1940s - Era of continued War and austerity.

 

Gone With the Wind, released December 1939, influenced the early decade and won Oscars. Walt Disney continued his fantasy animation success with Pinocchio, Fantasia and Bambi. Other stories, The Thief of Baghdad and a version of Beauty and the Beast made an impression.

Amongst more serious films were Gaslight, Rebecca, Philedelphia Story, Boom Town and Charlie Chaplain’s satirical The Great Dictator. In Britain, Laurence Oliver played a memorable Hamlet.

There were a few musicals, notably Strike Up The Band and the patriotic Yankee Doodle Dandy.

​

Meanwhile, even in wartime,  horror movies such as The Wolfman and I Walked With A Zombie were popular.