List of thriller films of the 1940s explained

A list of thriller films released in the 1940s.

Title	Director	Cast	Country	Subgenre/notes
	1940
Before I Hang	Nick Grinde	Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Bennett	United States	^[1]
Foreign Correspondent	Alfred Hitchcock	Joel McCrea, Laraine Day	United States	^[2]
Gaslight	Thorold Dickinson	Anton Walbrook, Diana Wynyard, Frank Pettingell		^[3]
Night Train to Munich	Carol Reed	Rex Harrison, Margaret Lockwood	United Kingdom
Rebecca	Alfred Hitchcock	Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders, Judith Anderson	United States	Psychological thriller^[4]
Stranger on the Third Floor	Boris Ingster	Peter Lorre, John McGuire, Margaret Tallichet	United States	Psychological thriller^[5]
	1941
Among the Living	Stuart Heisler	Albert Dekker, Susan Hayward, Harry Carey	United States	^[6]
Le Dernier des Six	Georges Lacombe	Michele Alfa, Pierre Fresnay, Jean Tissier	France	Psychological thriller^[7]
I Wake Up Screaming	H. Bruce Humberstone	Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis	United States	^[8]
Man Hunt	Fritz Lang	Walter Pidgeon, Joan Bennett, George Sanders	United States	^[9]
Shadow of the Thin Man	W.S. Van Dyke		United States	Comedy thriller^[10]
Suspicion	Alfred Hitchcock	Cary Grant, Joan Fontaine	United States	Psychological thriller^[11]
	1942
L'Assassin Habite au 21	Henri-Georges Clouzot	Suzy Delair, Pierre Fresnay, Noël Roquevert	France	Comedy thriller^[12]
Bowery at Midnight	Wallace W. Fox	Bela Lugosi, John Archer, Wanda McKay	United States	Crime thriller^[13]
Cat People	Jacques Tourneur	Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway	United States	Supernatural thriller^[14]
Eyes in the Night	Fred Zinnemann	Edward Arnold, Ann Harding, Katherine Emery	United States	Crime thriller^[15]
The Glass Key	Stuart Heisler	Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, Alan Ladd	United States	^[16]
I Live on Danger	Sam White	Chester Morris, Jean Parker, Elizabeth Risdon	United States	^[17]
Nightmare	Tim Whelan	Diana Barrymore, Brian Donlevy, Henry Daniell	United States	^[18]
Saboteur	Alfred Hitchcock	Priscilla Lane, Robert Cummings, Norman Lloyd	United States	^[19]
This Gun for Hire	Frank Tuttle	Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar	United States	Crime thriller^[20]
	1943
Above Suspicion	Richard Thorpe	Joan Crawford, Fred MacMurray, Conrad Veidt	United States	Political thriller^[21]
Le Corbeau	Henri-Georges Clouzot		France	Psychological thriller^[22]
The Fallen Sparrow	Richard Wallace	John Garfield, Maureen O'Hara, Walter Slezak	United States	^[23]
Journey into Fear	Norman Foster	Joseph Cotten, Dolores del Río, Ruth Warrick, Orson Welles	United States	^[24]
The Leopard Man	Jacques Tourneur	Dennis O'Keefe, Margo, Jean Brooks	United States	^[25]
Shadow of a Doubt	Alfred Hitchcock	Joseph Cotten, Teresa Wright, MacDonald Carey	United States	^[26]
	1944
Bluebeard	Edgar G. Ulmer		United States	^[27]
The Climax	George Waggner	Boris Karloff, Susanna Foster	United States	^[28]
Dark Waters	André De Toth	Merle Oberon, Franchot Tone, Thomas Mitchell	United States	^[29]
Double Indemnity	Billy Wilder	Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson	United States	Crime thriller^[30]
Gaslight	George Cukor		United States	^[31]
Laura	Otto Preminger	Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb	United States	Psychological thriller^[32]
The Lodger	John Brahm	Merle Oberon, George Sanders, Laird Cregar	United States	^[33]
The Mask of Dimitrios	Jean Negulesco	Sydney Greenstreet, Zachary Scott, Faye Emerson	United States	^[34]
Ministry of Fear	Fritz Lang	Ray Milland, Marjorie Reynolds, Carl Esmond	United States	Psychological Thriller^[35]
Murder, My Sweet	Edward Dmytryk	Dick Powell, Claire Trevor, Anne Shirley	United States	^[36]
Phantom Lady	Robert Siodmak	Franchot Tone, Ella Raines, Alan Curtis	United States	^[37]
The Scarlet Claw	Roy William Neill	Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Gerald Hamer	United States	^[38]
The Thin Man Goes Home	Richard Thorpe		United States	Comedy thriller^[39]
When Strangers Marry	William Castle		United States	^[40]
The Woman in the Window	Fritz Lang	Edward G. Robinson, Joan Bennett, Raymond Massey	United States	^[41]
	1945
The Body Snatcher	Robert Wise	Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Henry Daniell	United States	^[42]
Conflict	Curtis Bernhardt	Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith, Sydney Greenstreet	United States	^[43]
Cornered	Edward Dmytryk	Dick Powell, Walter Slezak, Nina Vale	United States	^[44]
Dead of Night		Mervyn Johns, Michael Redgrave, Sally Ann Howes, Mary Merrall	United Kingdom	Psychological thriller^[45]
Hangover Square	John Brahm	Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, George Sanders	United States	^[46]
The House on 92nd Street	Henry Hathaway		United States	^[47]
My Name Is Julia Ross	Joseph H. Lewis	Nina Foch, Dame May Whitty, George Macready	United States	^[48]
Spellbound	Alfred Hitchcock	Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Jean Acker	United States	Psychological thriller^[49]
Strange Illusion	Edgar G. Ulmer	Charles Arnt, Jameson Clark, Jimmy Clark	United States	^[50]
	1946
Bedlam	Mark Robson	Boris Karloff, Anna Lee, Billy House	United States
The Brute Man	Jean Yarbrough	Rondo Hatton, Jane Adams, Tom Neal	United States
Crack-Up	Irving G. Reis	Pat O'Brien, Claire Trevor, Herbert Marshall	United States	Psychological thriller
Deadline at Dawn	Harold Clurman	Susan Hayward, Paul Lukas, Bill Williams	United States
Dragonwyck	Joseph L. Mankiewicz	Gene Tierney, Spring Byington, Walter Huston	United States
I See a Dark Stranger	Frank Launder	Deborah Kerr, Trevor Howard, Raymond Huntley	United Kingdom
Leave Her to Heaven	John M. Stahl	Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde	United States	Psychological thriller
Notorious	Alfred Hitchcock	Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains	United States	Political thriller
Shadow of a Woman	Joseph Santley	Helmut Dantine, Andrea King, Don McGuire	United States
Shock	Alfred L. Werker	Vincent Price, Lynn Bari, Anabel Shaw	United States
The Spiral Staircase	Robert Siodmak	Dorothy McGuire, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore	United States	Psychological thriller
The Stranger	Orson Welles		United States	Psychological thriller
	1947
Kiss of Death		Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Coleen Gray	United States	Psychological thriller, crime thriller
The Lady from Shanghai	Orson Welles		United States
Love from a Stranger	Richard Whorf	John Hodiak, John Howard, Ann Richards	United States
The Red House	Delmer Daves	Edward G. Robinson, Lon McCallister, Judith Anderson	United States
Song of the Thin Man	Edward Buzzell	William Powell, Myrna Loy	United States	Comedy thriller
	1948
The Big Clock	John Farrow	Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Sullivan	United States	Psychological thriller
Cry of the City	Robert Siodmak	Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred Clark	United States
He Walked by Night	Alfred L. Werker	Richard Basehart, Scott Brady, Roy Roberts	United States
Key Largo	John Huston	Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Monte Blue	United States	Crime thriller
Sorry, Wrong Number	Anatole Litvak	Barbara Stanwyck, Burt Lancaster, Ann Richards	United States	Psychological thriller
	1949
The Bribe	Robert Z. Leonard	Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price	United States	Crime thriller
D.O.A.			United States	Psychological thriller
Follow Me Quietly	Richard Fleischer	William Lundigan, Dorothy Patrick, Jeff Corey	United States
Gun Crazy	Joseph H. Lewis	Peggy Cummins, John Dall, Berry Kroeger	United States	Crime thriller
The Third Man	Carol Reed	Joseph Cotten, Alida Valli, Orson Welles	United Kingdom	Psychological thriller
Stray Dog	Akira Kurosawa	Toshirō Mifune, Takashi Shimura	Japan
White Heat	Raoul Walsh	James Cagney	United States	Crime thriller
Whirlpool		Otto Preminger	Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, Jose Ferrer	United States	Psychological thriller

Notes and References

1. Web site: Before I Hang - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20130116234310/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/before-i-hang-v4634. January 16, 2013. dead.
2. Web site: Foreign Correspondent - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111115144819/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/foreign-correspondent-v18199. November 15, 2011. dead.
3. Web site: Gaslight - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120719082445/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/gaslight-v19279. July 19, 2012. dead.
4. Web site: Rebecca - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Andrea. LeVasseur. https://web.archive.org/web/20111223195655/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/rebecca-v40592. December 23, 2011. dead.
5. Web site: Stranger on the Third Floor - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120720072435/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-stranger-on-the-third-floor-v47215. July 20, 2012. dead.
6. Web site: Among the Living - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Bruce. Eder. https://web.archive.org/web/20120117153046/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/among-the-living-v83651. January 17, 2012. dead.
7. Web site: Le Dernier des Six - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Yuri. German. https://archive.today/20120722050548/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/le-dernier-des-six-v143867. July 22, 2012. dead.
8. Web site: I Wake Up Screaming - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Bruce. Eder. https://web.archive.org/web/20111222145634/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/i-wake-up-screaming-v24148. December 22, 2011. dead.
9. Web site: Man Hunt - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Mark. Deming. https://archive.today/20120721173957/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/man-hunt-v101215. July 21, 2012. dead.
10. Web site: Shadow of the Thin Man - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111222120942/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/shadow-of-the-thin-man-v44017. December 22, 2011. dead.
11. Web site: Suspicion - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20110521015255/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/suspicion-v48029. May 21, 2011. dead.
12. Web site: L'Assassin Habite au 21 - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120719212345/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/lassassin-habite-au-21-v103239. July 19, 2012. dead.
13. Web site: Bowery at Midnight - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120719194839/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/bowery-at-midnight-v6809. July 19, 2012. dead.
14. Web site: Cat People - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20110811090544/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/cat-people-v8596. August 11, 2011. dead.
15. Web site: Eyes in the Night - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Sandra. Brennan. https://archive.today/20120721071546/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/eyes-in-the-night-v90782. July 21, 2012. dead.
16. Web site: The Glass Key - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120722202449/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-glass-key-v19941. July 22, 2012. dead.
17. Web site: I Live on Danger - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Sandra. Brennan. https://archive.today/20120717175058/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/i-live-on-danger-v96045. July 17, 2012. dead.
18. Web site: Nightmare - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120722181522/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/nightmare-v104035. July 22, 2012. dead.
19. Web site: Saboteur - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111170114/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/saboteur-v42511. January 11, 2012. dead.
20. Web site: This Gun for Hire - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 25, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20120115050118/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/this-gun-for-hire-v49518. January 15, 2012. dead.
21. Web site: Above Suspicion - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120717123900/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/above-suspicion-v635. July 17, 2012. dead.
22. Web site: Le Corbeau - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007063514/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/le-corbeau-v28633. October 7, 2011. dead.
23. Web site: The Fallen Sparrow - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111222152155/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-fallen-sparrow-v16650. December 22, 2011. dead.
24. Web site: Journey into Fear - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120905041839/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/journey-into-fear-v26575. September 5, 2012. dead.
25. Web site: The Leopard Man - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120717023000/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-leopard-man-v28967. July 17, 2012. dead.
26. Web site: Shadow of a Doubt - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson.
27. Web site: Bluebeard - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120718064826/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/bluebeard-v6304. July 18, 2012. dead.
28. Web site: The Climax - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120910200327/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-climax-v69083. September 10, 2012. dead.
29. Web site: Dark Waters - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111225092056/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/dark-waters-v12395. December 25, 2011. dead.
30. Web site: Double Indemnity - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Linda. Rasmussen. https://web.archive.org/web/20111004085144/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/double-indemnity-v14457. October 4, 2011. dead.
31. Web site: Gaslight - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Karl. Williams. https://web.archive.org/web/20111123021126/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/gaslight-v19278. November 23, 2011. dead.
32. Web site: Laura - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Karl. Williams. https://web.archive.org/web/20111007142532/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/laura-v28479. October 7, 2011. dead.
33. Web site: The Lodger - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120717101048/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-lodger-v29829. July 17, 2012. dead.
34. Web site: The Mask of Dimitrios - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Mark. Deming. https://archive.today/20120720062242/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-mask-of-dimitrios-v101806. July 20, 2012. dead.
35. Web site: Ministry of Fear - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Judd. Blaise. https://archive.today/20120721085510/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/ministry-of-fear-v102434. July 21, 2012. dead.
36. Web site: Murder, My Sweet - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120717083140/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/murder-my-sweet-v33849. July 17, 2012. dead.
37. Web site: Phantom Lady. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Eder, Bruce. https://archive.today/20120718103654/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/phantom-lady-v106001. July 18, 2012. dead.
38. Web site: The Scarlet Claw - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20130116211814/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-scarlet-claw-v43088. January 16, 2013. dead.
39. Web site: The Thin Man Goes Home - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20111222114342/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-thin-man-goes-home-v49457. December 22, 2011. dead.
40. Web site: When Strangers Marry - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://archive.today/20120718180048/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/when-strangers-marry-v116561. July 18, 2012. dead.
41. Web site: The Woman in the Window - Cast, Reviews, Summary, and Awards - AllRovi. Allrovi. August 26, 2011. Hal. Erickson. https://web.archive.org/web/20110520035852/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-woman-in-the-window-v117483. May 20, 2011. dead.
42. Web site: The Body Snatcher. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Erickson, Hal. https://archive.today/20120719095449/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-body-snatcher-v6513. July 19, 2012. dead.
43. Web site: Conflict. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Erickson, Hal. https://archive.today/20120719031922/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/conflict-v10771. July 19, 2012. dead.
44. Web site: Cornered. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Erickson, Hal. https://web.archive.org/web/20110526212416/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/cornered-v11011. May 26, 2011. dead.
45. Web site: Dead of Night. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Blaise, Judd. https://web.archive.org/web/20111223071114/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/dead-of-night-v12733. December 23, 2011. dead.
46. Web site: Hangover Square. Allrovi. April 18, 2012. Deming, Mark. https://web.archive.org/web/20110605015329/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/hangover-square-v94260. June 5, 2011. dead.
47. Web site: The House of 92nd Street. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Erickson, Hal. https://web.archive.org/web/20111223173651/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/the-house-on-92nd-street-v95791. December 23, 2011. dead.
48. Web site: My Name is Julia Ross. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Deming, Mark. https://archive.today/20130116230044/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/my-name-is-julia-ross-v103377. January 16, 2013. dead.
49. Web site: Spellbound. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Erickson, Hal. https://web.archive.org/web/20120111072745/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/spellbound-v46054. January 11, 2012. dead.
50. Web site: Strange Illusion. Allrovi. April 17, 2012. Eder, Bruce. https://archive.today/20120722151818/http://www.allrovi.com/movies/movie/strange-illusion-v47184. July 22, 2012. dead.