Editing 1940 in film

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{{Year nav topic5|1940|film|television|radio|music}}
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The year '''1940 in film''' involved some significant events, including the premieres of the [[Walt Disney]] films ''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]'' and ''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]''.

==Top-grossing films (U.S.)==
The top ten 1940 released films by box office gross in North America are as follows:
<!-- Note: We only link the studios ONCE-->
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="margin:auto; margin:auto;"
|+ Highest-grossing films of 1940
|-
! Rank !! Title !! Distributor !! Domestic rentals
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''1'''
| ''[[Boom Town (film)|Boom Town]]''
| [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]]
| $3,664,000<ref name="Mannix">{{Citation | title = The Eddie Mannix Ledger | publisher = Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study | place = Los Angeles}}.</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''2'''
| ''[[The Great Dictator]]''
| [[United Artists]]
| $3,500,000<ref name=HollywoodBoxOfficeHitsBook>[https://archive.org/details/hollywoodreporte0000sack/page/28/mode/2up Susan Sackett, ''The Hollywood Reporter Book of Box Office Hits'' Billboard Books, 1996 p 28]</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''3'''
|''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]''
| United Artists/[[Selznick International Pictures|Selznick International]]
| $3,000,000<ref name=HitchcockBook>{{cite book|first=James|last=Chapman|title=Hitchcock and the Spy Film|date=2018|isbn=978-1-78076-844-1|quote=Although his most successful films of the war years were Selznick pictures – ''Rebecca'' (with a domestic box office gross of $3 million) and ''Spellbound'' ($4.9 million), with ''Rebecca'' also winning the Academy Award for Best Picture of 1940 – Hitchcock seems on the whole to have preferred his other assignments where he evidently enjoyed greater creative freedom.}}</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''4'''
| ''[[North West Mounted Police (film)|North West Mounted Police]]''
| [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]]
| $2,750,000<ref name=VarietySep41>{{cite news| url= https://archive.org/details/variety143-1941-09/page/n23/mode/2up?q=%22north+west+mounted+police%22| title= DeMille's Topper| work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]| date=3 September 1941| page=24}}</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''5'''
| ''[[Strike Up the Band (film)|Strike Up the Band]]''
| rowspan="3"|MGM
| $2,265,000<ref name="Mannix"/>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''6'''
| ''[[Northwest Passage (film)|Northwest Passage]]''
| $2,169,000<ref name="Mannix"/>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''7'''
| ''[[Andy Hardy Meets Debutante]]''
| $1,945,000<ref name="Mannix"/>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''8'''
| ''[[The Fighting 69th]]''
| rowspan="2"|[[Warner Bros.]]
| $1,822,000<ref name="warners">Warner Bros financial information in The William Schaefer Ledger. See Appendix 1, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, (1995) 15:sup1, 1-31 p 20 DOI: 10.1080/01439689508604551</ref>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''9'''
| ''[[Santa Fe Trail (film)|Santa Fe Trail]]''
| $1,748,000<ref name="warners"/>
|-
! style="text-align:center;"| '''10'''
| ''[[Kitty Foyle (film)|Kitty Foyle]]''
|[[RKO Radio Pictures|RKO]]
| $1,710,000<ref name=tevlin>{{cite journal|first=Richard B.|last=Jewell|title=RKO Film Grosses, 1929-1951: the C.J. Tevlin ledger|journal=Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television|volume=14|number= 1|year=1994|pages=37–49|doi=10.1080/01439689400260031}}</ref><ref name=tevlina>{{cite journal|first=Richard B.|last=Jewell|title=Appendix 1|journal=Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television|volume=14|number= S1|year=1994|pages=1–11|doi=10.1080/01439689408604545}}</ref>
|}

==Events==
*February 7 – [[Walt Disney]]'s second animated feature film ''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]'' premieres at the [[Center Theatre (New York City)|Center Theatre]] in New York City. Although not a box office success upon its initial release, the film receives critical acclaim and wins two [[Academy Awards]], including one for [[Academy Award for Best Original Song|Best Original Song]] for "[[When You Wish Upon a Star]]". Over the years, ''Pinocchio'' has gained a cult following and is now considered one of the greatest films of all time.
* February 10 – [[Tom and Jerry]] make their debut in the animated [[cartoon]] ''[[Puss Gets the Boot]]''.
* April 12 – [[Alfred Hitchcock]]'s first American film ''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]'' is released, under the production of [[David O. Selznick]]. It would go on to win the [[Academy Award for Best Picture]].
* May – A reproduction of "America's First Movie Studio", [[Thomas Edison]]'s [[Edison's Black Maria|Black Maria]], is constructed.
* July 27 – [[Bugs Bunny]] makes his official debut in the animated cartoon ''[[A Wild Hare]]''.
* October 15 – [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s ''[[The Great Dictator]]'', a satirical comedy starring him, premieres in New York City. It is a critical and commercial success and goes on to become Chaplin's most financially successful film.
* November 13 – World premiere of Walt Disney's animated film ''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]'' at the [[Broadway Theatre (53rd Street)|Broadway Theatre]] in New York City, the first film to be released in a multi-channel sound format (''see [[Fantasound]]''). The film also marks the first use of the [[click track]] while recording the soundtrack, overdubbing of orchestral parts, simultaneous multitrack recording and is cited as a key chapter in the conception and development of the multi-channel surround system. Like ''Pinocchio'', the film is a box office failure for Disney, though it recoups its cost years later and becomes one of the most highly regarded of Disney's films.
* November 25 – [[Woody Woodpecker]] makes his debut in the [[Andy Panda]] cartoon ''[[Knock Knock (1940 film)|Knock Knock]]''.
* December 5 – Release of ''[[The Thief of Bagdad (1940 film)|The Thief of Bagdad]]'', pioneering the use of [[chroma key]] effects.
* In the United Kingdom, the [[Crown Film Unit]] supersedes the [[GPO Film Unit]] in the production of [[documentary film]]s.

==Academy Awards==
{{main|13th Academy Awards}}
*[[Academy Award for Best Picture|Best Picture]]: '''''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]''''' – [[David O. Selznick]], [[United Artists]]
*[[Academy Award for Best Director|Best Director]]: '''[[John Ford]]''' – ''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]''
*[[Academy Award for Best Actor|Best Actor]]: '''[[James Stewart]]''' – ''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story]]''
*[[Academy Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]: '''[[Ginger Rogers]]''' – ''[[Kitty Foyle (film)|Kitty Foyle]]''
*[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor|Best Supporting Actor]]: '''[[Walter Brennan]]''' – ''[[The Westerner (1940 film)|The Westerner]]''
*[[Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]]: '''[[Jane Darwell]]''' – ''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]''

==1940 film releases==
[[List of American films of 1940|United States]] unless stated

===January–March===
*January 1940
**26 January
***''[[The Fighting 69th]]''
*February 1940
**23 February
***''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]''

===April–June===
*April 1940
**12 April
***''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]''
**20 April
***''[['Til We Meet Again]]''
*May 1940
**17 May
***''[[My Favorite Wife]]''

===July–September===
*August 1940
**30 August
***''[[Boom Town (film)|Boom Town]]''
*September 1940
**20 September
***''[[The Mummy's Hand]]''

===October–December===
*October 1940
**15 October
***''[[The Great Dictator]]''
*November 1940
**6 November
***''[[North West Mounted Police (film)|North West Mounted Police]]''
**13 November
***''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]''
*December 1940
**13 December
***''[[Santa Fe Trail (film)|Santa Fe Trail]]''
**27 December
***''[[Kitty Foyle (film)|Kitty Foyle]]''

==Notable films released in 1940==
[[List of American films of 1940|United States]] unless stated

===A===
*''[[Abe Lincoln in Illinois (film)|Abe Lincoln in Illinois]]'',  starring [[Raymond Massey]]
*''[[All This and Heaven Too]]'', starring [[Bette Davis]] and [[Charles Boyer]]
*''[[Andy Hardy Meets Debutante]]'', starring [[Lewis Stone]], [[Mickey Rooney]], [[Cecilia Parker]] and [[Fay Holden]]
*''[[Angels Over Broadway]]'', starring [[Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.]] and [[Rita Hayworth]]
*''[[Anne of Windy Poplars (film)|Anne of Windy Poplars]]'', starring [[Anne Shirley (actress)|Anne Shirley]]
*''[[The Ape (1940 film)|The Ape]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]]
*''[[Arise, My Love]]'', starring [[Claudette Colbert]] and [[Ray Milland]]
*''[[Arizona (1940 film)|Arizona]]'', starring [[Jean Arthur]] and [[William Holden]]

===B===
*''[[Band Waggon (film)|Band Waggon]]'', directed by [[Marcel Varnel]], starring [[Arthur Askey]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[The Bank Dick]]'', written by and starring [[W. C. Fields]]
* ''[[Beating Heart (film)|Beating Heart]]'', starring [[Danielle Darrieux]] and [[Claude Dauphin (actor)|Claude Dauphin]] – ([[French films of 1940|France]])
*''[[Before I Hang]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]]
*''[[The Biscuit Eater (1940 film)|The Biscuit Eater]]'', directed by [[Stuart Heisler]]
*''[[Bismarck (1940 film)|Bismarck]]'', starring [[Paul Hartmann (actor)|Paul Hartmann]] – ([[List of German films 1933-1945|Germany]])
*''[[Black Friday (1940 film)|Black Friday]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]] and [[Béla Lugosi]]
*''[[The Blue Bird (1940 film)|The Blue Bird]]'', starring [[Shirley Temple]]
*''[[Boom Town (film)|Boom Town]]'', starring [[Clark Gable]], [[Claudette Colbert]], [[Spencer Tracy]], [[Hedy Lamarr]]
*''[[The Boys from Syracuse (film)|The Boys from Syracuse]]'', starring [[Allan Jones (actor)|Allan Jones]] 
*''[[Boys of the City]]'', starring the [[East Side Kids]]
*''[[Brigham Young (film)|Brigham Young]]'', starring [[Tyrone Power]] and [[Linda Darnell]]
*''[[British Intelligence (film)|British Intelligence]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]]
*''[[Broadway Melody of 1940]]'', starring [[Fred Astaire]] and [[Eleanor Powell]] – final film of series
*''[[Brother Orchid]]'', starring [[Edward G. Robinson]], [[Ann Sothern]], [[Humphrey Bogart]]

===C===
*''[[Calling Philo Vance]]'', starring [[James Stephenson (actor)|James Stephenson]]
*''[[Castle on the Hudson]]'', directed by [[Anatole Litvak]], starring [[John Garfield]] and [[Ann Sheridan]]
*''[[The Catacombs (film)|The Catacombs]]'' (Katakomby), directed by [[Martin Frič]] – ([[Czech films of the 1940s|Czechoslovakia]])
*''[[Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum]]'', starring [[Sidney Toler]]
*''[[Charlie Chan in Panama]]'', starring [[Sidney Toler]]
*''[[Christmas in July (film)|Christmas in July]]'', directed by [[Preston Sturges]]
*''[[A Chump at Oxford]]'', starring [[Stan Laurel]] and [[Oliver Hardy]], featuring a young [[Peter Cushing]]
*''[[City for Conquest]]'', starring [[James Cagney]]
*''[[Confucius (1940 film)|Confucius]]'' – ([[Chinese films of the 1940s|China]])
*''[[Contraband (1940 film)|Contraband]]'', directed by [[Michael Powell]], starring [[Conrad Veidt]] and [[Valerie Hobson]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[Convicted Woman]]'', starring [[Rochelle Hudson]] and [[June Lang]]
*''[[Convoy (1940 film)|Convoy]]'' – directed by [[Pen Tennyson]], starring [[Clive Brook]], [[John Clements (actor)|John Clements]] (UK)
*''[[Crimes at the Dark House]]'', directed by [[George King (film director)|George King]], starring [[Tod Slaughter]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])

===D===
*''[[Dance, Girl, Dance]]'', starring [[Maureen O'Hara]], [[Louis Hayward]], [[Lucille Ball]]
*''[[Dark Command]]'', starring [[John Wayne]]
*''[[Dead Man's Shoes (1940 film)|Dead Man's Shoes]]'', directed by [[Thomas Bentley (director)|Thomas Bentley]], starring [[Leslie Banks]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[The Devil Bat]]'', starring [[Béla Lugosi]]
*''[[A Dispatch from Reuter's]]'', starring [[Edward G. Robinson]]
*''[[Dívka v modrém]]'' – ([[Czech films of the 1940s|Czechoslovakia]])
*''[[Doomed to Die]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]]
*''[[Down Argentine Way]]'', starring [[Don Ameche]], [[Betty Grable]] and [[Carmen Miranda]]
*''[[Dr. Cyclops]]'', directed by [[Ernest B. Schoedsack]], starring [[Albert Dekker]]
*''[[Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet]]'', starring [[Edward G. Robinson]], [[Ruth Gordon]], [[Otto Kruger]], [[Donald Crisp]]

===E===
*''[[East Side Kids (film)|East Side Kids]]'', starring [[Leon Ames (actor)|Leon Ames]] and the [[East Side Kids]]
*''[[Edison, the Man]]'', starring [[Spencer Tracy]]
*''[[Ergens in Nederland]]'' (Somewhere in the Netherlands) – ([[Dutch films of the 1940s|Netherlands]])
*''[[Escape (1940 film)|Escape]]'', starring [[Norma Shearer]] and [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]]

===F===
*''[[Fantasia (1940 film)|Fantasia]]'', directed by Samuel Armstrong, James Algar, Bill Roberts, Paul Satterfield, Ben Sharpsteen, David D. Hand,  Hamilton Luske, Jim Handley, Ford Beebe, T. Hee, Norman Ferguson and Wilfred Jackson
*''[[The Fatal Hour (1940 film)|The Fatal Hour]]'', starring [[Boris Karloff]]
*''[[Flowing Gold (1940 film)|Flowing Gold]]'', starring [[John Garfield]] and [[Frances Farmer]]
*''[[Foreign Correspondent (film)|Foreign Correspondent]]'', directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]], starring [[Joel McCrea]]
*''[[Four Sons (1940 film)|Four Sons]]'', directed by [[Archie Mayo]], starring [[Don Ameche]]
*''[[The Fox of Glenarvon]]'', directed by [[Max W. Kimmich]] – ([[List of German films 1933-1945|Germany]])
*''[[French Without Tears (film)|French Without Tears]]'', starring [[Ray Milland]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])

===G===
*''[[Gaslight (1940 film)|Gaslight]]'', starring [[Anton Walbrook]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[The Ghost Breakers]]'', starring [[Bob Hope]] and [[Paulette Goddard]]
*''[[Girl in the News]]'', starring [[Margaret Lockwood]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[Give Us Wings]]'', starring the [[Dead End Kids]]
*''[[Go West (1940 film)|Go West]]'', starring the [[Marx Brothers]]
*''[[The Grapes of Wrath (film)|The Grapes of Wrath]]'', directed by [[John Ford]], starring [[Henry Fonda]]
*''[[The Great Dictator]]'', directed by and starring [[Charlie Chaplin]] with [[Paulette Goddard]] and [[Jack Oakie]]
*''[[The Great McGinty]]'', starring [[Brian Donlevy]]
*''[[Green Hell (film)|Green Hell]]'', starring [[Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.]] and [[Joan Bennett]]

===H===
*''[[Here Is the Point]]'' (Ahí está el detalle), starring [[Cantinflas]] – ([[Mexican films of 1940|Mexico]])
*''[[His Girl Friday]]'', directed by [[Howard Hawks]], starring [[Cary Grant]], [[Rosalind Russell]], [[Ralph Bellamy]]
*''[[Hoots Mon! (1940 film)|Hoots Mon!]]'', directed by [[Roy William Neill]], starring [[Max Miller (comedian)|Max Miller]] and [[Florence Desmond]] (Britain)
*''[[The House Across the Bay]]'', starring [[George Raft]]
*''[[The House of the Seven Gables (film)|The House of the Seven Gables]]'', starring [[George Sanders]] 
*''[[The Howards of Virginia]]'', starring [[Cary Grant]] and [[Martha Scott]]
*''[[Hullabaloo (film)|Hullabaloo]]'', starring [[Frank Morgan]]

===I===
*''[[I Love You Again]]'', starring [[William Powell]] and [[Myrna Loy]]
*''[[I Take This Woman (1940 film)|I Take This Woman]]'', starring [[Spencer Tracy]] and [[Hedy Lamarr]]
*''[[The Invisible Man Returns]]'', starring [[Cedric Hardwicke]] and [[Vincent Price]]
*''[[The Invisible Woman (1940 film)|The Invisible Woman]]'', starring [[Virginia Bruce]] and [[John Barrymore]]
*''[[It All Came True]]'', starring [[Ann Sheridan]], [[Jeffrey Lynn]], [[Humphrey Bogart]]
===J===
*''[[June Nights]]'' (Juninatten), starring [[Ingrid Bergman]] – ([[Swedish films of the 1940s|Sweden]])

===K===
*''[[King of the White Elephant]]'' (Prajao Changpeuk) – ([[List of Thai films#1923-199|Thailand]])
*''[[Kitty Foyle (film)|Kitty Foyle]]'', starring [[Ginger Rogers]]
===L===
*''[[Laddie (1940 film)|Laddie]]'', starring [[Tim Holt]] 
*''[[Lady with Red Hair]]'', starring [[Miriam Hopkins]]
*''[[The Letter (1940 film)|The Letter]]'', directed by [[William Wyler]], starring [[Bette Davis]]
*''[[Lillian Russell (film)|Lillian Russell]]'', starring [[Alice Faye]] and [[Henry Fonda]]
*''[[Little Men (1940 film)|Little Men]]'', starring [[George Bancroft (actor)|George Bancroft]] and [[Kay Francis]]
*''[[The Long Voyage Home]]'', starring [[John Wayne]]

===M===
*''[[Maddalena, Zero for Conduct]]'', directed by and starring [[Vittorio De Sica]] – ([[Italian films of 1940|Italy]])
*''[[The Man from Dakota]]'', starring [[Wallace Beery]]
*''[[The Man Who Talked Too Much]]'', starring [[George Brent]]
*''[[The Marines Fly High]]'', starring [[Lucille Ball]] and [[Richard Dix (actor)|Richard Dix]]
*''[[The Mark of Zorro (1940 film)|The Mark of Zorro]]'', starring [[Tyrone Power]] and [[Linda Darnell]]
*''[[The Middle Watch (1940 film)|The Middle Watch]]'', directed by [[Thomas Bentley (director)|Thomas Bentley]], starring [[Jack Buchanan]] and [[Greta Gynt]] ([[British films of 1940|Britain]])
*''[[Přítelkyně pana ministra|The Minister's Girlfriends]]'' (Přítelkyně pana ministra) – ([[Czech films of the 1940s|Czechoslovakia]])
*''[[Millionaires in Prison]]'', starring [[Lee Tracy]] 
*''[[The Mortal Storm]]'', starring [[Margaret Sullavan]] and [[James Stewart]]
*''[[The Mummy's Hand]]'', starring [[Dick Foran]]
*''[[My Favorite Wife]]'', starring [[Irene Dunne]] and [[Cary Grant]]
*''[[My Little Chickadee]]'', starring [[Mae West]] and [[W. C. Fields]]

===N===
*''[[New Moon (1940 film)|New Moon]]'', starring [[Jeanette MacDonald]] and [[Nelson Eddy]]
*''[[Night Train to Munich]]'', directed by [[Carol Reed]], starring [[Margaret Lockwood]] and [[Rex Harrison]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[Northwest Mounted Police (film)|North West Mounted Police]]'', starring [[Gary Cooper]], [[Paulette Goddard]], [[Madeleine Carroll]]
*''[[Northwest Passage (1940 film)|Northwest Passage]]'', starring [[Spencer Tracy]] and [[Robert Young (actor)|Robert Young]]

===O===
*''[[One Million B.C.]]'' (aka The Cave Dwellers), starring [[Carole Landis]]
*''[[One Night in the Tropics]]'', film debut of [[Abbott and Costello]]
*''[[Our Town (1940 film)|Our Town]]'', starring [[William Holden]] and [[Martha Scott]]
===P===
*''[[Pastor Hall]]'', directed by [[Roy Boulting]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[The Philadelphia Story (film)|The Philadelphia Story]]'', directed by [[George Cukor]], starring [[Katharine Hepburn]], [[Cary Grant]], [[James Stewart]]
*''[[Pinocchio (1940 film)|Pinocchio]]'', directed by [[Ben Sharpsteen]] and [[Hamilton Luske]], starring [[Dick Jones (actor)|Dickie Jones]]
*''[[Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)|Pride and Prejudice]]'', starring [[Greer Garson]] and [[Laurence Olivier]]
*''[[Primrose Path (1940 film)|Primrose Path]]'', starring [[Ginger Rogers]] and [[Joel McCrea]]
*''[[The Proud Valley]]'', starring [[Paul Robeson]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])

===Q===
* ''[[Queen Elizabeth (1940 film)|Queen Elizabeth]]'', starring [[Katalin Karády]], [[Klári Tolnay]] (Hungary)
*''[[Queen of the Yukon]]'', starring [[Charles Bickford]]

===R===
*''[[Rebecca (1940 film)|Rebecca]]'', directed by [[Alfred Hitchcock]], starring [[Joan Fontaine]] and [[Laurence Olivier]] – [[13th Academy Awards|Oscar]] for best picture
*''[[Remember the Night]]'', starring [[Barbara Stanwyck]] and [[Fred MacMurray]]
*''[[Rhythm on the River]]'', starring [[Bing Crosby]] and [[Mary Martin]]
*''[[Road to Singapore]]'', starring [[Bing Crosby]], [[Dorothy Lamour]] and [[Bob Hope]] – first in the series

===S===
*''[[Saps at Sea]]'', starring [[Laurel and Hardy]]
*''[[The Sea Hawk (1940 film)|The Sea Hawk]]'', starring [[Errol Flynn]]
*''[[Seven Sinners (1940 film)|Seven Sinners]]'', starring [[Marlene Dietrich]] and [[John Wayne]]
*''[[The Shop Around the Corner]]'', directed by [[Ernst Lubitsch]], starring [[Margaret Sullavan]] and [[James Stewart]]
*''[[The Siege of the Alcazar]]'' (L'Assedio dell'Alcazar) – ([[Italian films of 1940|Italy]])
*''[[Sky Murder]]'', starring [[Walter Pidgeon]]
*''[[Son of Ingagi]]'', directed by [[Richard C. Kahn|Richard Kahn]]
*''[[The Son of Monte Cristo]]'', starring [[Louis Hayward]] and [[Joan Bennett]]
*''[[Spring Parade]]'', starring [[Deanna Durbin]]
* ''[[The Stars Look Down (film)|The Stars Look Down]]'', directed by [[Carol Reed]], starring [[Michael Redgrave]] and [[Margaret Lockwood]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[Der Postmeister|The Stationmaster]]'' (Der postmeister) – ([[List of German films 1933-1945|Germany]])
*''[[Strange Cargo (1940 film)|Strange Cargo]]'', starring [[Clark Gable]] and [[Joan Crawford]]
*''[[Stranger on the Third Floor]]'', starring [[Peter Lorre]]
*''[[Strike Up the Band (film)|Strike Up the Band]]'', directed by [[Busby Berkeley]], starring [[Judy Garland]] and [[Mickey Rooney]]
*''[[South of Suez]]'', starring [[George Brent]]
*''[[Swiss Family Robinson (1940 film)|Swiss Family Robinson]]'', starring [[Thomas Mitchell (actor)|Thomas Mitchell]] and [[Edna Best]]

===T===
*''[[They Drive by Night]]'', starring [[George Raft]], [[Humphrey Bogart]], [[Ida Lupino]]
*''[[They Knew What They Wanted (film)|They Knew What They Wanted]]'', directed by [[Garson Kanin]], starring [[Charles Laughton]] and [[Carole Lombard]] 
*''[[The Thief of Bagdad (1940 film)|The Thief of Bagdad]]'', starring [[Conrad Veidt]] and [[Sabu Dastagir|Sabu]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[['Til We Meet Again]]'', starring [[Merle Oberon]] and [[George Brent]]
*''[[Tom Brown's School Days (1940 film)|Tom Brown's School Days]]'', starring [[Cedric Hardwicke]]
*''[[Too Many Girls (film)|Too Many Girls]]'', starring [[Lucille Ball]]
*''[[Too Many Husbands (1940 film)|Too Many Husbands]]'', starring [[Jean Arthur]], [[Fred MacMurray]], [[Melvyn Douglas]]
*''[[Tørres Snørtevold]]'' – ([[Norwegian films of the 1940s|Norway]])
*''[[Torrid Zone]]'', starring [[James Cagney]], [[Ann Sheridan]], [[Pat O'Brien (actor)|Pat O'Brien]]
*''[[Turnabout (film)|Turnabout]]'', starring [[John Hubbard (actor)|John Hubbard]] and [[Carole Landis]]
===V===
*''[[Vasilisa the Beautiful (1940 film)|Vasilisa the Beautiful]]'' (Vasilisa prekrasnaya) – ([[Soviet films of 1939|U.S.S.R.]])
*''[[Vigil in the Night]]'', starring [[Carole Lombard]]
*''[[Virginia City (film)|Virginia City]]'', starring [[Errol Flynn]] and [[Miriam Hopkins]]

===W===
*''[[Waterloo Bridge (1940 film)|Waterloo Bridge]]'', starring [[Vivien Leigh]] and [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]]
*''[[The Well-Digger's Daughter (1940 film)|The Well-Digger's Daughter]]'' (La Fille du puisatier), directed by [[Marcel Pagnol]], starring [[Raimu]] and [[Fernandel]] – ([[French films of 1940|France]])
*''[[The Westerner (1940 film)|The Westerner]]'', starring [[Gary Cooper]], [[Walter Brennan]], [[Dana Andrews]], [[Forrest Tucker]]
*''[[Where's That Fire?]]'', starring [[Will Hay]] – ([[British films of 1940|GB]])
*''[[Wild Horse Range]]'', starring [[Jack Randall (actor)|Jack Randall]]
*''[[Women in War]]'', starring [[Elsie Janis]] and [[Patric Knowles]]

===Y===
*''[[Young People (1940 film)|Young People]]'', starring [[Shirley Temple]]
*''[[Young Tom Edison]]'', starring [[Mickey Rooney]]
*''[[You're Not So Tough]]'', starring the [[Dead End Kids]]

==Serials==
*''[[Adventures of Red Ryder]]'', directed by [[William Witney]] and [[John English (film director)|John English]]
*''[[Deadwood Dick (serial)|Deadwood Dick]]'', directed by [[James W. Horne]]
*''[[Drums of Fu Manchu]]'', starring [[Henry Brandon (actor)|Henry Brandon]] and [[Robert Kellard]], directed by [[William Witney]] and [[John English (film director)|John English]]
*''[[Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe]]'', starring [[Buster Crabbe]]
*''[[The Green Archer (1940 serial)|The Green Archer]]'', starring [[Victor Jory]], directed by [[James W. Horne]]
*''[[The Green Hornet (serial)|The Green Hornet]]'', starring [[Warren Hull]]
*''[[Junior G-Men (serial)|Junior G-Men]]'', starring the [[Dead End Kids]]
*''[[King of the Royal Mounted (serial)|King of the Royal Mounted]]'' starring [[Allan Lane]], directed by [[William Witney]] and [[John English (film director)|John English]]
*''[[Mysterious Doctor Satan]]'', starring [[Eduardo Ciannelli]], directed by [[William Witney]] and [[John English (film director)|John English]]
*''[[The Shadow (serial)|The Shadow]]'', starring [[Victor Jory]], directed by [[James W. Horne]]
*''[[Terry and the Pirates (serial)|Terry and the Pirates]]'', starring [[William Tracy]], directed by [[James W. Horne]]
*''[[Winners of the West (1940 serial)|Winners of the West]]'', starring [[Dick Foran]] and [[Anne Nagel]]

==Short film series==
*''[[Buster Keaton]]'' (1917–1941)
*''[[Laurel and Hardy]]'' ([[1921 in film|1921]]–[[1943 in film|1943]])
*''[[Our Gang]]'' ([[1922 in film|1922]]–[[1944 in film|1944]])
*''[[Charley Chase]]'' ([[1924 in film|1924]]–1940)
*''[[The Three Stooges]]'' ([[1934 in film|1934]]–[[1959 in film|1959]])

==Animated short film series==
*''[[Krazy Kat]]'' ([[1925 in film|1925]]–1940)
*''[[Mickey Mouse]]'' ([[1928 in film|1928]]–[[1953 in film|1953]])
*''[[Looney Tunes]]'' ([[1930 in film|1930]]–[[1969 in film|1969]])
*''[[Terrytoons]]'' ([[1930 in film|1930]]–[[1964 in film|1964]])
*''[[Merrie Melodies]]'' ([[1931 in film|1931]]–[[1969 in film|1969]])
*''[[Scrappy]]'' ([[1931 in film|1931]]–[[1941 in film|1941]])
*''[[Popeye]]'' ([[1933 in film|1933]]–[[1957 in film|1957]])
*''[[Color Rhapsodies]]'' ([[1934 in film|1934]]–[[1949 in film|1949]])
*''[[Donald Duck]]'' ([[1937 in film|1937]]–[[1956 in film|1956]])
*''[[Pluto (Disney)|Pluto]]'' ([[1937 in film|1937]]–[[1951 in film|1951]])
*''Walter Lantz Cartunes (also known as New Universal Cartoons or Cartune Comedies)'' ([[1938 in film|1938]]–[[1942 in film|1942]])
*''[[Goofy]]'' ([[1939 in film|1939]]–[[1955 in film|1955]])
*''[[Andy Panda]]'' ([[1939 in film|1939]]–[[1949 in film|1949]])
** ''Knock Knock!'' (first appearance of Woody Woodpecker)
*''[[Tom and Jerry]]'' (1940–[[1958 in film|1958]])
** ''Puss Gets the Boot''

==Births==
*January 3 – [[Thelma Schoonmaker]], American editor
*January 10 – [[Walter Hill]], American director, screenwriter and producer
*January 20 – [[Krishnam Raju]], Indian actor (died 2022)
*January 22 – [[John Hurt]], English actor (died 2017)<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/jan/28/john-hurt-obituary |title=Sir John Hurt obituary |first=Michael |last=Coveney |author-link=Michael Coveney |date=28 January 2017 |access-date=29 January 2017 |work=The Guardian}}</ref>
*January 25 – [[Paolo Graziosi]], Italian actor (died 2022)
*January 27
**[[James Cromwell]], American actor
**[[Reynaldo Rey]], American actor, comedian and television personality (died 2015)
*January 29 – [[Katharine Ross]], American actress
*January 31 – [[Stuart Margolin]], American actor and director (died 2022)
*February 2 - [[David Jason]], British actor 
*February 4
**[[George A. Romero]], American director, producer and screenwriter (died 2017)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Anderson |first1=Tre'vell |title=George A. Romero, 'Night of the Living Dead' creator, dies at 77 |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-me-george-romero-20170716-story.html |access-date=December 1, 2020 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=July 16, 2017}}</ref>
**[[John Schuck]], American actor
*February 5 – [[Dick Warlock]], American actor and stuntman
*February 11 
**[[John Fink]], American actor
**[[Jordan Caluza]], American actor (died 2024)

*February 12 – [[Ralph Bates]], English actor (died 1991)
*February 17 
**[[Matija Barl]], Slovenian actor, producer and translator (died 2018)
**[[Jo Kendall]], British actress (died 2022)
*February 19 – [[Carlin Glynn]], American singer and actress (died 2023)
*February 23 – [[Peter Fonda]], American actor (died 2019)
*February 27
**[[Howard Hesseman]], American actor (died 2022)
**[[Bill Hunter (actor)|Bill Hunter]], Australian actor (died 2011)
*February 29 – [[Harvey Jason]], English actor
*March 3 – [[Patricia Gage]], Scottish actress (died 2010)
*March 7 – [[Daniel J. Travanti]], American actor
*March 9 – [[Raul Julia]], Puerto Rican actor (died 1994)
*March 10 – [[Chuck Norris]], American actor and martial artist
*March 11 – [[William Callaway]], American retired voice actor
*March 13 - [[Toby Sabot]], American actor (died 2024)
*March 26 – [[James Caan]], American actor (died 2022)
*March 27 – [[Austin Pendleton]], American actor, playwright, theatre director and instructor
*April 1 – [[Aliza Gur]], Israeli actress
*April 3 – [[Wolf Kahler]], German actor
*April 5 - [[Gianfranco Barra]], Italian actor (died 2025)
*April 6 – [[Pedro Armendáriz Jr.]], Mexican actor (died 2011)
*April 14 – [[Julie Christie]], British actress
*April 15 – [[Julie Sommars]], American actress
*April 17 – [[Billy Fury]], English singer and actor (died 1983)
*April 20 – [[James Gammon]], American actor (died 2010)
*April 21 – [[George DiCenzo]], American character actor (died 2010)
*April 24 – [[Michael Parks]], American actor and singer (died 2017)
*April 25 – [[Al Pacino]], American actor
*April 29 – [[Max Cullen]], Australian actor
*April 30 – [[Burt Young]], American actor (died 2023)
*May 2 – [[Jo Ann Pflug]], American actress
*May 5 – [[Lance Henriksen]], American actor
*May 7 – [[John Irvin]], English director
*May 8 – [[Emilio Delgado]], Mexican-American actor, voice artist and singer (died 2022)
*May 15 – [[Lainie Kazan]], American actress and singer
*May 17
**[[Valie Export]], Austrian director
**[[Peter Gerety]], American actor
*May 28 – [[Josie Lloyd]], American actress and director (died 2020)
*June 1 – [[René Auberjonois]], American actor (died 2019)
*June 2 – [[Maree Cheatham]], American actress
*June 7
**[[Tom Jones (singer)|Tom Jones]], Welsh singer and actor
**[[Ronald Pickup]], English actor (died 2021)
*June 8 – [[Nancy Sinatra]], American singer and actress
*June 20 – [[John Mahoney]], English-born American actor (died 2018)
*June 21 – [[Mariette Hartley]], American actress
*June 22 – [[Abbas Kiarostami]], Iranian director (died 2016)
*June 23 – [[Adam Faith]], English actor and singer (died 2003)
*June 26 – [[Luis Valdez]], American playwright, screenwriter, director and actor
*July 4 – [[Karolyn Grimes]], American actress
*July 7 – [[Ringo Starr]], English drummer ([[The Beatles]])
*July 13 – [[Patrick Stewart]], English actor
*July 18 – [[James Brolin]], American actor
*July 22 – [[Alex Trebek]], Canadian-American game show host and television personality (died 2020)
*July 24 – [[Dan Hedaya]], American actor
*July 28 – [[Phil Proctor]], American actor, voice actor and member of the Firesign Theatre
*July 30 – [[Nicolau Breyner]], Portuguese actor (died 2016)
*August 3 – [[Martin Sheen]], American actor
*August 15 
** [[Maria Grazia Buccella]], Italian actress
** [[Ze'ev Revach]], Israeli comedian, film actor, director
*August 19
** [[Jill St. John]], American actress
** [[Lou Wagner]], American actor{{cn|date=August 2024}}
*August 23 – [[Tony Bill]], American actor, producer and director
*August 25 – [[Wilhelm von Homburg]], German boxer, actor and professional wrestler (died 2004)
*August 26 – [[Don LaFontaine]], American voice actor (died 2008)
*August 27 – [[Sonny Sharrock]], American jazz guitarist (died 1994)
*August 31
**[[Larry Hankin]], American character actor, performer, director, comedian and producer.
**[[Jack Thompson (actor)|Jack Thompson]], Australian actor
*September 2 – [[Harry Northup]], American actor
*September 3 – [[Pauline Collins]], British actress
*September 5 – [[Raquel Welch]], American actress (died [[2023 in film|2023]])
*September 7 – [[Dario Argento]], Italian director, producer and screenwriter
*September 11 – [[Brian De Palma]], American director, producer and screenwriter
*September 12 – [[Linda Gray]], American actress, director and producer
*September 18 – [[Frankie Avalon]], American actor and singer
*September 19
**[[Karin Baal]], German actress (died 2024)
**[[Caroline John]], English actress (died 2012)
**[[Paul Williams (songwriter)|Paul Williams]], American actor and singer
*September 20 – [[Jonathan Hardy]], New Zealand-Australian actor, writer and director (died 2012)
*September 21 – [[Bill Kurtis]], American producer and narrator
*September 22 – [[Anna Karina]], Danish-born French actress, director and singer (died 2019)
*September 25 – [[Roberto Del Giudice]], Italian voice actor (died [[2007 in film|2007]])
*October 9 – [[John Lennon]], English singer-songwriter and musician ([[The Beatles]]) (shot to death 1980)
*October 14 – [[Cliff Richard]], English singer and actor
*October 16 – [[Barry Corbin]], American actor
*October 19 – [[Michael Gambon]], Irish-English actor (died [[2023 in film|2023]])
*October 25 – [[Jimmy Herman]], Indigenous-Canadian actor (died 2013)
*October 26 – [[Tilo Prückner]], German actor (died 2020)
*October 28 – Nic de Jager, South African actor
*October 29 – [[Jack Shepherd (actor)|Jack Shepherd]], English actor
*November 2 – [[Gigi Proietti]], Italian actor (died 2020)
*November 4 – [[Manuel Ojeda]], Mexican actor (died 2022)
*November 5 – [[Elke Sommer]], German actress
*November 7 – [[Dakin Matthews]], American actor
*November 13 – [[Rudolf Schwarzkogler]], Austrian experimental filmmaker (died 1969)
*November 14 – [[Bill Bolender]], American character actor
*November 15 – [[Sam Waterston]], American actor
*November 20 – [[Helma Sanders-Brahms]], German director (died 2014)
*November 22 – [[Terry Gilliam]], American-born British screenwriter, director and animator (''Monty Python's Flying Circus'')
*November 27 – [[Bruce Lee]], Chinese-American martial artist and actor (died 1973)
*December 1 – [[Richard Pryor]], American comedian and actor (died 2005)
*December 11 – [[Donna Mills]], American actress
*December 13
**[[Volli Käro]], Estonian actor
**[[Carol Locatell]], American actress (died 2023)
*December 24
**[[Janet Carroll]], American character actress (died 2012)
**[[Sharon Farrell]], American actress
*December 28 – [[Don Francisco (television host)|Don Francisco]], Chilean television host
*December 31 – [[Tim Considine]], American actor and writer (died 2022)

==Deaths==
* January 4 – [[Flora Finch]], 72, American actress, ''[[A Cure for Pokeritis]]'', ''[[The Cat and the Canary (1927 film)|The Cat and the Canary]]'', ''[[Quality Street (1927 film)|Quality Street]]'', ''[[Her Crowning Glory]]''
* January 22 – [[E. Alyn Warren]], 65, American actor, ''[[The Mysterious Mr. Wong]]'', ''[[Get That Man]]'', ''[[Revolt of the Zombies]]'', ''[[Port of Seven Seas]]''
* February 20 – [[George Periolat]], 66, American actor, ''[[The Mark of Zorro (1920 film)|The Mark of Zorro]]'', ''[[One Rainy Afternoon]]'', ''[[Morning Glory (1933 film)|Morning Glory]]'', ''[[What Price Hollywood?]]''
* March 5 – [[Maxine Elliott]], 66, American actress, ''[[Fighting Odds]]''
* April 9 – [[Mrs. Patrick Campbell]], 75, English actress, ''[[Riptide (1934 film)|Riptide]]'', ''[[One More River]]''
* April 11 – [[Hemmo Kallio]], 77, Finnish actor, ''[[Anna Liisa]]'' 
* May 25 – [[Joe De Grasse]], 67, Canadian-born American film director, ''[[Heart o' the Hills]]'', ''[[The Scarlet Car (1917 film)|The Scarlet Car]]'', ''[[The Girl of the Night]]''
* May 28 - [[Walter Connolly]], 53, American actor, ''[[It Happened One Night]]''
* July 1 – [[Ben Turpin]], 70, American actor, ''[[Saps at Sea]]'', ''[[Mr. Flip]]'', ''[[A Clever Dummy]]''
* July 15 – [[Donald Calthrop]], 52, English actor, ''[[Scrooge (1935 film)|Scrooge]]'', ''[[Blackmail (1929 film)|Blackmail]]'', ''[[Murder!]]'', ''[[Major Barbara (film)|Major Barbara]]''
* September 25 – [[Marguerite Clark]], 57, American actress, ''[[Scrambled Wives]]'', ''[[Easy to Get]]'', ''[[All of a Sudden Peggy]]'', ''[[A Girl Named Mary]]''
* October 10 – [[Berton Churchill]], 63, Canadian actor, ''[[Stagecoach (1939 film)|Stagecoach]]'', ''[[I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang]]'', ''[[In Old Chicago]]'', ''[[Heroes for Sale (film)|Heroes for Sale]]''
* October 12 – [[Tom Mix]], 60, American actor, ''[[The Miracle Rider]]'', ''[[Riders of the Purple Sage (1925 film)|Riders of the Purple Sage]]'', ''[[Sky High (1922 film)|Sky High]]''
* December 13 – [[Wilfred Lucas]], 69, Canadian-born American actor, screenwriter, director, ''[[Modern Times (film)|Modern Times]]'', ''[[A Chump at Oxford]]'', ''[[The Girl and Her Trust]]''

==Debuts==
*[[Dana Andrews]] – ''[[Lucky Cisco Kid]]''
*[[John Banner]] – ''[[Spring Parade]]''
*[[Anne Baxter]] – ''[[20 Mule Team]]''
*[[Joe Besser]] – ''[[Hot Steel]]''
*[[Anthony Caruso (actor)|Anthony Caruso]] – ''[[Johnny Apollo (film)|Johnny Apollo]]''
*[[Abbott and Costello]] – ''[[One Night in the Tropics]]''
*[[Hugh Griffith]] – ''[[Night Train to Munich]]''
*[[Van Johnson]] – ''[[Too Many Girls (film)|Too Many Girls]]''
*[[Arthur Kennedy]] – ''[[City for Conquest]]''
*[[Deborah Kerr]] – ''[[Contraband (1940 film)|Contraband]]''
*[[Karl Malden]] – ''[[They Knew What They Wanted (film)|They Knew What They Wanted]]''
*[[Terry Moore (actress)|Terry Moore]] – ''[[Maryland (1940 film)|Maryland]]''
*[[Milo O'Shea]] – ''Contraband''
*[[Rebel Randall]] – ''[[Turnabout (film)|Turnabout]]''
*[[Donna Reed]] – ''[[Convicted Woman]]''
*[[Herbert Rudley]] – ''[[Abe Lincoln in Illinois (film)|Abe Lincoln in Illinois]]''
*[[Robert Ryan]] – ''[[The Ghost Breakers]]''
*[[Phil Silvers]] – ''[[Hit Parade of 1941]]''
*[[Gale Storm]] – ''[[Tom Brown's School Days (1940 film)|Tom Brown's School Days]]''
*[[Gene Tierney]] – ''[[The Return of Frank James]]''
*[[David Tomlinson]] – ''Garrison Follies''
*[[Forrest Tucker]] – ''[[The Westerner (1940 film)|The Westerner]]''
*[[James Westerfield]] – ''[[The Howards of Virginia]]''
*[[Gig Young]] – ''[[Misbehaving Husbands]]''
*[[Devi Dja]] – ''[[Road to Singapore]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://www.imdb.com/search/title/?title_type=feature,short&release_date=1940-01-01,1940-12-31&adult=include&sort=num_votes,desc List of 1940 films] at [[IMDb]]
*[https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?death_date=1940-01-01,1940-12-31&adult=include List of 1940 deaths] at [[IMDb]]
* [https://www.imdb.com/search/name/?birth_date=1940-01-01,1940-12-31&adult=include List of 1940 births] at [[IMDb]]

{{1940 films}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:1940 In Film}}
[[Category:1940 in film| ]]
[[Category:Film by year]]