| Title |
Min. |
c | S | M | H | P | V | En | Ed |
| Above Suspicion | 91 | b | 5 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Behind the Rising Sun | 88 | b | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 |
| Best Foot Forward | 94 | c | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Bombardier | 99 | b | 6 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Coney Island | 96 | c | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Crash Dive | 105 | c | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Cry 'Havoc' | 98 | b | 5 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Desperadoes, The | 87 | b | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Destination Tokyo | 135 | b | 4 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Du Barry Was a Lady | 101 | c | 5 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Fallen Sparrow, The | 94 | b | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Flesh and Fantasy | 93 | b | 7 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Flight for Freedom | 101 | b | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Gang's All Here, The | 103 | c | 7 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
| Ghost Ship, The | 70 | b | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Girl Crazy | 99 | b | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Government Girl | 93 | b | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |||
| Iron Major, The | 86 | b | 6 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Jack London | 91 | b | 6 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 |
| Lady of Burlesque | 91 | b | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Lady Takes a Chance, A | 86 | b | 6 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Lost Angel | 91 | b | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Meanest Man in the World, The | 57 | b | 5 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 4 | |
| Northern Pursuit | 94 | b | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Outlaw, The | 116 | b | 3 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Princess O'Rourke | 95 | b | 7 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Salute to the Marines | 102 | c | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Slightly Dangerous | 94 | b | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Stormy Weather | 77 | b | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Stranger in Town, A | 67 | b | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |||
| Sweet Rosie O'Grady | 75 | c | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | |
| Swing Shift Maisie | 87 | b | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Tender Comrade | 101 | b | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Thank Your Lucky Stars | 127 | b | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| They Got Me Covered | 93 | b | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Thousands Cheer | 126 | c | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 |
| Three Hearts for Julia | 90 | b | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4 | ||
| Young Ideas | 77 | b | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
On their honeymoon in 1939 Richard (Fred MacMurray) and Frances (Joan Crawford) are asked to spy in Germany. They are helped by one count (Conrad Veidt) and overcome another (Basil Rathbone) in rescuing a doctor (Reginald Owen).
This spy thriller reflects how the European war interrupted
the lives of Americans with the necessity to overcome German aggression
that used science to kill.
Based on a novel by James R. Young, in 1936 Americans in Tokyo are friends with a Japanese family, a Russian, and a German. Other prominent liberals have been murdered, but Reo Seki (J. Carrol Naish) supports the Emperor. His son Taro Seki (Tom Neal) returns from Cornell University and becomes an engineer for O'Hara (Don Douglas) and then in the army. Boxer Lefty (Robert Ryan) knocks out a Japanese karate fighter, presaging the American victory. Taro Seki plans to marry O'Hara's secretary Tama (Margo) but dies as a pilot in the war. Reo Seki realizes the dishonor of his country and prepares to commit hara-kiri.
This American propaganda film portrays war-time Japan as
a cruel feudal society trying to dominate Asia but doomed to self-destruction.
Adapted from John Cecil Holm's play, Lucille Ball plays herself in this musical about a movie star who goes to a prom with prep-school cadet (Tommy Dix) to gain publicity designed by Jack O'Riley (William Gaxton) for her sagging career. Harry James provides good music. Ball has her dress torn off for souvenirs but manages to get her date re-united with his girl-friend (Virginia Weidler) and graduated so he can go to West Point.
Comedy is based on the ludicrous situation of high-school
kids dancing with a Hollywood star, but the underlying theme is
the desperate measures taken by celebrities to push forward their
careers.
Major Chick Davis (Pat O'Brien) surpasses the dive bombing of Captain Buck Oliver (Randolph Scott) with precision bombing from high altitude and establishes a training school for bombardiers. Chick's secretary (Anne Shirley) is wooed by both, but her brother Tom (Eddie Albert) has difficulties in the training. After Pearl Harbor, they go into combat and bomb Japan.
This war propaganda reflects the current training of thousands
of men to bomb the USA's enemies in World War II. Even a recruit
whose letters from his mother warn him he is learning how to mass
murder is persuaded by quotes from the Bible that their
cause is righteous.
Eddie Johnson (George Montgomery) finds Joe Rocco (Cesar Romero), who cheated him out of his partnership. Eddie competes with Joe and then joins him while gaining the attention of his attractive singer Kate Farley (Betty Grable), whom he helps develop a better style.
Set in the Gay 1890s, this musical comedy provided light
entertainment for soldiers eager to see Betty Grable's legs.
Lt. Ward Stewart (Tyrone Power) falls in love with Jean (Anne Baxter), who resists because she is planning to marry his submarine commander Dewey Connors (Dana Andrews). Black sailor Oliver (Ben Carter) helps aging McDonnell (James Gleason) because of his bad heart. Their sub penetrates a German naval base and destroys it.
Conflicted romance provides the drama for this war propaganda
heroics which kill numerous enemies while only losing one man.
Adapted from Allan Kenward's play, in desperate circumstances at Bataan army nurses Lt. Smith (Margaret Sullavan) and Captain Marsh (Fay Bainter) are joined by nine volunteers that include feisty Pat (Ann Sothern).
This realistic drama depicts the wretched situation of suffering
losses in a war from the viewpoint of nurses caring for the wounded
and sick with inadequate supplies.
Cheyenne (Glenn Ford) is a wanted man but arrives in Utah late for a bank robbery planned by Uncle Willie McLeod (Edgar Buchanan) and banker Clanton (Porter Hall) of money paid by the US Army for horses in 1863. Calling himself Bill Smith, Cheyenne falls in love with Allison McLeod (Evelyn Keyes), who has been courted by Cheyenne's friend Steve (Randolph Scott), now sheriff. Cheyenne returns a favor to his friend Nitro (Guinn Williams), who gets him involved escaping from another bank robbery.
This archetypal western aims at entertainment as it plays
violent scenes for comedy but is somewhat redeemed by Cheyenne's
efforts to avoid crime in order to settle down and marry Allison
and by his loyal friendships with Nitro, Steve, and his childhood
friend Countess (Claire Trevor).
Captain Cassidy (Cary Grant) commands the submarine crew that includes womanizer Wolf (John Garfield) and cook (Alan Hale). After picking up a specialist in the Aleutian Islands, they go to Tokyo Bay in order to gain intelligence for an air attack.
This war propaganda was so effective that it was used as
a training film by the US Navy.
In this musical comedy May Daly (Lucille Ball) does not want to marry dancer Alec (Gene Kelly) because he has no money. Hat-checker Louis (Red Skelton), wins the sweepstakes and persuades her to marry him as a business proposition; but he is drugged and thinks he is Louis XV and May is Du Barry. Alec and Rami (Zero Mostel) try to lead a revolution. When Louis comes to, May decides to marry Alec, as the rest of Louis' money is taken by the IRS.
The Broadway play by Herbert Fields and Buddy G. DeSylva
was cleaned up for the Hollywood movie, leaving it a rather tamed
farce.
Based on a novel by Dorothy B. Hughes, John McKittrick (John Garfield) suffered imprisonment while fighting in the Spanish Civil War. After his boyhood friend is killed, he refuses to let Nazis get their banner back. While romancing Toni (Maureen O'Hara) he tracks down the murderers who are led by Dr. Skaas (Walter Slezak).
This anti-Nazi film shows some of desperation with which
their victims continued to fight back.
Doakes (Robert Benchley) tells a friend of a dream and a fortune teller and is told three stories. In the first plain Henrietta (Betty Field) discovers her inner beauty during Mardi Gras with Michael (Robert Cummings). In the second palm reader Podgers (Thomas Mitchell) predicts that Marshall Tyler (Edward G. Robinson) will kill someone; Lady Pamela (May Whitty) dies naturally, but Tyler goes on to kill. In the third story Paul Gaspar (Charles Boyer) dreams that Joan (Barbara Stanwyck) witnesses his fall from a high wire, and they fall in love.
These three stories play mind games with the characters
and the audience, indicating that supernatural effects seem to
depend on how the people believe in the possibilities.
Aircraft engineer Paul (Herbert Marshall) trains Tonie (Rosalind Russell) to be a great and famous flyer. She falls in love with the flyer Randy Britton (Fred MacMurray). While he pursues his career, she agrees to marry Paul. She wants to fly around the world alone, but the US Navy asks her to help them spy on Japanese naval bases.
Obvious comparisons to the life and mysterious death of
Amelia Earhart do not prevent this from being shaped into war
propaganda. Nonetheless the story depicts an outstanding woman
and two men with contrasting personalities.
In this musical comedy with Benny Goodman that was directed by Busby Berkeley a soldier (James Ellison) falls in love with a singer (Alice Faye) before he ships out. When he returns, the singer learns that the soldier has a childhood sweetheart. Carmen Miranda, Eugene Pallette, Charlotte Greenwood, and Edward Everett Horton provide comic relief.
Patriotism is promoted by staging a show at a party to honor
a war hero and sell war bonds.
Sea captain Will Stone (Richard Dix) has peculiar ideas about his authority. After he causes the death of a sailor, his new third officer Tom Merriam (Russell Wade) accuses him of murder; but his charge is dismissed. Merriam is shunned by the crew until the radioman (Edmund Glover) disappears.
This psychological study of an authoritarian personality
explores how easily tyranny can emerge on an isolated ship.
Gershwin songs highlight this musical comedy in which a young playboy (Mickey Rooney) is sent to an isolated western college of mining with no females except the mail carrier (Judy Garland).
This remake of the Bolton-McGowan play, also done in the
1932 Girl Crazy, depends on its two stars, who have grown up but
still act like kids.
Ed Browne (Sonny Tufts) comes to crowded Washington to organize production of bombers and is assisted by his zany secretary Smokey (Olivia de Havilland), who has to deal with her roommate bride (Anne Shirley) and her husband (James Dunn) who cannot find an apartment, an ambitious politician (Jess Barker) who thinks he owns her, and an unrequited journalist (Paul Stewart.
This satire of War Department bureaucracy and politics provided
comic relief to a nation mobilized for war.
Frank Cavanaugh (Pat O'Brien) falls in love with Florence (Ruth Warrick) and becomes an outstanding football coach. He volunteers to fight in World War I and is wounded in battle. After his death his sons and a daughter join the armed forces during World War II.
This biographical drama suggests that the rigorous discipline,
physical training, and dedication for football are similar to
what is needed to win a war. Cavanaugh is portrayed as being devoted
to his family and his country.
Based on the biography by his wife Charmian (Susan Hayward), this story of the writer Jack London (Michael O'Shea) depicts his young adventures and climaxes with his coverage of Japan's war with Russia.
London's socialist ideas are only hinted at when he predicts
the 20th century will be one of greed and violence, and the last
part of the film is turned into a propagandistic warning against
Japanese imperialism.
This murder mystery about burlesque performers is based on a novel attributed to the stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. Dixie Daisy (Barbara Stanwyck) is the star attraction and is suspected when two of her competitors are murdered. Wooed by a comic (Michael O'Shea), he and Dixie help the inspector (Charles Dingle) solve the case.
This drama depicts the backstage friendships and conflicts
of a burlesque troupe along with some of the entertainment on
the stage.
Molly (Jean Arthur) leaves three beaux in New York and takes a bus tour to the west, where she meets the rodeo cowboy Duke (John Wayne), who says he won't be hooked. After some humorous trials they win each other over.
Duke represents the western spirit of independence who avoids
domestication until he finds the irresistible attraction.
An orphan named Alpha (Margaret O'Brien) is raised by experts and by the age of six is precocious, knowing Chinese, history, etc. Reporter Mike Regan (James Craig) is reprimanded by his girl-friend Katie (Marsha Hunt) for being irresponsible but changes when he is assigned to do a story on Alpha, who runs away to learn about the magic of love from him.
This uplifting story suggests how special care and loving
attention can have extraordinary results.
Based on George M. Cohan's play, a lawyer (Jack Benny) and his servant (Eddie Anderson) get an accident case from the father of the lawyer's fiancée (Priscilla Lane) but lose it to help a poor family. They move to New York city and struggle in debt until he gets a reputation as a mean lawyer.
This comedy satirizes lawyers.
A Canadian Mounty (Errol Flynn) captures a German officer (Helmut Dantine) in the snowy north and uses his German heritage to infiltrate the spies without telling and while even putting at risk his fiancée (Julie Bishop).
This drama reflects the war-time sentiments against the
German enemies but at the same time implies that German-Americans
will be more likely to be loyal to their adopted country than
Japanese.
Howard Hughes produced and directed this fictional story of Sheriff Pat Garrett (Thomas Mitchell) trying to arrest Billy the Kid (Jack Buetel) and Doc Holliday (Walter Huston) who compete for a good horse and the half-breed Rio (Jane Russell).
Notorious for casting Russell because of her ample breasts,
this film tried to defy Hays Code censorship for several years,
indicating how severe the restrictions were on anything sexual
while callous gun-slinging did not matter.
A princess (Olivia de Havilland) living in a New York hotel with her uncle (Charles Coburn) falls in love with an airplane pilot (Robert Cummings), who asks her to marry before he goes into the Air Force with his co-pilot (Jack Carson), whose wife Jean (Jane Wyman) helps the princess.
This patriotic comedy reinforces democracy when the pilot
refuses to renounce his citizenship in order to wed royalty.
Based on the novel by Robert Andrews, Sgt. Maj. William Bailey (Wallace Beery) rejects the pacifism of his wife (Fay Bainter) and trains the people in the Philippines to resist the Japanese invasion.
This war propaganda glorifies the US Marines and dramatizes
the American resolve to fight back against Japanese aggression
in Asia.
A bored employee (Lana Turner) decides to change her name, disappears, feigns amnesia in order to be supported by a newspaper editor (Eugene Pallette), successfully pretends to be the lost daughter of a wealthy man (Walter Brennan), and then falls in love with the boss (Robert Young) who got fired because of her antics.
This comedy plays upon absurd situations but shows that
none of that really matters when people begin to care about each
other.
A dancer (Bill Robinson) tells children how he met a singer (Lena Horne), and they pursue careers in show business, working with Gabe (Dooley Wilson), Fats Waller, and Cab Calloway.
This all-black musical provides outstanding entertainment
without much story interrupting the show.
A supreme court judge (Frank Morgan) goes on vacation and, finding a town corrupt, helps a lawyer (Richard Carlson), who is campaigning for mayor, overcome the judge (Porter Hall) and the mayor (Robert Barrat) with the help of his own secretary (Jean Rogers).
This drama shows how a corrupt political machine that oppresses
people can be overcome by using the law to hold people to account.
In the 1880s entertainer Rosie (Betty Grable) is hoping to
marry a Duke (Reginald Gardiner), but Police Gazette reporter
Sam McGee (Robert Young) has exposed her previous career in burlesque.
She tries to get even by telling the press that Sam is courting
her for her money. Sam's editor (Adolphe Menjou) fires him and
tries to steal her love letters.
This musical comedy shows a battle of the sexes played out in
the scandal sheets and on the stage.
Maisie (Ann Sothern) meets a test pilot (James Craig) and gets a job in an aircraft factory; but the roommate (Jean Rogers) she helps betrays Maisie by turning her in for suspected sabotage.
This comedy reflects war-time on the home front but has
a dark side in the manipulative woman who goes too far in trying
to get her man.
This patriotic drama about the home front was written by Dalton Trumbo and directed Edward Dmytryk, who were both later blacklisted. Jo Jones (Ginger Rogers) is married to Chris Jones (Robert Ryan), who goes off to war. Jo goes in with three other women workers at an aircraft factory to rent a house. Jo and Doris (Kim Hunter) get along and oppose hoarding, but Barbara (Ruth Hussey) is independent and clashes with them.
This drama explores the difficulties of women during war
rationing and shows the conflicts people have learning how to
live together.
A choreographer (Edward Everett Horton) and a conductor (S. Z. Sakall) are organizing a cavalcade of stars for the allied cause, but Eddie Cantor tries to takes charge. Pat (Joan Leslie) helps a singer (Dennis Morgan) get in the show with the help of a Cantor look-alike who drives a tour bus. Bette Davis sings "They're Either Too Young or Too Old."
This show provided entertainment in support of the war effort.
An incompetent reporter (Bob Hope) is fired for missing the German invasion of Russia and asks his friend (Dorothy Lamour) to help him find a Washington spy story that leads to comic adventures.
Witticisms and farcical situations try to relieve the tension
that has Washington having blackouts and fearing sabotage.
A singer (Kathryn Jones) has to overcome parents who are separated when she falls in love with a private (Gene Kelly), who is also a trapeze aerialist, while she helps put on an MGM show for the troops.
The theme of this musical emphasizes the importance of learning
cooperation and discipline for the sake of life-saving teamwork.
A reporter (Melvyn Douglas) comes back from two years abroad to learn his wife (Ann Sothern) is a concert violinist, wants a divorce, and has two boyfriends she is considering marrying; her husband tries to win her back and gets help from her conductor (Felix Bressart).
Fine music accompanies this unusual romantic comedy that
comes to a patriotic conclusion.
When a writer (Mary Astor) marries a chemistry professor (Herbert Marshall), her agent (Allyn Joslyn), her son (Elliott Reid), and her daughter (Susan Peters) plot to break up the marriage to get her back to writing in New York; but the daughter falls in love with a young playwright (Richard Carlson).
This farce shows young people with precocious manipulating
that is eventually overcome by love.