Rich19470.96,513
503So This Is Washington19430.96,514
504Klondike Fury19420.96,515
505Mercy Island19410.96,522
506Up in Mabel's Room19440.86,524
507Friendly Enemies19420.86,531
508Behind the News19400.76,537
509Sis Hopkins19410.76,540
510The Woman of the Town19430.76,541
511V-E Day +1 (May 9, 1945)19450.76,546
512Footage of World War II by George Stevens19460.66,557
513The Merry Monahans19440.56,562
514The Corsican Brothers19410.56,564
515The Desert Song19430.56,566
516Irene19400.56,568
517Typhoon19400.46,571
518Sunny19410.46,577
519Secret Command19440.36,587
520The Fight for Life19400.36,589
521Riding High19430.26,605
522With the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in Spain19400.16,615
523George Stevens World War II Footage19430.06,622