The Human Comedy (1943)

The Human Comedy (1943)

[8] Mickey Rooney headlines this slice-of-life picture about a New York town maintaining the home front during WWII. Rooney plays a highschooler working as a telegram delivery boy to help provide for his family while his older brother is in service. James…
The Seventh Cross (1944)

The Seventh Cross (1944)

[7] Spencer Tracy stars as a concentration camp escapee in this grim, pre-World War II drama-thriller from director Fred Zinneman (A Man for All Seasons, From Here to Eternity). After breaking out of the Westhofen camp with six other Jewish prisoners, Tracy's…
Sister Kenny (1946)

Sister Kenny (1946)

[7] Rosalind Russell (His Girl Friday, Auntie Mame) stars as a rural Australian nurse who discovers an effective treatment for polio-related paralysis, saving countless children from becoming invalids. But rather than embracing her discovery, the medical establishment punishes her -- branding her…
How Green Was My Valley (1941)

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

[9] Director John Ford follows up The Grapes of Wrath with another powerfully moving, literary adaptation about working families weathering a crushing economic tide. How Green Was My Valley, based on the novel by Richard Llewellyn, centers around the warm-hearted Morgan family…
The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

The Devil and Daniel Webster (1941)

[10] William Dieterle's adaptation of Stephen Vincent Benet's The Devil and Daniel Webster is a winning combination of rustic Americana and dark fantasy. A cautionary tale of greed and power, the narrative centers around the character of Jabez Stone (James Craig), a…
Citizen Kane (1941)

Citizen Kane (1941)

[7] When the sixth-richest man in the world dies in solitude at his palatial estate, reporters scramble to uncover the meaning behind his dying word: "Rosebud". Through a series of interviews with his business partners and estranged wives, a portrait of Charles…
The Talk of the Town (1942)

The Talk of the Town (1942)

[8] Cary Grant plays a prison escapee who hides out in a rental home belonging to Jean Arthur. Arthur takes pity on him, but she's also playing host for Ronald Colman, a visiting law professor whose just been offered a position on…
San Antonio (1945)

San Antonio (1945)

[6] In this Technicolor western, Errol Flynn courts a dance hall performer (Gentleman Jim's Alexis Smith) while trying to prove her boss (Paul Kelly) has been stealing and selling other men's cattle. San Antonio is a beautiful but unusual studio western, favoring…
The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

The Strange Love of Martha Ivers (1946)

[4] The Strange Love of Martha Ivers starts off strong with fifteen minutes of compelling backstory. We're introduced to a pre-teen girl named Martha hiding out in a train yard with a scrappy young lad named Sam. The police capture them and…
This Gun for Hire (1942)

This Gun for Hire (1942)

[7] Alan Ladd (Shane) made his breakthrough performance in this unusually dark and violent film noir tale co-starring Veronica Lake and Robert Preston. Ladd plays a hit man hunting down a client (The Lodger's Laird Cregar) who double-crossed him. Lake plays a…