More than 477 American feature films were released in 1940.Bahn, Chester (1941) Industry Statistics Year Book of Motion Pictures The Film Daily p39Feature Releases Year Book of Motion Pictures The Film Daily p137–220 American film production was concentrated in Hollywood and was dominated by the eight Major film studios MGM, Paramount, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, RKO, Columbia, Universal and United Artists. Other significant production and distribution companies included Republic, Monogram and PRC.
Rebecca won Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Title Director Cast Genre Notes20 Mule TeamRichard ThorpeWallace Beery, Leo Carrillo, Marjorie Rambeau, Anne Baxter Western MGM
A Title Director Cast Genre NotesAbe Lincoln in IllinoisJohn CromwellRaymond Massey, Gene Lockhart, Ruth GordonBiographyRKO; nominated for 2 Academy AwardsAdventure in DiamondsGeorge FitzmauriceGeorge Brent, Isa Miranda, John LoderDrama ParamountAlias the DeaconChristy CabanneBob Burns, Mischa Auer, Peggy MoranComedy Universal; remake of Alias the Deacon (1928) All This, and Heaven TooAnatole Litvak Bette Davis, Charles Boyer, Jeffrey LynnDramaWarner Bros.; nominated for 3 Academy AwardsAlways a BrideNoel M. SmithRosemary Lane, George Reeves, John EldredgeComedy Warner Bros.; remake of Brides Are Like That (1936)American Matchmaker Edgar G. Ulmer Leo Fuchs, Judith Abarbanel, Judel Dubinsky Romance, Comedy Am I Guilty?Sam NewfieldRalph Cooper, Sybil Lewis, Sam McDanielCrime SupremeAnd One Was BeautifulRobert B. SinclairRobert Cummings, Laraine Day, Jean MuirRomantic dramaMGMAndy Hardy Meets DebutanteGeorge B. SeitzLewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia ParkerComedyMGM; 9th of 16 Andy Hardy filmsAn Angel from TexasRay EnrightEddie Albert, Rosemary Lane, Wayne Morris, Jane Wyman, Ronald Reagan Romantic comedy Warner Bros.; remake of The Butter and Egg Man (1928)Angels Over BroadwayBen Hecht, Lee GarmesDouglas Fairbanks Jr., Rita Hayworth, Thomas MitchellDramaColumbia; nominated for Academy AwardAnne of Windy PoplarsJack HivelyAnne Shirley, James Ellison, Henry TraversDramaRKO; sequel to Anne of Green Gables (1934)The Ape William Nigh Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon, Dorothy Vaughan Horror MonogramArgentine NightsAlbert S. RogellRitz Brothers, The Andrews Sisters, Constance Moore, George Reeves Musical comedyUniversalArise, My LoveMitchell LeisenClaudette Colbert, Ray Milland, Dennis O'KeefeRomantic comedyParamount; 4 Academy Award nominations, won 1ArizonaWesley RugglesJean Arthur, William Holden, Warren WilliamWesternColumbia; nominated for 2 Academy AwardsArizona FrontierAlbert HermanTex Ritter, Evelyn Finley, Richard Cramer Western MonogramArizona Gang BustersSam NewfieldTim McCoy, Forrest Taylor, Julian Rivero Western PRC
B Title Director Cast Genre NotesBabies for SaleCharles BartonRochelle Hudson, Glenn Ford, Miles ManderDrama ColumbiaBad Man from Red ButteRay TaylorJohnny Mack Brown, Bob Baker, Fuzzy KnightWestern UniversalThe Bank DickEdward F. ClineW. C. Fields, Cora Witherspoon, Una MerkelComedy UniversalBarnyard FolliesFrank McDonaldMary Lee, Harry Cheshire, Rufe Davis, June Storey, Isabel Randolph Musical RepublicBefore I HangNick GrindeBoris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce BennettHorror ColumbiaBehind the NewsJoseph SantleyLloyd Nolan, Doris Davenport, Frank AlbertsonDramaRepublic; nominated for Academy AwardBeyond the SacramentoLambert HillyerWild Bill Elliott, Evelyn Keyes, Dub TaylorWestern ColumbiaBeyond TomorrowA. Edward SutherlandJean Parker, Harry Carey, C. Aubrey Smith, Charles Winninger, Richard Carlson Fantasy RKOA Bill of DivorcementJohn FarrowMaureen O'Hara, Adolphe Menjou, Fay BainterDramaRKO; remake of 1932 filmBilly the Kid in TexasSam NewfieldBob Steele, Al St. John, Carleton YoungWestern PRC; 2nd of 6 Billy the Kid films starring SteeleBilly the Kid OutlawedSam NewfieldBob Steele, Louise Currie, Al St. John, Carleton YoungWesternPRC; 1st of 6 Billy the Kid films starring SteeleBilly the Kid's Gun JusticeSam NewfieldBob Steele, Al St. John, Louise Currie, Carleton YoungWesternPRC; 3rd of 6 Billy the Kid films starring SteeleThe Biscuit EaterStuart Heisler Billy Lee, Lester Matthews, Richard LaneDramaParamountBitter SweetW. S. Van DykeJeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, George SandersMusicalMGM; nominated for 2 Academy Awards; based on Noël Coward operettaBlack DiamondsChristy CabanneRichard Arlen, Andy Devine, Kathryn Adams DotyCrime drama UniversalBlack FridayArthur LubinBoris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Stanley RidgesScience fictionUniversal Blame It on Love Wallace Fox Joan Marsh, John King, Cecilia Loftus Comedy, drama IndependentBlazing Six ShootersJoseph H. LewisCharles Starrett, Iris Meredith, Dick CurtisWestern ColumbiaBlondie Has Servant TroubleFrank R. StrayerPenny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Jonathan HaleComedyColumbia; 6th of 28 Blondie filmsBlondie on a BudgetFrank R. StrayerPenny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Rita HayworthComedyColumbia; 5th of 28 Blondie filmsBlondie Plays CupidFrank R. StrayerPenny Singleton, Arthur Lake, Glenn FordComedyColumbia; 7th of 28 Blondie filmsThe Blue BirdWalter LangShirley Temple, Spring Byington, Nigel BruceFantasy 20th Century Fox. Nominated for 2 Academy AwardsBoom TownJack ConwayClark Gable, Spencer Tracy, Claudette ColbertDramaMGM; nominated for 2 Academy AwardsThe Border LegionJoseph KaneRoy Rogers, George "Gabby" Hayes, Carol HughesWesternRepublicBoss of Bullion CityRay TaylorJohnny Mack Brown, Maria Montez, Nell O'DayWestern UniversalBowery BoyWilliam MorganDennis O'Keefe, Louise Campbell, Jimmy Lydon, Helen Vinson Crime RepublicBoys of the CityJoseph H. LewisBobby Jordan, Leo Gorcey, Hal E. Chester Comedy, thrillerMonogram; 2nd of 22 East Side Kids filmsThe Boys from SyracuseA. Edward SutherlandAllan Jones, Irene Hervey, Martha RayeMusicalUniversal; nominated for 2 Academy AwardsBrigham YoungHenry HathawayTyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Dean JaggerBiography20th Century FoxBritish IntelligenceTerry O. MorseBoris Karloff, Margaret Lindsay, Bruce LesterSpyWarner Bros.; third film adaptation of 1918 play Three Faces EastBroadway Melody of 1940Norman TaurogFred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George MurphyMusicalMGM; final film in The Broadway Melody seriesBroken StringsBernard B. RayClarence Muse, Sybil Lewis, Tommie Moore DramaIndependentBrother OrchidLloyd BaconEdward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sothern Crime, comedyWarner Bros.Brother Rat and a BabyRay EnrightPriscilla Lane, Wayne Morris, Jane BryanComedyWarner Bros.; sequel to Brother Rat (1938)Buck Benny Rides AgainMark SandrichJack Benny, Ellen Drew, Eddie Anderson Western comedyParamount; cast from The Jack Benny Program radio showBullet CodeDavid HowardGeorge O'Brien, Virginia Vale, Slim WhitakerWesternRKO; remake of Melody of the Plains (1937)Bullets for RustlersSam NelsonCharles Starrett, Lorna Gray, Bob NolanWestern ColumbiaBuzzy Rides the RangeRichard C. Kahn Robert "Buzz" Henry, David O'Brien, Claire Rochelle Western Independent
C–D