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1940s top movies

The early years of the 40s decade were not promising for the American film industry, however, Hollywood film production rebounded and reached its profitable peak of efficiency during the years 1943 to 1946. Advances in film technology (sound recording, lighting, special effects, cinematography and use of color) meant that films were more watchable and 'modern'. The films themselves took on a more realistic rather than escapist tone, as they had done during the Depression years of the 30s. The 40s also were the decade that saw the birth of a new genre in film noir ("black film") pared with the revival of gangster films. — Author: iCheckMovies

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    Casablanca

    1942
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    It's a Wonderful Life

    1946
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    Citizen Kane

    1941
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    Double Indemnity

    1944
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    The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

    1948
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    The Third Man

    1949
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    Ladri di biciclette

    1948 — a.k.a. The Bicycle Thief
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    Rebecca

    1940
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    The Great Dictator

    1940
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    The Maltese Falcon

    1941
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    Kind Hearts and Coronets

    1949
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    Notorious

    1946
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    The Big Sleep

    1946
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    Brief Encounter

    1945
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    The Grapes of Wrath

    1940
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    The Best Years of Our Lives

    1946
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    The Heiress

    1949
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    Roma, città aperta

    1945 — a.k.a. Open City
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    The Ox-Bow Incident

    1943 — a.k.a. Strange Incident
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    The Lost Weekend

    1945
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    The Red Shoes

    1948
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    Great Expectations

    1946
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    Shadow of a Doubt

    1943
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    Sullivan's Travels

    1941
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    I Remember Mama

    1948
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    The Lady Eve

    1941
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    La belle et la bête

    1946 — a.k.a. Beauty and the Beast
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    Laura

    1944
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    His Girl Friday

    1940
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    Rope

    1948
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    To Have and Have Not

    1944
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    White Heat

    1949
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    Out of the Past

    1947 — a.k.a. Build My Gallows High
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    The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp

    1943 — a.k.a. The Adventures of Colonel Blimp
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    Black Narcissus

    1947
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    The Philadelphia Story

    1940
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    The Little Foxes

    1941
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    Arsenic and Old Lace

    1944
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    Key Largo

    1948
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    The Magnificent Ambersons

    1942
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    Hamlet

    1948
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    The Palm Beach Story

    1942
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    Miracle on 34th Street

    1947 — a.k.a. The Big Heart
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    To Be or Not to Be

    1942
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    The More the Merrier

    1943
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    Sergeant York

    1941
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    Les enfants du paradis

    1945 — a.k.a. Children of Paradise
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    A Matter of Life and Death

    1946 — a.k.a. Stairway to Heaven
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    Lifeboat

    1944
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    The Shop Around the Corner

    1940

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