Editing Ray Milland (section)

===World War II===
[[File:Reap the Wild Wind trailer screenshot.jpg|Milland with [[Paulette Goddard]] in ''[[Reap the Wild Wind]]'' (1942)|thumb|right|200px]]
[[File:Ray Milland, Paulette Goddard, and John Wayne in Reap the Wild Wind trailer.jpg|Milland, Paulette Goddard and [[John Wayne]] in ''Reap the Wild Wind''|thumb|right|200px]]
In 1940, Milland appeared in a selection of romantic comedies and dramas alongside some of the leading ladies of the time. These included ''[[Irene (1940 film)|Irene]]'' opposite [[Anna Neagle]], ''[[The Doctor Takes a Wife]]'' opposite [[Loretta Young]] at Columbia, ''[[Arise, My Love]]'' opposite [[Claudette Colbert]], and ''[[Untamed (1940 film)|Untamed]]'' opposite [[Patricia Morison]]. He was a last minute replacement for [[Joel McCrea]] on ''Arise'' which meant he had to drop out of another film, ''Virginia''.<ref>SCREEN NEWS HERE AND IN HOLLYWOOD: [[The New York Times]] 4 June 1940: 19.</ref>

When the United States entered [[World War II]], Milland tried to enlist in the [[U.S. Army Air Forces]], but was rejected because of his impaired left hand. He worked as a civilian flight instructor for the Army, and toured with a United Service Organisation South Pacific troupe in 1944.

As the Second World War continued, Milland found himself now appearing in more action pictures. He starred as a wannabe pilot in ''[[I Wanted Wings]]'' (1941) with [[Brian Donlevy]], [[Veronica Lake]], and [[William Holden]]. This was followed by ''[[Skylark (1941 film)|Skylark]]'' (1942) with Claudette Colbert, and two films with [[Paulette Goddard]]: ''[[The Lady Has Plans]]'' (1942) and [[Cecil B. DeMille]]'s ''[[Reap the Wild Wind]]'' (1942) alongside [[John Wayne]], in which he was [[Billing (performing arts)|top billed]] above Wayne.

Milland starred in ''[[Are Husbands Necessary?]]'' (1942) and subsequently [[Billy Wilder]]'s directorial debut, ''[[The Major and the Minor]]'' (1942) opposite [[Ginger Rogers]].

Milland appeared in the all-star musical ''[[Star Spangled Rhythm]]'' (1943), in which he appeared as himself, singing "If Men Played Cards as Women Do," alongside [[Fred MacMurray]], [[Franchot Tone]], and [[Lynne Overman]]. He also made an appearance in the collaborative drama, ''[[Forever and a Day (1943 film)|Forever and a Day]]'' (1943).

He and Goddard then made ''[[The Crystal Ball (film)|The Crystal Ball]]'' (1943); thereafter, he was Ginger Rogers' leading man in ''[[Lady in the Dark (film)|Lady in the Dark]]'' (1944).

In 1944, Milland starred in the supernatural horror film, ''[[The Uninvited (1944 film)|The Uninvited]]'', which was notable for its serious treatment of [[ghost]]s and haunting [[Stella by Starlight|main theme]], and for making a star of [[Gail Russell]]. He then starred in [[Fritz Lang]]'s [[film noir]] production of [[Graham Greene]]'s ''[[Ministry of Fear]]'' (also 1944).

He also toured war theatres with USO Shows.<ref>RAY MILLAND FINDS GRIEF AND FUN IN WAR
[[Los Angeles Times]] 30 March 1944: A1.</ref> At one performance a soldier heckled him, asking why he was not in the army. Milland replied, "With a war on? Are you crazy?"<ref>Me Join Army With War On?' Ray Milland Shushes Soldier
[[Los Angeles Times]] 16 April 1944: 1.</ref>