Top 20 Best Movies of 1943 🎬

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Welcome back to Ground Zero. We are diving into a cinematic landscape forged in the heart of global conflict, exploring the films that captivated audiences during a truly remarkable year. 1943 saw nations grapple with the immense pressures of war, experiencing both profound loss and unwavering determination. Even as resources were rationed and the future felt uncertain, creativity flourished, offering vital moments of respit and reflection and mirroring a world where even treasured art like Da Vinci's Last Supper faced the threat of annihilation. Let us get to our rankings. Coming up at number 20, we have Cabin in the Sky.

[00:00:40]>> Lily, little joy breathing.

[00:00:48]I'm afraid it's all over now. Victoria, >> don't say that. The Lord's not taking a little joke from me, so I won't see him again.

[00:00:55]>> You better come get some rest. If it wasn't for the best, the Lord never would have let this happen to you.

[00:01:03]>> Lord, I've heard your voice and I'm hanging on to my faith in you no matter what happens. But don't take little Joe from me.

[00:01:14]>> Don't take it. Vincante Minnelli crafts a fantastical world, notably featuring an all black cast and unusual move for Hollywood at the time where little Joe Jackson, portrayed by Eddie Rochester Anderson, navigates a battle between good and evil after a fateful night.

[00:01:33]>> Good to see you. Good evening, Lily. How are you? Glad to see you. Hello, boys.

[00:01:37]How are you?

[00:01:39]>> Good evening, Santa. I'm glad to see you.

[00:01:42]>> I see you brought the twins, too. They had to come out tonight. I hope they wait. You know that, Jenny. Yeah. Y'all on in.

[00:01:51]>> Yeah. You see, Rean, it ain't every Wednesday night a scamp like little Joe comes back to the fold. Patunia dragged him in yesterday.

[00:01:58]>> He's coming of his own free will, sister.

[00:02:00]>> Well, I'll believe that when I sees him stand up and confess. This story, though light-hearted, subtly reflects anxieties about social roles, showcasing a black community designed to resonate within a specific cultural framework, yet never directly acknowledging the racial divide itself, presenting a curious blend of entertainment and societal commentary.

[00:02:21]>> So now, little Joy, you just so dumb you can't see what she's after.

[00:02:24]>> We're both after the same thing, but I'm still the wife and got the inside track.

[00:02:31]>> JUNIOR, DON'T TALK LIKE THAT. WELL, I WAS COMING AROUND TO see you.

[00:02:34]>> Don't strain yourself. I'm sending my lawyer around to see you and he better find you in.

[00:02:39]>> Coming up next, we have Mr. Lucky.

[00:03:01]Where's Joe? Where's Joe? Please tell me where Joe is.

[00:03:10]>> This film operates within a fascinating duality, utilizing the urgency of a wartime environment and a formal war relief ball to mask a deceptive scheme.

[00:03:19]A gambling operation cleverly concealed behind charitable work.

[00:03:23]>> Something happened to me, too.

[00:03:25]>> Yeah, what?

[00:03:27]>> I was struck by lightning.

[00:03:36]Carrie Grant as Joe Adams portrays a grifter whose calculated world is disrupted by genuine connection, forcing a confrontation with his deceit. And Charles Bickford as Hard Swede adds to the complex interplay of loyalty and consequence. All unfolding against the backdrop of Axis occupied Greece glimpsed through poignant flashbacks.

[00:03:55]>> Oh, Mr. Joe. Mr. Joe, >> you forgot your knitting.

[00:03:59]>> Oh, I mustn't forget that. Oh, I can't thank you enough for what you've done for us.

[00:04:03]>> Oh, that's all right. I do as much to a total stranger.

[00:04:06]>> Mr. Populous, >> I have to go down to the dock. We're having a little trouble about getting some supplies unloaded.

[00:04:14]>> Will you Will you go with me?

[00:04:17]>> Sure.

[00:04:20]>> We can use my car.

[00:04:24]Bring it up, buddy. Hey, look out, fell.

[00:04:26]Look out, fella. Hey, buddy.

[00:04:30]You call that pearly? You dropped a stitch. Wait till I tell Mrs. Van Every.

[00:04:38]>> Where's your boss? North River downtown.

[00:04:41]>> Coming up next, we have watch on the Rine.

[00:04:44]>> I've long sickened the words when I see the men who live by them.

[00:04:49]>> I've stopped the man's life.

[00:04:54]I sit here and listen to him.

[00:04:57]I want only for you to believe that I pray it will not have to be and that I know I will have to kill him.

[00:05:02]>> The film presents a fascinating interplay between domesticity and international crisis embodied by the feral family home just outside Washington DC. A space representing both established wealth and a past Sarah Mueller hoped to leave behind.

[00:05:17]>> And until it gets in shape, men will steal and lie and and kill.

[00:05:26]But for whatever reason, it's done. And whoever does it, you understand it.

[00:05:30]>> Paul Lucas delivers a compelling performance as Curt Mueller, a man deeply connected to his homeland, Germany, and dedicated to defending it.

[00:05:38]A commitment mirrored in the film's very title, referencing the vigilant watch over a continent, bracing for conflict.

[00:05:44]And Betty Davis portrays his wife Sarah.

[00:05:56]We have said many goodbyes to each other. Huh?

[00:06:00]Well, we will now have to say another one. But this time, I will leave you with good people to whom you, I believe, also will be good.

[00:06:11]>> Coming up next, we have Destination Tokyo.

[00:06:15]>> However, I wouldn't want to cheat you out of a beard on your first patrol, Adams.

[00:06:18]>> That's all right, sir. I I only shave twice a week anyway. Even Even if I could grow one, it would look a little limp. I'll um I'll stick to shaving twice a week, sir.

[00:06:29]>> We find Captain Cassidy and his crew departing from San Francisco with sealed orders, unaware they are headed into Tokyo Bay to support a critical mission.

[00:06:40]>> Two men who are making the Tokyo run will have to do some plain and fancy hedgeho on route. The weather reports from the Copper Fin are in the hands of the navigators. The Navy has done a great job of coordination. The rest is up to us.

[00:06:52]>> The Copper Fin undertakes a perilous journey, gathering intelligence for the Dittle raid while navigating enemy waters and facing a medical crisis when Tommy Adams requires an emergency appendecttomy performed by Pills.

[00:07:05]Showcasing the crew's resilience amidst immense pressure and danger.

[00:07:09]>> After months of secret preparations, a farreaching combined operation is about to begin.

[00:07:17]Continued secrecy is imperative for the plan success.

[00:07:29]>> Coming up next, we have Lassie come home.

[00:07:31]>> And yet, it's us that's supposed to be the most intelligent.

[00:07:37]You know, sometimes I think you didn't come along with me as much as you let me come along with you. As long as our roads lay together and now, well, you'll be off about whatever business it is you're on.

[00:07:52]>> This Metro Goldwin Mayor production tells a powerful story of devotion as young Joe Caracloo, portrayed by Rody McDow, faces the heartbreaking reality of losing his beloved colleague, Lassie, due to his family's difficult circumstances.

[00:08:07]>> Wouldn't we buy her back someday?

[00:08:11]>> No, Joe. No, Lassie was a very valuable dog.

[00:08:18]Much too much for us.

[00:08:20]>> But we'll get another dog someday. Just wait. Times might pick up and we'll get another Tikeke. He'd like that, wouldn't you?

[00:08:30]>> I don't want any. I only want Lassie.

[00:08:34]>> The narrative unfolds against the picturesque landscape of Yorkshire, England, and details lassis. incredible determination to return to Joe, even when confined within the Duke of Rudling's estate and enduring mistreatment from keepers like Hines, showcasing a bond that transcends distance and hardship.

[00:08:52]>> Yes, grandfather.

[00:08:54]>> Priscilla, have you ever seen this dog before?

[00:09:06]>> No, grandfather.

[00:09:07]>> Oh, neither have I. I thought for a minute, but I was mistaken. This is no dog of mine. Pardon my soul and honor.

[00:09:14]This dog never belonged to me.

[00:09:17]>> Oh, come on. Come along. You got to be good.

[00:09:23]>> Oh, Caracov.

[00:09:24]>> Yes, sir. That dog looks to me if she needs a lot of care. She does that, sir.

[00:09:31]>> Coming up next, we have I walked with a zombie.

[00:09:35]>> Fort Holland. From the gate, it seemed strangely dreamlike. The garden had life of its own. I was to know all the nooks and crannies of that great house, to love them or hate them according to what happened there. In that house, I was to hear a strange confession, a confession only madness could have rung from the lips of a sane person. And yet, it was in the same room with the candles lit that I made the discovery of my own love, new happiness deep through the heart. This film crafted under the unique creative partnership of Jacqu Turner and producer Val Luton feels less like a conventional narrative and more akin to automatic writing where themes of disappearance and absence take center stage.

[00:10:18]>> The result is what you see a woman without any willpower, unable to speak or even act by herself, though she will obey simple commands.

[00:10:28]>> Does she suffer?

[00:10:29]>> I don't know. I'd rather think of her as a sleepwalker who can never be awakened.

[00:10:34]Feeling nothing, knowing nothing.

[00:10:37]There's very little we can do except keep her physically comfortable. Light diet, some exercise.

[00:10:42]>> She can never be cured.

[00:10:44]>> I've never heard of a cure.

[00:10:45]>> Touor, who approached each script with openness, allowing his subconscious to guide the process. Previously explored these ideas in short films like The Ship That Died, a sensibility that fully blossomed here with Francis D as Betsy Connell and James Ellison as Wesley Rand. Building upon the anxieties first established in cat people.

[00:11:06]>> Dr. Maxwell is right. Mother, >> you were tricked by your own imagination. Mrs. Rand, >> I'm not an imaginative offensive for woman. Doctor, >> as I understand it, in order to turn a person into a zombie, whether by poison or hocus pocus, you must first kill that person.

[00:11:23]>> Coming up next, we have five graves to Cairo.

[00:11:26]>> They save Milano. Good. I can fill the general's wash basin, please.

[00:11:30]>> Please. My order lives in the hospital with measles. German measles.

[00:11:37]Look at that. Look at that.

[00:11:42]When this war is over, I shall lie in my own bathtub filled with blue Italian water and sing and sing and sing.

[00:11:49]>> Billy Wilder crafts a remarkable tale of survival as Corporal John J. Bramble portrayed by Fran Shhaton finds himself stranded after the fall of Tbrook seeking refuge in a remote desert hotel run by Aim Tamarov's Faraday 10 deep they were blown to bits and repulse the Prince of Wales in Athens they're dying of starvation 400 a day for what mush so that somebody like you can hold out a tin cup to a victorious lieutenant begging for a >> assuming the identity of the deceased waiter Paul Davos Tone navigates a danger dangerous game of deception.

[00:12:24]Unknowingly stepping into the role of a German spy, all while Field Marshall Irwin Raml, played by Eric von Stroheim, establishes headquarters within the very walls sheltering him.

[00:12:42]>> Davos, what is it, Lieutenant?

[00:12:46]>> Tell me something. Davos, when we arrived here, I understood you had been bombed into a cellar. Is that correct, Davos?

[00:12:54]>> Yes, Lieutenant. The cellar Davos?

[00:12:57]>> Yes, Lieutenant. And you dug yourself out, Daros?

[00:13:01]>> That's right, Lieutenant.

[00:13:02]>> And upstairs. What?

[00:13:05]>> Coming up next, we have hangman also die.

[00:13:08]>> Not interested in your soup. What makes you think I'm interested in a cab where some passenger maybe had a nose bleed?

[00:13:16]>> Well, Ga, he recognized the description of Derek from tonight's papers as one of his passengers. Where did you drop this passenger?

[00:13:23]>> Well, that's the trouble. I I don't remember.

[00:13:27]>> Fritz Lang crafts a tense narrative around Dr. Francisex Vobota, portrayed by Brian Donley, whose act of resistance against the brutal Reichkes Protector, sets off a desperate struggle for survival.

[00:13:39]>> I am sure of it.

[00:13:40]>> Please, miss. Everyone is looking at us.

[00:13:42]I tell you, you're absolutely wrong.

[00:13:44]>> I'm not wrong.

[00:13:45]>> Please, miss. Please.

[00:13:46]>> You must meet me. I have to talk to you alone. Ness, what do you want with these gentlemen?

[00:13:51]>> The film unfolds under the weight of Nazi occupation in Czechoslovakia, escalating to a terrifying standoff where 400 Czech citizens are held hostage and Professor Steven Novatney, played by Walter Brennan, finds himself among them.

[00:14:05]>> GET OUT YOUR IDENTIFICATION CARDS. NO ONE PERMITTED TO LEAVE.

[00:14:11]>> YOU STAY HERE. NO ONE PERMITTED TO LEAVE.

[00:14:19]Anna Lee as Masha Novatne delivers a courageous performance as she navigates a difficult path caught between loyalty and desperation.

[00:14:27]>> Perhaps you'd prefer to talk to me in private.

[00:14:31]>> No, I can tell you right here what I think of you, you pig.

[00:14:35]>> Yes, you better not let her see you alone, stool pigeon, or she'll scratch eyes out and make you chew them. You fascist blood hound.

[00:14:41]>> Big talk. 10 minutes down below and you'll beg them to kill you.

[00:14:46]>> Coming up next, we have This Land Is Mine.

[00:14:50]>> The truth can't be allowed to live under the occupation.

[00:14:54]It's too dangerous.

[00:14:57]The occupation lives upon lies as the whole evil world they call the New Order does.

[00:15:09]Officially, you'll find me guilty of murder. Directed by Jean Renoir, this film delves into a complex moral landscape, exploring the difficult choices faced during occupation. A story where a school teacher portrayed by Charles Loftton as Albert Lurie grapples with collaboration and resistance.

[00:15:27]>> But this morning, I looked out through bars and I saw this beautiful new world working.

[00:15:34]I saw 10 men die because they still believed in freedom. Among them was a man I loved, Professor Surell.

[00:15:45]He smiled and waved at me as if he were telling me what to do. I knew then I had to die. And the strange thing is I was happy.

[00:15:54]>> It is fascinating to consider how the film aims to deliver a message, something Samuel Goldwin of the studio famously scoffed at, believing such efforts rarely translated to financial success.

[00:16:12]I'm afraid this is my last class.

[00:16:16]I don't know how much time I have. If this must be a short lesson, I think I found the best book.

[00:16:25]It was given to me by Professor Sorell.

[00:16:28]And the only reason it wasn't burnt with the others. Moren O'Hara as Louise Martin and George Sanders as George Lambert offer compelling performances in this powerfully dramatic work.

[00:16:38]>> Robert Lori, please stand.

[00:16:45]What is your verdict?

[00:16:46]>> We the jury by unanimous agreement, fully conscious of our responsibility in weighing the guilt or innocence of the accused who has been here tried for the murder of George Lambert, find him not guilty.

[00:17:00]Coming up next, we have Jane Heir.

[00:17:03]>> That moment I knew I'd found you. Jane, can you not forgive me?

[00:17:08]>> I do forgive you.

[00:17:11]>> Do you still love me?

[00:17:13]>> I do love you with all my heart. I can say it now since it's for the last time.

[00:17:19]This adaptation masterfully condenses Charlotte Bronte's complex novel into a compelling narrative. A feat achieved while acknowledging the author's own difficult experiences. Her sister Maria's tragic passing likely inspired the character of Helen Burns, portrayed early in the film by Elizabeth Taylor.

[00:17:36]>> By >> Yes, J.

[00:17:37]>> I never dreamed I'd get away from here till I was quite grown up.

[00:17:41]>> Would you even be sorry to leave your poor old Bessie?

[00:17:44]>> What does Bessie care for me? It's always scolding and punishing. Joan Fontaine embodies Jane air with a nuance mirroring Bronte herself, while Orson Wells delivers a memorable performance as the enigmatic Edward Rochester, a character shadowed by a deeply troubled past and a haunting atmosphere consistently maintained through darkened sets and dramatic musical cues.

[00:18:04]>> Fate offers you the chance of regeneration and true happiness.

[00:18:12]Are you justified in overaping the obstacles of mere custom?

[00:18:17]Tell me, Jane, are you justified?

[00:18:21]>> How can I answer, sir? Every conscience must come to its own decision. Well, >> if it can't come to a decision, if you're afraid that you may bring shame to what you most cherish or destroy what you most desire to protect.

[00:18:36]Oh, Jane, don't you curse me for plaguing you like this.

[00:18:41]We hope you are finding this journey through cinema as rewarding as we are and we truly appreciate you spending your time with Ground Zero as we explore these films together. It means a great deal to us that you are along for the ride. If the content resonates with you, a simple like, subscription, or share helps more people discover these stories and we are deeply grateful for your support. Now, let's get back to our list. Coming up next, we have Heaven Can Wait.

[00:19:10]>> But the girl he bought the ice cream for was not the girl he should have bought it for.

[00:19:13]>> It wasn't.

[00:19:14]>> No.

[00:19:15]>> Little devil.

[00:19:16]>> And when the one little girl found out that the other girl Well, that boy got himself into such a mess.

[00:19:22]>> Oh, if I only could have been there.

[00:19:24]>> You should have seen our little Jackie trying to get himself out of that situation.

[00:19:27]>> Did he?

[00:19:28]>> Yes. Little girl likes him better than before.

[00:19:32]>> Good. What a child.

[00:19:34]>> Believe me, he is a problem. I suppose so. But when he comes and makes up his little stories, you know they're just little stories, but he wants you to believe them so badly that you wish you could.

[00:19:44]>> We delve into a sophisticated comedy, a picture some placed among the finest works of Ernst Lubich, even if contemporary reception, perhaps colored by the ongoing war, proved less enthusiastic.

[00:20:03]I could find >> Cousin Henry.

[00:20:13]>> Yes, cousin Martha.

[00:20:15]>> You must never do anything like that again.

[00:20:17]>> Is that what you came back here to tell me?

[00:20:19]>> I think it's outrageous. I hardly know you. Why? Even Albert, my own fianceé, never did.

[00:20:24]>> Kiss you.

[00:20:24]>> Of course he kissed me. Why not? After all, we're engaged. But he never kissed me like that. Like what?

[00:20:31]>> Don Amita portrays Henry Van Cleave, confidently meeting his excellency, anticipating judgment, while Lear Creger embodies a discerning Lucifer, assessing whether Van Clee truly meets the requirements for eternal residence. All underscored by a score referencing the beloved tune by the light of the silvery moon.

[00:20:50]>> Well, you're going to live right here in New York, and you don't have to marry Albert.

[00:20:53]>> I don't know what you're talking about.

[00:20:54]>> Yes, you do. You're going to get married, but not to Albert. And yet, you won't even have to change the initials on your linen. You're going to marry me?

[00:21:01]Oh, >> we can't do that. How can I marry you?

[00:21:03]I'm not even engaged to you.

[00:21:05]>> Martha, do you love me?

[00:21:06]>> Well, I hardly know you.

[00:21:07]>> You don't need to know anything when you love. Love needs no introduction. You love or you don't love.

[00:21:10]>> You're mad. You don't know what you're saying. You must be out of your mind.

[00:21:12]>> Do you love me or don't you?

[00:21:13]>> Trying to take away the fiance of your own cousin causing a family scandal.

[00:21:16]>> Do you love me?

[00:21:18]>> Yes.

[00:21:19]>> Coming up next, we have the miracle of Morgan's Creek.

[00:21:23]>> Could I even look at another man? I think he's the most wonderful man that ever lived. Yes, but he's going to be in jail, Trudy, for a long time. He can't do you any good in stripes, honey. He can't be so chewy.

[00:21:36]>> We find a remarkable film where Preston Sturges navigates a complex relationship with the production code, brilliantly concealing a challenging narrative through masterful comedic timing and extended takes.

[00:21:47]>> He'd be lucky if he gets life. Then when your little surprise package happens, you probably get some more.

[00:21:52]>> You've got to let him escape, Papa.

[00:21:53]>> Oh, sure. And take my pension right along with him. that I've been working 17 years for and land in the hose gal.

[00:22:00]Besides, >> the film's artistry lies in its ability to operate within constraints, encouraging a filmmaking practice that cleverly subverts authority on screen.

[00:22:09]>> What about?

[00:22:10]>> You don't hear a police siren, do you?

[00:22:12]>> A police siren? That's a tree toad.

[00:22:15]>> I keep feeling I hear a police siren.

[00:22:17]>> How could you hear a police siren when there ain't one in town? Eddie Bracken as Norville Jones and Betty Hutton as Trudy Cockinlocker deliver performances that showcase a unique blend of humor and heartfelt emotion, all while examining strategies in different parts of the film.

[00:22:36]>> HOLD THE PRESS. HOLD EVERYTHING. GO. GET ME THE STATE CAPITAL. I got to talk to the governor immediately. IT'S A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.

[00:23:02]Coming up next, we have Sahara.

[00:23:10]What happened? There was a shooting, then there was nothing. Go ahead.

[00:23:19]This film portrays a desperate struggle for survival set against the backdrop of the Western Desert campaign where Sergeant Joe Gun, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, leads a resourceful yet isolated crew after becoming separated from their unit near Tbrook.

[00:23:34]>> How is he?

[00:23:34]>> Oh, he's pretty bad.

[00:23:36]>> What does he say? Sounds like his girl's name, sir. Give him some water, sir.

[00:23:41]Card, sir. Got a drop left.

[00:23:48]Bone dry.

[00:23:50]>> It is so in the desert.

[00:23:52]At one season there's cool, clear waters like lakes in the mountains. Another time nothing, >> just a lot of sand. With dwindling supplies and relentless pressure from the German Africa corpse guns team, including Waco Hoy and the invaluable guidance of Sergeant Major Tambell and Jeppe must defend a crucial well at Hassan Barani, demonstrating resilience and improvisation in a landscape offering little mercy.

[00:24:20]>> Somebody tell me why.

[00:24:28]>> I'm for staying. I'll stick.

[00:24:30]>> Me too, Sergeant.

[00:24:33]Now, it may surprise you, professor, to know that you're the one man I was absolutely counting on.

[00:24:40]>> Mind you, it's against my better judgment.

[00:24:43]>> Coming up next, we have the more the marrier. If >> you were a smarter man, you'd use your brains instead of your fists.

[00:24:50]>> Come here.

[00:24:51]>> I'm sorry. I thought I was in more office.

[00:24:54]>> Major deton to identify Carter.

[00:24:55]>> Oh, yes. Come here, Major. Are you Mr. Harding?

[00:24:58]>> That's right. How do you do? Hello, Sergeant. Uh, what's trouble?

[00:25:03]>> This film feels uniquely tethered to a specific moment, a wartime reality where even romance is shaded by the omnipresent awareness of loss.

[00:25:12]>> For instance, Mr. Pendergast wants us to be married right away.

[00:25:22]You know, our engagement.

[00:25:25]>> Yeah, I know. We see Constance Milligan, portrayed by Gene Arthur, navigate a housing shortage, ultimately opening her home in a patriotic gesture, yet finding herself amidst a comical scheme orchestrated by Benjamin Dingle, played by Charles Coburn. I >> never thought when they threw my boy.

[00:25:47]>> We better hurry up and eat our lunch and get out of here.

[00:25:51]>> Let's go.

[00:25:59]Is there something wrong, mister?

[00:26:01]>> No. Everything's just dandy. Well, then why is the young lady crying?

[00:26:05]>> Because she's so happy.

[00:26:07]>> It's a charming exploration of daily life amidst wartime privation, offering a subtly sentimental perspective on a world deeply marked by conflict. A document of its creation.

[00:26:18]>> Well, I thought you said something about world conditions being so unsettled. And >> exactly. There's no reason for us to be unsettled, too.

[00:26:27]How about Saturday afternoon? We have have a holiday. I'll apply for the license tomorrow. Why? Why? We can be back at work bright and early Monday morning.

[00:26:38]>> Coming up next, we have the song of Bernardet.

[00:26:42]>> You've got no far above me.

[00:26:46]I just want to go and work for Madame Mina's housemate. Please. My dear child, >> we delve into a story of faith and skepticism in a time when audiences urgently sought solace, a reflection of the global conflict surrounding its presentation.

[00:27:02]>> You are the rarest of mortal beings.

[00:27:04]Little Cigaru, just when do you think the commission will begin its work?

[00:27:11]>> The scientists, the chemists, the geologists cannot possibly conduct their researches with the Gretto boarded up.

[00:27:16]The narrative follows young Bernardet portrayed by Jennifer Jones as her visions challenge both the church and local authorities with compelling performances from actors like Vincent Price as prosecutor Vital Dutour and Charles Bickford as Father Paraml adding depth to the unfolding drama.

[00:27:32]>> This is the most shameless piece of hypocrisy I have ever encountered.

[00:27:37]I warn you, I shall expose this hypocrisy and I shall raise such a voice throughout all France. The reverberations will send petty politicians toppling from their seats.

[00:27:48]>> Come here, Bernardet.

[00:27:52]>> I know this child. So does the Imperial prosecutor. She is neither a maniac nor a menace to her fellow men. If you still intend to take her gentlemen well and good.

[00:28:02]>> While the lengthy runtime presents moments of repetition, the film boldly visualizes the central visions, inviting viewers to contemplate belief itself.

[00:28:12]And it stands as a powerful testament to the need for hope.

[00:28:15]>> They question me again and again.

[00:28:21]I saw her.

[00:28:26]Tell them I saw her.

[00:28:31]>> Coming up next, we have Lee Corbo.

[00:28:51]Henry George Kluo after establishing himself with films like The Murderer lives at number 21 delivers a suspenseful look into a town gripped by fear stemming from anonymous letters signed Lee Corbo.

[00:29:31]The story initially inspired by a real case involving letters signed the eye of the tiger sees Pierre Fresn as Dr. Remy Germaine wrongly accused and targeted. A situation unfolding under the banner of continental films during a challenging period for French cinema.

[00:30:01]Coming up next, we have Day of Wrath.

[00:30:16]Carl Theodore Drier crafts a fascinating study in moral ambiguity where even persecution feels strangely benevolent and the line between accuser and accused blurs.

[00:30:40]The film resides in a world steeped in belief where witchcraft isn't a question of fact but of conviction and where Thorild Ruse's Reverend Absilon Peterson embodies a conflicted faith mirroring Drier's own paradoxical sensibility match.

[00:31:06]Yeah.

[00:31:19]>> We observe a narrative that doesn't dictate belief, but rather explores the bewildering complexity of it, leaving us to grapple with the shadows and wonders within.

[00:32:00]And that's going to be true.

[00:32:13]Christmas.

[00:32:18]>> Coming up at number three, we have the life and death of Colonel Blimp.

[00:32:25]>> Hi, Mrs. Two Basins for me and me old China.

[00:32:29]>> Get your skates major general Clive Wing Candy.

[00:32:33]>> Blimey, what a Monica. Fill it.

[00:32:35]>> I moved to Royal Bthers Club. Pick a delay.

[00:32:37]>> You think he needed a bath after this lot? Good luck to the old bastard.

[00:32:43]>> Still here?

[00:32:43]>> Just going to open.

[00:32:44]>> I won't sir.

[00:32:45]>> I get it.

[00:32:46]>> The guns brother's a gamekeeper.

[00:32:48]>> That's the ticket. Load with number four. We'll soon have rifles, Tommy guns, too. Know which end is which?

[00:32:53]>> Oh, yes. That's right. Directed by the immensely influential team of Michael Powell and Americ, this picture stands as perhaps the most distinctly British movie ever crafted, benefiting from a gripping story and confident direction after their wartime propaganda films.

[00:33:09]>> My wife was English.

[00:33:11]She would have loved to come back to England, but it seemed to me that I would be letting down my country in its greatest need. And so she stayed at my side.

[00:33:22]When in summer >> Roger Livy delivers a truly remarkable performance as Major General Clive Win Candy, a character brought to life with perfect comedic timing and aided by groundbreaking prosthetic work that beautifully charts his aging process.

[00:33:38]All showcased in stunning technicolor.

[00:33:41]>> My lord Bishop, I want to make a confession.

[00:33:44]I first saw Barbara in Fllanders on the last night of the war.

[00:33:50]She was a nurse among 70 other nurses. I never knew her name, but I found out that most of the nurses came from Yorkshire, the West Riding.

[00:34:00]>> Coming up at number two, we have the Oxbow incident.

[00:34:04]>> He never even saw the South till after the war. Then only long enough to marry that kid's mother and get run out of the place by her folks.

[00:34:11]>> I figure there was something fishy about him dressing up like that.

[00:34:15]>> Sure. What are you supposed to be living in this neck of the woods if you didn't have something to hide?

[00:34:18]>> We find a stark warning within its narrative. Arriving at a time when the nation grappled with both foreign and domestic injustices.

[00:34:26]>> What can I do for you, gentlemen? We're here for Mr. Davies.

[00:34:30]>> Oh, how is my friend Davies? Well, I trust.

[00:34:34]>> Yes, but could we see you alone for a minute, judge?

[00:34:36]>> Oh, a matter of a private nature, eh?

[00:34:38]The film deeply affecting to audiences even in high school classrooms resonated with star Henry Fonda inspired by a childhood witnessing of a similar event in Omaha.

[00:34:48]>> I understand how it is men. My old friend Larry Kin, one of the finest and no blessing, Tyler, all we want is your blessing. Along with screenwriter Lamar Trati and director William Wellman, Fonda aimed to deliver an unmistakable message about the dangers of disregarding established laws and the rights of all people powerfully embodied by performances from Dana Andrews and Anthony Quinn.

[00:35:14]>> Looks happy, Tony.

[00:35:15]>> He just needed exercise. Whenever he gets low and spirits are confused in his mind, he doesn't feel right until he's had a fight.

[00:35:25]It doesn't matter whether he wins or not. He feels fine again afterwards.

[00:35:30]>> Before we get to our number one pick, we have a few films that just missed the cut, but are more than worthy of an honorable mention.

[00:35:38]Our first mention is The Spiderwoman, directed by Roy William Neil. A thrilling mystery.

[00:35:44]>> You're right in the line of fire. Hurry.

[00:35:46]>> Line of fire.

[00:35:50]>> It was Providence sent you, Mr. Holmes.

[00:35:52]They're after me. Who are you?

[00:35:53]>> The men of whom you sold the lacrosse carnivor. Of course.

[00:35:56]>> How do you know? Elementary, my dear sir. Who else would threaten a man of your property in standing?

[00:36:00]>> Mr. Holmes, I'll swear to you, when I first sold them those spiders, I had no idea the use they'd put them to.

[00:36:05]>> And you read about the pajama suicides.

[00:36:07]>> That's it.

[00:36:07]>> And putting two and two together refused to sell them anymore.

[00:36:10]>> That's right. But only today they were here.

[00:36:13]>> Our second honorable mention is for whom the bell tolls directed by Sam Wood. A wartime romance.

[00:36:20]>> Box that exploded the dynamite. When I stood up the fire to make coffee for the men, I found it.

[00:36:26]What?

[00:36:27]>> It was under the ashes.

[00:36:28]>> I thought you were guarding my thing.

[00:36:31]>> Our third honorable mention is Action in the North Atlantic. Directed by Lloyd Bacon, a wartime naval drama.

[00:36:38]>> Periscope. TWO POINTS OF BATH TO FORT BEAM.

[00:36:42]>> Signal 308. Submarines position by >> convoy commander to 308.

[00:36:48]>> From 308 to convoy commander. Go ahead.

[00:36:50]>> Periscope two points above to board of flagship. Distance 1,400 yds. Left four water corner master. I ask her left full rudder. All engines ahead. Flank speed.

[00:36:59]>> We have journeyied through wartime dramas, breathtaking epics, and surprisingly hopeful comedies examining films reflecting both the anxieties and the artistic spirit of a world at war.

[00:37:10]From the stark realism of the Oxbow incident to the vibrant musicality of Cabin in the Sky and the sweeping scale of Colonel Blimp, each selection, a testament to cinematic craft and storytelling, has led us to this precipice. This single defining film that stands above them all. And now, the moment we have all been waiting for.

[00:37:31]Coming in at number one, we have Shadow of a Doubt.

[00:37:35]>> I no reason why. I'm just scared. You're the ones who seem sure.

[00:37:40]>> It's just that I can't stand for anything to happen here.

[00:37:43]>> You know what he's done, don't you?

[00:37:44]>> No, I don't want to hear.

[00:37:45]>> I want you to get this.

[00:37:47]>> We're really doing you a favor. You've had a bad break, but you know anything more about your uncle than you've already told us? Let's have it. You also want to know when he leaves town and how he leaves town.

[00:37:55]>> Alfred Hitchcock delivers a masterclass in suspense, unsettling the idyllic calm of Santa Rosa, California, as young Charlie welcomes her uncle Charlie, played by Joseph Cotton, for a visit.

[00:38:07]Charlie.

[00:38:08]>> Oh, at first I didn't know you. I thought you were sick.

[00:38:11]>> Sick?

[00:38:12]>> You aren't sick, are you? Look, pup.

[00:38:14]Here he is. My uncle Charlie, you're not sick.

[00:38:18]>> The film brilliantly explores the darkness hidden beneath a seemingly perfect facade, hinting at a horrifying truth when Charlie begins to connect her uncle to news reports of a ruthless murderer targeting wealthy widows.

[00:38:29]>> Charlie, will you help me?

[00:38:31]>> Help you?

[00:38:32]>> The same blood flows through our veins.

[00:38:34]Charlie, a week ago, I was at the end of my rope.

[00:38:39]>> Oh, I'm so tired, Charlie. That's an end to the running a man can do.

[00:38:44]>> You'll never know what it's like to be so tired.

[00:38:46]>> Hitchcock refineses his persistent theme, revealing how easily shadows can fall, even within the most familiar of homes. All while Terresa Wright embodies a youthful perspective increasingly clouded by suspicion.

[00:38:58]>> For all American suckers, what do you know about it?

[00:39:01]>> Well, Charlie wasn't here when they came. But really, Charles, it way Mr. Graham told it, it wasn't like snooping at all. It was our duty as citizens.

[00:39:08]It's something the government wants.

[00:39:10]>> Government?

[00:39:11]>> Maybe not exactly, but it's for the public good. And when I told him about you and all the places you've been, he was really interested.

[00:39:17]>> Now, listen, Ammy, I'll have nothing to do with this. I'm just a visitor here, and my advice to you is to slam the door in his face.

[00:39:22]>> Oh, well, I I couldn't do that. But you don't have to meet him if you don't want to.

[00:39:26]>> Well, I think it'd be kind of exciting.

[00:39:28]You take your photograph, and then we could have it for nothing.

[00:39:31]>> No, thank you. I've never been photographed in my life, and I don't want to be.

[00:39:34]>> Oh, Charles, how can you talk that way?

[00:39:36]I had a photograph of you. I gave it to Charlie.

[00:39:39]>> I tell you, there are none.

[00:39:40]>> I guess you forgotten this one. Get it, Charlie.

[00:39:45]>> You sure you don't remember?

[00:39:47]>> Of course, I don't ever remember being photographed.

[00:39:50]>> And so, we have reached the end of our journey through the cinematic landscape of 1943, a year that gifted us with 20 truly remarkable films. From wartime dramas and thrilling adventures to heartwarming comedies and poignant romances, it was a period of incredible storytelling, reflecting the times while also offering muchneeded escape. We always strive to be comprehensive, yet we know every list is open to debate.

[00:40:15]What are your favorite films from that year? Did we miss any titles that hold a special place in your heart? More importantly, tell us which era of cinema, which specific list you'd like to see us tackle next in the comments down below. And of course, if you enjoyed this exploration, please like this video and subscribe to Ground Zero for more deep dives into the world of film.