The 10 Worst Films of the 1940's

Recently I finished compiling lists of the ten best films of each decade that can be found under my content page. Having done that I thought it would be infinitely more fun to compile a list of the decade's worst films. Films so bad it is likely (especially in the case of the 1930's, 40's and 50's) you have never heard of most of them as they have long been forgotten and, in some cases, may have had their negatives chopped up and made into ukulele picks. That way it can be said something useful came from each of their creations.

In compiling these lists I have purposely skipped over low budget films and, in all but one case, sequels that are much too easy to pick apart. I have decided to concentrate on films with major actors in lead roles, often directed by the top men in their field.

While I compile best lists hoping even just one reader will seek out one or more of the titles I have listed, this list is provided so you will avoid these films at all costs. You can guarantee you will have a better time reading my brief descriptions then you will seeing any of these movies.

This list is the ten worst films of the 1940's. As usual they have been placed in alphabetical order instead of by preference. To try and decide which films are worse then the others would likely result in me tearing my hair out and likely being ticketed for the nearest institution.

BEYOND THE FOREST (1949) - Bette Davis starred in this turgid melodrama about a woman from a small town with the itch for big city life despite her seemingly happy marriage to a doctor. Davis so hated this film that she walked off the set on numerous occasions and returned to finish it only when Jack Warner refused to let her out of her contract and threatened to sue her. This film ended her long and very successful association with Warner Bros and she eventually disowned the film altogether. If you ever see it you will know why.

BRIGHAM YOUNG (1940) - Dean Jagger starred as the title character in a film so sloppy that the religious elements are dwarfed to concentrate on a romance between Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell. The film so angered Mormons that they threatened to sue. I have a feeling they would have won.