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CineRank

Best Movies of the 1940s

This collection ranks 12,509 movies released in the 1940s. The list is ranked using a weighted combination of audience ratings, vote volume and popularity data, so movies with only a handful of votes never outrank widely acclaimed films. At the top of the list sits It's a Wonderful Life.

12,509 qualifying moviesRanked using a weighted combination of ratings, vote volume and popularity data

  2. 2

    Casablanca

    1943· 1h 42m· en

    8.16.2K
  8. 8

    Rebecca

    1940· 2h 10m· en

    7.92.0K
  12. 12

    Rope

    1948· 1h 21m· en

    7.93.1K
  15. 15

    Fantasia

    1940· 2h 4m· en

    7.33.4K
  16. 16

    Notorious

    1946· 1h 43m· en

    7.71.8K
  19. 19

    White Heat

    1949· 1h 54m· en

    7.6548
  20. 20

    The Big Sleep

    1946· 1h 54m· en

    7.61.2K
  25. 25

    Pinocchio

    1940· 1h 28m· en

    7.16.3K
  27. 27

    Gaslight

    1944· 1h 54m· en

    7.5588
  29. 29

    The Heiress

    1949· 1h 55m· en

    7.8281
  31. 31

    Bambi

    1942· 1h 10m· en

    7.06.1K
  32. 32

    Red River

    1948· 2h 13m· en

    7.3613
  34. 34

    Laura

    1944· 1h 28m· en

    7.6920
  39. 39

    Dumbo

    1941· 1h 4m· en

    7.05.4K
  42. 42

    Oliver Twist

    1948· 2h 1m· en

    7.5262
  48. 48

    Gilda

    1946· 1h 50m· en

    7.5667

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Frequently asked questions

How many movies from the 1940s have ratings?

12,509 movies released in the 1940s carry real rating data in this catalog.

What is the best movie of the 1940s?

It's a Wonderful Life currently holds the #1 position among 1940s releases.

How are these 1940s movies ranked?

By a weighted score combining audience ratings, vote volume and popularity. Movies with very few votes are statistically shrunk toward the global average, so they cannot dominate the top of the list.

How often is this list updated?

Rankings are recalculated whenever the underlying movie data changes.