How is it that our 1944 recs list is longer than the one for 1943? Yet here we are. There was a lot of crazy stuff happening that year, movie-wise and news-wise, so obviously this list isn’t exhaustive. I saw a bunch of movies in IMDb’s advanced search results that I want to add to my watchlist, including Once Upon A Time, which stars Cary Grant and a dancing caterpillar.
Yeah, it feels as if in between the good stuff that came out in 1944, the studios seemed to be trying to out-crazy each other. As such, not every movie on this list is going to be the textbook definition of great. “Nutty” might be a better adjective.
On a side note, I think this is one of my mother’s favorite years in movies, because she’s told me quite a few things over the years about 1944, plus a couple of her top choices came out that year. She was three at the time. So, I may mention my mom periodically throughout this list.
We’re jumping right in, of course. There are reviews for a lot of these recs, so click any underlined titles to read more.
Lifeboat (January 11)
A group of eight wildly diverse survivors have to contend with the elements and each other after their ship is torpedoed during a sea battle. The story was written by John Steinbeck and gets pretty hardcore, especially for a story that takes place in a confined space. As usual, there’s a Hitchcock cameo, but I’m not going to ruin it,
The Fighting Sullivans (February 3)
The famous story of the five Sullivan brothers was made into a movie two years after their deaths, and this film pulls out all the stops. It’s very entertaining and spends a lot of time giving us reasons to care about these characters.
Jane Eyre (February 3)
This Orson Welles-Joan Fontaine tour-de-force needs no introduction. It’s my mother’s favorite version of the Brontë story and the only one I was familiar with until a few years ago. We both still love it.
Passage To Marseille (March 11)
Humphrey Bogart plays Jean, a waist gunner on a B-17 crew making bomber runs over France. This movie was rife with social commentary directed both at the Nazi occupation of France and France’s prison islands off the coast of French Guiana.
Four Jills In A Jeep (March 17)
A fictionalized depiction of Kay Francis, Carole Landis, Mitzi Mayfair, and Martha Raye’s tour of Army camps in England and North Africa in 1942, Four Jills In A Jeep owes its title to a book of the same name written by Carole Landis. It’s full of songs and humor that are very much of the World War Two period, so anyone who’s interested in the time period will be very happy.
See Here, Private Hargrove (March 18)
Based on Marion Hargrove’s best-selling 1942 memoir, See Here Private Hargrove is a fun light comedy about the title character’s mishaps and triumphs at basic training. Great cast, it moves fast, and it leaves a good aftertaste. Incidentally, Marion Hargrove would go on to write the screenplay for 1962’s The Music Man.
Cover Girl (April 6)
Pairing Gene Kelly, Rita Hayworth, and Phil Silvers, Cover Girl is an enjoyable musical that showcases its three principal talents to their best advantage, especially Gene Kelly. It works so well, right down to the inside jokes Gene, Rita, and Phil’s characters have.
It Happened Tomorrow (April 7)
We’ve just talked about this little-known gem, and I had to include it. Fun, clever, and highly recommended.
Broadway Rhythm (April 13)
Thin on plot but large on music and the MGM treatment, Broadway Rhythm is a great example of what studios managed to do despite shortages and restrictions. It not only features such heavyweights as Charles Winninger and Tommy Dorsey, but it tries to position Gloria DeHaven and Kenny Bowers as Judy and Mickey’s heirs apparent. It’s also the one and only film credit of the creepily-flexible Ross sisters.
The Memphis Belle: A Story of A Flying Fortress (April 13)
Our one documentary on the list, Memphis Belle was filmed by William Wyler while he was on assignment for the Signal Corps. There was a certain amount of trickery that went on in the making of the film for continuity and PR purposes, but Memphis Belle is an excellent documentary nonetheless.
Pin Up Girl (April 25)
One of Betty Grable’s quintessential movies in that it capitalized on her popularity as a pin-up, and its charms lie not only in Grable, but in its firm wartime position. It’s the furthest thing from realistic, of course, but very much of the Second World War. That’s, honestly, one of the things I like about it.
Two Girls and A Sailor (April 27)
Showbiz veterans Patsy and Jean Deyo compete for the affections of John Dyckman Brown III while operating their own canteen, which, funnily enough, is being funded by a mysterious benefactor. An immensely enjoyable musical with a lot of variety, including Gracie Allen’s one-finger piano solo.
Going My Way (May 3)
The first of two movies featuring Bing Crosby as Father O’Malley, this beloved film hits all the right notes. Well, mostly. My mom said Hollywood really tried hard to make the title song popular, but it never quite took off.
Between Two Worlds (May 5)
When a group of strangers meet in what seems to be the afterlife, they have to grapple with what they did or didn’t do with their time on earth, as well as their next steps. An excellent cast and a well-told story.
Hail the Conquering Hero (June 5)
When Woodrow Truesmith gets kicked out of the Marines due to hay fever, he pretends to be a war hero, and naturally the charade gets a bit hard to sustain. I saw this Preston Sturges movie in a film class at Sierra College years ago and it’s hilarious.
Bathing Beauty (June 27)
Esther William’s first leading role was a great one, although she had less screen time than her co-star, Red Skelton. Still, audiences got an eyeful of what made her special as a swimmer and a performer, so she still owns the movie.
Double Indemnity (July 6)
Often considered one of the best movies of 1944, Double Indemnity is based on a real-life murder case, albeit with some changes. And speaking of change, Fred MacMurray was delighted to star in this film because it gave him a break from the comedies and aw-shucks parts he was known for.
Since You Went Away (July 20)
Yeah, again. It’s from 1944. Humor me, all.
The Adventures of Mark Twain (July 22)
This movie is another favorite of my mother’s, who’s always been a Mark Twain fan. It’s highly fictionalized and draws a little from Twain’s work, but it’s also a lot of fun. Fredric March is a perfect Twain.
Arsenic & Old Lace (September 23)
The infamous Arsenic is a no-brainer for this list, although it was filmed in 1941. Since it didn’t release until three years later, though, it counts.
Greenwich Village (September 27)
Oh gosh, this movie is crazy. A young composer comes into town from Kansas, looking to sell a song. It’s supposed to be a symphony, but it’s actually “Whispering.” There’s plenty of novelty here, including William Bendix singing and dancing with Vivian Blaine to “It’s All For Art’s Sake.”
Laura (October 11)
Another great movie from 1944, Laura is a fantastic character study with an iconic score. I’m not going to ruin anything if anyone hasn’t seen it.
Something For the Boys (November 1)
Something For the Boys is here because the chorus girls’ costumes are hideously unforgettable. That’s all.
Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (November 15)
A heavyweight movie for MGM, Van Johnson, and everyone else involved, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is well-worth seeing. As well as being a fairly accurate account of the Doolittle Raid, it’s a pretty intimate look at a B-25 crew. Dang, those B-25s were narrow.
Meet Me In St. Louis (November 22)
This beloved film starring Judy Garland and Tom Drake needs no introduction and makes this list for obvious reasons. Appropriately enough, the film originally premiered in St. Louis.
The Doughgirls (November 25)
Wartime housing shortages, marriage fever, and topical humor happily co-exist in The Doughgirls, a fast-paced film about three women who are all set to marry their guys and end up sharing the honeymoon suite at a very crowded hotel. No kidding, this place is like Grand Central Station. Oh my word, this movie is so good.
Sunday Dinner For A Soldier (December 8)
When a very poor family looks to host a soldier for dinner, they go to great lengths to make an impression and get more than they bargain for in more ways than one. A sweet story with a fine cast.
Murder, My Sweet (December 14)
Dick Powell certainly had the murder mystery chops, and one of his best in my opinion is Murder, My Sweet. I won’t ruin anything. It’s better this way.
National Velvet (December 14)
Another obvious one. Who else didn’t know National Velvet was from 1944 when they watched it as a kid? I sure didn’t.
Hollywood Canteen (December 31)
Last but not least, we can’t forget Warner Bros’ showcase of the Hollywood Canteen and the stars who frequented it. Well, the stars from Warner Bros., anyway. A sweet but improbable romance between Joan Leslie and Robert Hutton punctuates the proceedings.
Another post is coming out on Monday. It’s a busy week this week, and next week is sure to be even busier. Thanks for reading, all, and I hope to see you then…
Lifeboat (DVD), The Fighting Sullivans (DVD), Jane Eyre (DVD), Passage To Marseille (DVD and Blu-ray), Four Jills In A Jeep (DVD), See Here, Private Hargrove (DVD), Cover Girl (DVD), It Happened Tomorrow (DVD, Blu-ray and streaming), Broadway Rhythm (DVD), The Memphis Belle: A Story of A Flying Fortress (DVD), Pin Up Girl (DVD and Blu-ray), Two Girls and A Sailor (DVD), Going My Way (DVD and Blu-ray), Between Two Worlds (DVD), Hail the Conquering Hero (DVD), Bathing Beauty (DVD and Blu-ray), Double Indemnity (DVD and Blu-ray), Since You Went Away (DVD and Blu-ray), The Adventures of Mark Twain (DVD), Arsenic and Old Lace (DVD and Blu-ray), Greenwich Village (DVD), Laura (DVD and Blu-ray), Something For the Boys (DVD), Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo (DVD), Meet Me In St. Louis (DVD and Blu-ray), The Doughgirls (DVD), Sunday Dinner For a Soldier (DVD), Murder, My Sweet (DVD and Blu-ray), National Velvet (DVD and Blu-ray), and Hollywood Canteen (DVD) are available to own from Amazon.
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