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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

  1. 162

    Adam's Rib

    1949· 1h 41m· en

    7.1335
  2. 166

    The Uninvited

    1944· 1h 39m· en

    6.9235
  3. 173

    Malombra

    1942· 2h 15m· it

    7.016
  4. 174

    Holiday Inn

    1942· 1h 41m· en

    7.0222
  5. 176

    Jane Eyre

    1943· 1h 37m· en

    6.9152
  6. 193

    Tension

    1949· 1h 35m· en

    6.854
  7. 195

    Criss Cross

    1949· 1h 28m· en

    7.1182
  8. 196

    Fraidy Cat

    1942· 7m· en

    7.355
  9. 200

    Fallen Angel

    1945· 1h 38m· en

    6.5135

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.