1940s

The 1940s can be divided between the pre-War and post-War eras. The second World War brought death and tragedy with it. For Hollywood, the second half of the decade was a chance to return to normal. Many of the studios had joined the war effort, making propaganda films or selling war bonds. Some of the stars of the age even joined the fight.

Here are a handful of the Hollywood names who served during the second World War:

James Arness   –   Harry Belafonte   –   Ernest Borgnine   –   Mel Brooks   –   Douglas Fairbanks Jr.   –   Henry Ford   –   Don Knotts  

Lee Marvin   –   Glenn Miller   –   Audie Murphy   –   Sidney Poitier   –   Jimmy Stewart   –   Peter Ustinov

The post-War years were very productive for Hollywood as they sought to bring a people back to theaters for something other than the newsreels. Once again movies could be a happy distraction for people. Surprisingly, this was also a time when a number of war films were made, relatively soon after the conflict.

The 1940s were an eventful decade with some wonderful movies made despite the World War. Here are the movies I’ve reviewed:

• The Philadelphia Story (1940) – Nominated for six Oscars, winning two, including Best Actor for Jimmy Stewart
• The Grapes of Wrath (1940) – Nominated for seven Oscars, winning two, including Best Director for John Ford
• How Green Was My Valley (1941) – Nominated for 10 Academy Awards, winning five, including Best Picture and Best Director
• The Maltese Falcon (1941) – Nominated for 3 Oscars, including Best Picture
• Pot O’ Gold (1941)
• Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
• Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)
• Citizen Kane (1941) – Nominated for nine Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, winning one for Best Screenplay
• Dr. Broadway (1942)
• Mrs. Miniver (1942) – Winner of six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Adapted Screenplay
• Casablanca (1942) – Nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning for Best Picture and Best Director
• The Pride of the Yankees (1942) – Nominated for eleven Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor
• The Palm Beach Story (1942)
• Yankee Doodle Dandy (1943) – Nominated for eight Oscars, winning three, including Best Actor.
• The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) – Nominated for Best Picture
• Going My Way (1944) – Nominated for ten Oscars, winning seven, including Best Picture and Best Director
• Double Indemnity (1944) – Nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director
• Ministry of Fear (1944)
• Mildred Pierce (1945) – Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture. Won Best Actress for Joan Crawford
• The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) – Nominated for eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director
• The Lost Weekend (1945) – Won four Oscars out of seven nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor
• It’s A Wonderful Life (1946) – Nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor
• My Darling Clementine (1946)
• The Big Sleep (1946)
• The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) – Won seven Academy Awards out of eight nominations, including Best Picture
• Magic Town (1947)
• Deep Valley (1947)
• Brute Force (1947)
• The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) – Nominated for Best Cinematography.
• Gentleman’s Agreement (1947) – Won three Oscars out of eight nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director
• Miracle on 34th Street (1947) – Won one Academy Award out of four nominations
• Anna Karenina (1948)
• Call Northside 777 (1948)
• Red River (1948) – Oscar nominated for Best Writing and Best Film Editing
• Rope (1948)
• You Gotta Stay Happy (1948)
• The Bicycle Thief (1948) – Won an honorary Oscar for the most outstanding foreign language film during 1949
• The Stratton Story (1949) – Won an Oscar for Best Writing
• Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
• She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949) – Won an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Color
• Twelve O’Clock High (1949) – Nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director
• Take Me Out to the Ball Game (1949)
• All the King’s Men (1949) – Won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Supporting Actress
• Flaxy Martin (1949)
• The Third Man (1949) – Won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black and White

Don’t for get about the 1920s, 1930s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, or 2010s!