List of 1940s films based on actual events

This is a list of films and miniseries that are based on actual events. Films on this list are generally from American production unless indicated otherwise.

1940 A Dispatch from Reuters (1940) – biographical drama film about Paul Reuter, the man who built the famous news service that bears his nameVariety film review; 25 September 1940, page 15.Harrison's Reports review; 2 November 1940, page 174. Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) – biographical historical drama film depicting the life of Abraham Lincoln from his departure from Kentucky until his election as President of the United States Arise, My Love (1940) – romantic comedy film telling the love story of a pilot and a journalist who meet in the latter days of the Spanish Civil War, based on the true story of Harold Edward Dahl"Claudette Colbert, Pure Panache: Biography." Meredy's Place. Retrieved: 31 October 2014. Bismarck (1940) – Nazi German historical film depicting the life of the Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck, a German nationalist and lonely genius who withstands the Reichstag to act on behalf of the peopleBFI.org Brigham Young (1940) – biographical Western film depicting Brigham Young's succession to the presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after founder Joseph Smith was assassinated in 1844 The Campaign in Poland (German: Feldzug in Polen) (1940) – Nazi German propaganda film depicting the 1939 invasion of Poland The Cavalier from Kruja (Italian: Il cavaliere di Kruja) (1940) – Italian war film depicting the 1939 Italian invasion of Albania Chandraguptha Chanakya (Tamil: சந்திரகுப்த சாணக்கியர்) (1940) – Indian Tamil-language historical drama film about Chandragupta Maurya, the founder of the Maurya Empire Confucius (Mandarin: 孔夫子) (1940) – Chinese biographical historical drama film depicting Confucius's later life, as he traveled across a China divided by war and strife in an ultimately futile effort to teach various warlords and kings his particular philosophy Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet (1940) – biographical drama film based on the true story of the German doctor and scientist Dr. Paul Ehrlich Edison, the Man (1940) – biographical drama film depicting the life of inventor Thomas EdisonEdison, the Man – Classic Film Guide Eternal Melodies (Italian: Melodie eterne) (1940) – Italian historical drama film depicting a heavily fictionalized account of the life of the Austrian composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart The Fighting 69th (1940) – action-adventure war film based upon the actual exploits of New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment during World War IThe Fighting 69th at TCM.com Forty Thousand Horsemen (1940) – Australian war film telling the story of the Australian Light Horse which operated in the desert at the Sinai and Palestine campaign during World War IAndrew Pike and Ross Cooper, Australian Film 1900–1977: A Guide to Feature Film Production, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1998, p. 192. Gorky 3: My Universities (Russian: Мои университеты) (1940) – Soviet drama film depicting the continued life of Maxim Gorky as he reaches maturity with an insatiable desire for personal and artistic freedom The Heart of a Queen (German: Das Herz der Königin) (1940) – Nazi German biographical drama film making selective use of the life story of Mary, Queen of Scots, and her execution by Queen Elizabeth I for anti-English and pro-Scottish propaganda, in the context of the Second World War going on at the timeTheodor Riegler: "Ballade von Leben, Liebe und Tod. Bericht von der Formung des Ufa-Films 'Das Herz einer Königin'"; in "Filmwelt", 8, December 1939; Jo Fox: "Film propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany. World War II Cinema". Berg, Oxford and New York 2007, P. 167. Kit Carson (1940) – Western film about the life of Kit Carson Knute Rockne, All American (1940) – biographical drama film telling the story of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame's legendary football coach Lady with Red Hair (1940) – historical drama film telling the story of Leslie Carter's rise to fame on Broadway through collaborations with impresario David Belasco Lillian Russell (1940) – biographical historical drama film based on the life of singer and actress Lillian Russell Little Old New York (1940) – historical drama film depicting the story of the hardships of the engineer Robert Fulton in financing and building the first successful steam-powered ship in America, which would revolutionize river transportation and then ocean commerce around the world Lucrezia Borgia (1940) – Italian historical film portraying the life of Lucrezia Borgia Northwest Passage (1940) – Western film telling a partly fictionalized version of the real-life St. Francis Raid by Rogers' Rangers, led by Robert RogersRob Nixon, Northwest Passage, TCM.com. Parole Fixer (1940) – action drama crime film based on the 1938 book called Persons in Hiding, an exposé of corruption within the American parole system Pastor Hall (1940) – British drama film based on the true story of the German pastor Martin Niemöller who was sent to Dachau concentration camp for criticizing the Nazi Party Rembrandt (1940) – Dutch biographical historical drama film portraying the life of the Dutch artist Rembrandt The Return of Frank James (1940) – Western film following the life of Frank James following the death of his outlaw brother, Jesse James, at the hands of the Ford brothers The Rothschilds (German: Die Rothschilds) (1940) – Nazi German historical propaganda film depicting the role of the Rothschild family in the Napoleonic wars. The Jewish Rothschilds are depicted in a negative manner, consistent with the anti-Semitic policy of Nazi Germany Sant Dnyaneshwar (Hindi: संत ज्ञानेश्वर) (1940) – Indian Hindi-language biographical drama film about the life of Jñāneśvar, a 13th-century Marathi poet, philosopher, sant and yogi of the Nath tradition Santa Fe Trail (1940) – Western drama film depicting the story of J.E.B. Stuart and his mission to stop John Brown Sarajevo (French: De Mayerling à Sarajevo) (1940) – French historical drama film portraying the love affair and marriage between Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and Sophie, Duchess of Hohenberg, leading up to their eventual assassination in 1914 in events that triggered the First World War Sarajevo (1940) – Hungarian historical film set against the backdrop of events leading up to the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914 The Sea Hawk (1940) – historical adventure film about Elizabethan England's struggles with Spain, inspired by the exploits of Sir Francis Drake The Three Codonas (German: Die drei Codonas) (1940) – Nazi German drama film based on the life of the circus performer Alfredo Codona The Westerner (1940) – Western film concerning a self-appointed hanging judge in Vinegaroon, Texas, who befriends a saddle tramp who opposes the judge's policy against homesteaders Yakov Sverdlov (Russian: Яков Свердлов) (1940) – Soviet biographical drama film about the life and work of the Chairman of the Central Executive Committee Yakov SverdlovЯков Свердлов Young Tom Edison (1940) – biographical drama film about the early life of inventor Thomas Edison

1941 The 47 Ronin (Japanese: 元禄 忠臣蔵) (1941) – Japanese jidaigeki film depicting the legendary forty-seven Ronin and their plot to avenge the death of their lord, Asano Naganori, by killing Kira Yoshinaka, a shogunate official responsible for Asano being forced to commit seppuku Atlantic Ferry (1941) – British historical film about the building of the RMS Britannia Beatrice Cenci (1941) – Italian historical drama film portraying the story of the sixteenth century Italian noblewoman Beatrice Cenci Belle Starr (1941) – Western film loosely based on the life of 19th-century American outlaw Belle Starr Billy the Kid (1941) – Western biographical drama film about the relationship between frontier outlaw Billy the Kid and lawman Pat Garrett Birth of the Blues (1941) – musical drama film loosely following the origins and breakthrough success of the Original Dixieland Jass Band in New OrleansGreen, Stanley (1999) Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (2nd ed.), pub. Hal Leonard Corporation page 104 Blossoms in the Dust (1941) – biographical drama film telling the true story of Edna Gladney, who helped orphaned children find homes and began a campaign to remove the word "illegitimate" from Texas birth certificates, despite the opposition of "good" citizens Buck Privates (1941) – musical comedy film based on the peacetime draft of 1940 Carl Peters (1941) – Nazi German anti-British propaganda film portraying the titular German colonial leader while he is under investigation by the Reichstag for unnecessary brutality Citizen Kane (1941) – quasi-biographical film examining the life and legacy of Charles Foster Kane, played by Welles, a composite character based on American media barons William Randolph Hearst and Joseph Pulitzer, Chicago tycoons Samuel Insull and Harold McCormick, as well as aspects of the screenwriters' own lives The Comedians (German: Komödianten) (1941) – Nazi German historical drama film set in the eighteenth century, portraying the development of German theatre The Gaucho Priest (Spanish: El cura gaucho) (1941) – Argentine historical drama film depiciting the life of José Gabriel Brochero, the Cordovan priest who dedicated his life to those most in need The Great Awakening (1941) – historical musical drama film telling the story of Franz Schubert as he flees from Vienna to avoid conscription, ending up in Hungary where he falls in love Harmon of Michigan (1941) – biographical sport drama film about University of Michigan football player Tom Harmon's post-collegiate career as a coach Hudson's Bay (1941) – adventure historical western film about a pair of French-Canadian explorers, Pierre-Esprit Radisson and Médard des Groseilliers, whose findings lead to the formation of the Hudson's Bay CompanyGoogle Books Man Hunt (1941) – thriller film portraying Britain's pre-war policy of appeasement with GermanyThe Observer, The New Review section, Philip French's Classic DVD p.26, 6 February 2011 Men of Boys Town (1941) – drama film about how Father Flanagan founded a home for homeless boys in Omaha, Nebraska called Boys Town One Foot in Heaven (1941) – biographical drama film depicting an episodic look at the life of a minister and his family as they move from one parish to another based on the autobiography by Hartzell Spence The Prime Minister (1941) – British historical drama film detailing the life and times of Benjamin Disraeli, who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Salavat Yulayev (Russian: Салават Юлаев) (1941) – Soviet biographical action drama film about Bashkir national hero, poet Salawat Yulayev and Pugachev's Rebellion Sergeant York (1941) – biographical drama film about Alvin C. York, one of the most decorated American soldiers of World War I Sikandar (Hindi: सिकंदर) (1941) – India Hindi-language epic historical film telling the story of Alexander the Great Suvorov (Russian: Суворов) (1941) – Soviet biographical film based on the life of Russian general Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov The Swedish Nightingale (German: Die schwedische Nachtigall) (1941) – Nazi German musical biographical film about the romance between the writer Hans Christian Andersen and the opera singer Jenny Lind That Hamilton Woman (1941) – historical film telling the story of the rise and fall of Emma Hamilton, dance-hall girl and courtesan, who married Sir William Hamilton, British ambassador to the Kingdom of Naples, and later became Admiral Horatio Nelson's mistressBean, Kendra. "British Cinema History: That Hamilton Woman." VivAndLarry.com, 16 February 2011.