Film Data for 1941

The Film Daily's Ten Best Pictures of 1941 (poll of 548 film critics and reviewers)
1) Gone With the Wind (1939)- 452 votes
2) Sergeant York- 413
3) The Philadelphia Story (1940)- 358
4) Citizen Kane- 341
5) Here Comes Mr. Jordan- 248
6) The Little Foxes- 243
7) Kitty Foyle (1940)- 233
8) The Great Dictator (1940)- 229
9) Meet John Doe- 218
10) Blossoms in the Dust- 153

The Honor Roll:
11) The Long Voyage Home (1940)- 151
12) The Letter (1940)- 92
13) Cheers for Miss Bishop- 89
14) Man Hunt- 82
15) Escape (1940)- 73
16) Dumbo- 71
17) That Hamilton Woman- 67
18) All That Money Can Buy- 63
19) North West Mounted Police (1940)- 62
20) Hold Back the Dawn- 58
21) The Maltese Falcon- 57
22) Major Barbara- 56
23) Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde- 52
24) Honky Tonk- 50
25) The Great Lie- 49
      A Woman's Face- 49
27) The Devil and Miss Jones- 47
28) Penny Serenade- 46
29) The Lady Eve- 43
30) Blood & Sand- 42
31) The Stars Look Down (1940)- 40

The Film Daily- "Filmdom's Famous Fives" of 1941 (no vote counts given, but I believe The Film Daily listed in order of preference)

Best Performances by Male Stars
1) Gary Cooper in Sergeant York
2) Orson Welles in Citizen Kane
3) Clark Gable in Gone With the Wind (1939)
4) Charles Chaplin in The Great Dictator (1940)
5) Spencer Tracy in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Best Performances by Female Stars
1) Vivien Leigh in Gone With the Wind (1939)
2) Bette Davis in The Letter (1940)
3) Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
4) Greer Garson in Blossoms in the Dust
5) Ginger Rogers in Kitty Foyle (1940)

Best Performances by Supporting Actors
1) James Gleason in Here Comes Mr. Jordan
2) Walter Brennan in Sergeant York
3) Jack Oakie in The Great Dictator (1940)
4) Walter Brennan in Meet John Doe
5) Walter Brennan in The Westerner (1940)

Best Performances by Supporting Actresses
1) Olivia de Havilland in Gone With the Wind (1939)
2) Margaret Wycherly in Sergeant York
3) Hattie McDaniel in Gone With the Wind (1939)
4) Mary Astor in The Great Lie
5) Patricia Collinge in The Little Foxes

Best Performances by Juvenile Actors
1) Mickey Rooney in Andy Hardy's Private Secretary

2) Mickey Rooney in Men of Boy's Town
3) Roddy McDowall in Man Hunt
4) Dickie Moore in Sergeant York
5) Bobs Watson in Men of Boy's Town

Best Performances by Juvenile Actresses
1) Virginia Weidler in The Philadelphia Story (1940)
2) Carolyn Lee in Virginia
3) Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes
4) Katharine Grayson in Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
5) Deanna Durbin in It Started With Eve

The Year's Outstanding Directors
1) Victor Fleming for Gone With the Wind (1939)
2) Orson Welles in Citizen Kane
3) Howard Hawks in Sergeant York
40 John Ford in The Long Voyage Home (1940)
5) Frank Capra in Meet John Doe

The Year's Outstanding Screenplays
1) Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller for Here Comes Mr. Jordan
2) Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles for Citizen Kane
3) Harry Chandlee, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Howard Koch for Sergeant York
4) Sidney Howard for Gone With the Wind (1939)
5) Donald Ogden Stewart for The Philadelphia Story (1940)

The Year's Outstanding Photography
1) Gregg Toland for Citizen Kane
2) Ernest Haller and Ray Rennahan for Gone With the Wind (1939)
3) Gregg Toland for The Long Voyage Home (1940)
4) Victor Milner and W. Howard Greene for North West Mounted Police (1940)
5) George Perinal for The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

"Finds of the Year"
1) Gene Tierney
2) Teresa Wright
3) Joan Leslie
4) Orson Welles
5) Veronica Lake

New York Film Critics Awards (Winners announced on December 31, 1941. Awards were presented on January 10, 1942, at Leone's restaurant in New York. NBC radio broadcast 15 minutes of the ceremony live nationwide. Sources: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards, 2001 and Donald Lyons, "The Lights of New York," Film Comment, March-April, 1993)

Best Picture

Citizen Kane (won on ballot VI with 10 votes)

Runners-up: How Green Was My Valley, 7 votes

                      Sergeant York, 1 vote

Lyons notes that on ballot I, York had five votes to four for Kane. On ballot II York and Kane tied with five votes apiece. On ballot V, Kane had 10 votes, Valley 6 votes and York 2 votes. 

Best Director

John Ford for How Green Was My Valley (won on ballot VI with 10 votes)

Runner-up: Orson Welles for Citizen Kane (8 votes)

Lyons notes Ford and Welles tied on ballot I with five votes apiece, before Ford gained 10 votes on ballots V and VI.

Best Actor

Gary Cooper in Sergeant York (won on ballot I with 14 votes)

Runner-up: Orson Welles in Citizen Kane (2 votes)

Best Actress

Joan Fontaine in Suspicion (won on ballot VI with 12 votes)

Runner-up: Olivia de Havilland in Hold Back the Dawn (3 votes).

Lyons notes on early ballots Fontaine and De Havilland were tied. 

National Board of Review (Voting results announced on December 20, 1941. Source: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards).

Best Picture

Citizen Kane

Rest of the Top Ten (in order of preference):

How Green Was My Valley

The Little Foxes

The Stars Look Down

Dumbo

High Sierra

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Tom, Dick and Harry

The Road to Zanzibar

The Lady Eve

Best Acting (Listed in alphabetical order)

Sara Algood, How Green Was My Valley

Mary Astor, The Great Lie, The Maltese Falcon

Ingrid Bergman, Rage in Heaven

Humphrey Bogart, High Sierra, The Maltese Falcon

Patricia Collinge, The Little Foxes

Gary Cooper, Sergeant York

George Coulouris, Citizen Kane

Donald Crisp, How Green Was My Valley

Bing Crosby, The Road to Zanzibar, Birth of the Blues

Bette Davis, The Little Foxes

Isobel Elsom, Ladies in Retirement

Joan Fontaine, Suspicion

Greta Garbo, Two-Faced Woman

James Gleason, Meet John Doe, Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Walter Huston, All That Money Can Buy

Ida Lupino, High Sierra, Ladies in Retirement

Roddy McDowell, How Green Was My Valley

Robert Montgomery, Rage in Heaven, Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Ginger Rogers, Kitty Foyle, Tom, Dick and Harry

James Stephenson, The Letter, Shining Victory

Orson Welles, Citizen Kane

Best Foreign Film

Pepe le Moko (France, 1937- 1941 U.S. release)

Best Documentary

Target for Tonight

The Academy Awards (Nominations announced on February 2, 1942. Awards were presented on February 26, 1942 at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Sources Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards and Mason Wiley and Damien Bona's Inside Oscar (Winners in bold print).

Best Picture

Blossoms in the Dust, MGM. Produced by Irving Asher.

Citizen Kane, RKO Radio. Produced by Orson Welles.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia. Produced by Everett Riskin.

Hold Back the Dawn, Paramount. Produced by Arthur Hornblow, Jr.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck.

The Little Foxes, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn.

The Maltese Falcon, Warner Bros. Produced by Hal B. Wallis.

One Foot in Heaven, Warner Bros. Produced by Hal B. Wallis.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. Produced by Jesse L. Lasky and Hal B. Wallis.

Suspicion, RKO Radio. Produced by RKO Radio.

Best Director

John Ford for How Green Was My Valley (20th Century-Fox).

Alexander Hall for Here Comes Mr. Jordan (Columbia).

Howard Hawks for Sergeant York (Warner Bros.).

Orson Welles for Citizen Kane (Mercury, RKO Radio).

William Wyler for The Little Foxes (Goldwyn, RKO Radio).

Best Actor

Gary Cooper in Sergeant York (Warner Bros.).

Cary Grant in Penny Serenade (Columbia).

Walter Huston in All That Money Can Buy (a.k.a. The Devil and Daniel Webster) (RKO Radio).

Robert Montgomery in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (Columbia). 

Orson Welles in Citizen Kane (Mercury, RKO Radio). 

Best Actress

Bette Davis in The Little Foxes (Goldwyn, RKO Radio).

Olivia de Havilland in Hold Back the Dawn (Paramount).

Joan Fontaine in Suspicion (RKO Radio).

Greer Garson in Blossoms in the Dust (MGM).

Barbara Stanwyck in Ball of Fire (Goldwyn, RKO Radio).

Best Supporting Actor

Walter Brennan in Sergeant York (Warner Bros.). 

Charles Colburn in The Devil and Miss Jones (RKO Radio). 

Donald Crisp in How Green Was My Valley (20th Century-Fox).

James Gleason in Here Comes Mr. Jordan (Columbia).

Sydney Greenstreet in The Maltese Falcon

Best Supporting Actress

Sara Algood in How Green Was My Valley (20th Century-Fox).

Mary Astor in The Great Lie (Warner Bros.).

Patricia Collinge in The Little Foxes (Goldwyn, RKO Radio). 

Teresa Wright in The Little Foxes (Goldwyn, RKO Radio).

Margaret Wycherly in Sergeant York (Warner Bros.). 

Writing (Original Story)

Ball of Fire, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Thomas Monroe and Billy Wilder.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia. Harry Segall.

The Lady Eve, Paramount. Monckton Hoffe.

Meet John Doe, Warner Bros. Richard Connell and Robert Presnell.

Night Train, 20th Century-Fox (British). Gordon Wellesley.

Writing (Original Screenplay)

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. Herman J. Mankiewicz and Orson Welles.

The Devil and Miss Jones, RKO Radio. Norman Krasna.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. Harry Chandler, Abem Finkel, John Huston and Howard Koch.

Tall, Dark and Handsome, 20th Century-Fox. Karl Tunberg and Darrell Ware.

Tom, Dick and Harry, RKO Radio. Paul Jarrico.

Writing (Screenplay).

Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia. Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller.

Hold Back the Dawn, Paramount. Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. Phillip Dunne.

The Little Foxes, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Lillian Hellman.

The Maltese Falcon, Warner Bros. John Huston.

Cinematography (Black-and-White)

The Chocolate Soldier, MGM. Karl Freud.

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. Gregg Toland.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MGM. Joseph Ruttenberg.

Here Comes Mr. Jordan, Columbia. Joseph Walker.

Hold Back the Dawn, Paramount. Leo Tover.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. Arthur Miller.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. Sol Polito

Sun Valley Serenade, 20th Century-Fox. Edward Cronjager.

Sundown, Wagner, UA. Charles Lang.

That Hamilton Woman, Korda, UA. Rudolph Mate.

Cinematography (Color)

Aloma of the South Seas, Paramount. Wilfred M. Cline, Karl Struss and William Snyder.

Billy the Kid, MGM. William V. Skall and Leonard Smith.

Blood and Sand, 20th Century-Fox. Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan.

Blossoms in the Dust, MGM. Karl Freund and W. Howard Greene.

Dive Bomber, Warner Bros. Bert Glennon

Louisiana Purchase, Paramount. Harry Hallenberger and Ray Rennahan.

Interior Decoration (Black-and-White)

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. Perry Ferguson and Van Nest Polglase; Al Fields Darrell Silvera.

Flame of New Orleans, Universal. Martin Obzina and Jack Otterson; Russell A. Gausman.

Hold Back the Dawn, Paramount. Hans Dreier and Robert Usher; Sam Comer.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. Richard Day and Nathan Juran; Thomas Little.

Ladies in Retirement, Columbia. Lionel Banks, George Montgomery.

The Little Foxes, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Stephen Goosson; Howard Bristol.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. John Hughes; Fred MacLean.

Son of Monte Cristo, Small, UA. John DuCasse Schulze; Edward G. Boyle.

Sundown, Wagner, UA. Alexander Golitzen; Richard Irvine.

That Hamilton Woman, Korda, UA. Vincent Korda; Julia Heron.

When Ladies Meet, MGM. Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell; Edwin B. Willis.

Interior Decoration (Color)

Blood and Sand, 20th Century-Fox. Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright; Thomas Little.

Blossoms in the Dust, MGM. Cedric Gibbons and Urie McCleary; Edwin B. Willis.

Louisiana Purchase, Paramount. Raoul Pene du Bois; Stephen A. Seymour.

Best Sound Recording

Appointment for Love, Universal. Bernard B. Brown.

Ball of Fire, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Thomas Moulton.

The Chocolate Soldier, MGM. Douglas Shearer.

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. John Aalberg.

The Devil Pays Off, Republic. Charles Lootens.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. E.H. Hansen.

The Men in Her Life, Columbia. John Livadary.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. Nathan Levinson.

Skylark, Paramount. Loren Ryder.

That Hamilton Woman, Korda, UA. Jack Whitney, General Service. 

Topper Returns, Roach, UA. Elmer Raguse.

Best Song

"Baby Mine" (Dumbo, Disney, RKO Radio); Music by Frank Churchill. Lyrics by Ned Washington.

"Be Honest With Me" (Ridin' on a Rainbow, Republic); Music and Lyrics by Gene Autry and Fred Rose.

"Blues in the Night' (Blues in the Night, Warner Bros.); Music by Harold Arlen. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B" (Buck Privates, Universal); Music by Hugh Prince. Lyrics by Don Raye.

"Chattanooga Choo Choo" (Sun Valley Serenade, 20th Century-Fox); Music by Harry Warren. Lyrics by Mack Gordon.

"Dolores" (Las Vegas Nights, Paramount); Music by Lou Alter. Lyrics by Frank Losser.

"The Last Time I Saw Paris" (Lady Be Good, MGM); Music by Jerome Kern. Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II.

"Out of the Silence" (All American Co-Ed, Roach, UA); Music and Lyrics by Lloyd B. Norlind.

"Since I Kissed My Baby Goodbye" (You'll Never Get Rich, Columbia); Music and Lyrics Cole Porter.

Best Scoring of a Dramatic Picture

All That Money Can Buy, RKO Radio. Bernard Herrmann. 

Back Street, Universal. Frank Skinner.

Ball of Fire, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Alfred Newman.

Cheers for Miss Bishop, Rowland, UA. Edward Ward.

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. Bernard Herrmann.

Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MGM. Franz Waxman.

Hold Back the Dawn, Paramount. Victor Young.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. Alfred Newman.

King of the Zombies, Monogram. Edward Kay.

Ladies in Retirement, Columbia. Morris Stoloff and Ernst Toch.

The Little Foxes, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Meredith Willson.

Lydia, Korda, UA. Miklos Rozsa.

Mercy Island, Republic. Cy Feuer and Walter Scharf.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. Max Steiner.

So Ends Our Night, Loew-Lewin, UA. Louis Gruenberg.

Sundown, Wagner, UA. Miklos Rozsa.

Suspicion, RKO Radio. Franz Waxman.

Tanks a Million, Roach, UA. Edward Ward.

That Uncertain Feeling, Lubitsch, UA. Werner Heymann.

That Woman Is Mine, Universal. Richard Hageman.

Best Scoring of a Musical Picture

All American Co-Ed, Roach, UA. Edward Ward.

Birth of the Blues, Paramount. Robert Emmett Dolan.

Buck Privates, Universal. Charles Previn.

The Chocolate Soldier, MGM. Herbert Stothart and Bronislau Kaper.

Dumbo, Disney, RKO Radio. Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace.

Ice Capades, Republic. Cy Feuer.

The Strawberry Blonde, Warner Bros. Heinz Roemheld.

Sun Valley Serenade, 20th Century-Fox. Emil Newman.

Sunny, RKO Radio. Anthony Collins.

You'll Never Get Rich, Columbia. Morris Stoloff.

Best Film Editing

Citizen Kane, Mercury, RKO Radio. Robert Wise.

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, MGM. Harold F. Kress.

How Green Was My Valley, 20th Century-Fox. James B. Clark.

The Little Foxes, Goldwyn, RKO Radio. Daniel Mandrell.

Sergeant York, Warner Bros. William Holmes.

Best Special Effects

Aloma of the South Seas, Paramount. Photographic: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings. Sound: Louis Mesenkop.

Flight Command, MGM. Photographic: A. Arnold Gillespie. Sound: Douglas Shearer.

I Wanted Wings, Paramount. Photographic: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings. Sound: Louis Mesenkop.

The Invisible Woman, Universal. Photographic: John Fulton. Sound: John Hall.

The Sea Wolf, Warner Bros. Photographic: Byron Haskin. Sound: Nathan Levinson.

That Hamilton Woman, Korda, UA. Photographic: Lawrence Butler, Sound: William H. Wilmarth.

Topper Returns, Roach, UA. Photographic: Roy Seawright. Sound: Elmer Raguse.

A Yank in the R.A.F., 20th Century-Fox. Photographic: Fred Sersen. Sound: E.H. Hansen.

Best Short Subject Cartoon

Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B, Lantz, Universal.

Hiawatha's Rabbit Hunt, Schlesinger, Warner Bros.

How War Came, Columbia (Raymond Gram Swing Series).

Lend a Paw, Disney, RKO Radio.

The Night Before Christmas, MGM (Tom and Jerry Series).

Rhapsody in Rivets, Schlesinger, Warner Bros.

The Rookie Bear, MGM (Bear Series).

Rhythm in the Ranks, Paramount. (George Pal Puppetoon Series).

Superman No. 1, Paramount.

Truant Officer Donald, Disney, RKO Radio (Donald Duck). 

Best Short Subject (One-Reel)

Army Champions, Pete Smith, MGM (Pete Smith Specialties).

Beauty and the Beach, Paramount (Headliner Series).

Down on the Farm, Paramount (Speaking of Animals).

Forty Boys and a Song, Warner Bros. (Melody Master Series).

Kings of the Turf, Warner Bros. (Color Parade Series).

Of Pups and Puzzles, MGM (Passing Parade Series).

Sagebush and Silver, 20th Century-Fox (Magic Carpet Series).

Best Short Subject (Two-Reel)

Alive in the Deep, Woodward Productions, Inc.

Forbidden Passage, MGM (Crime Doesn't Pay).

The Gay Parisian, Warner Bros. (Miniature Featurette Series).

Main Street on the March, MGM (Special).

The Tanks Are Coming, Warner Bros. (National Defense Series).

Best Documentary

Adventures in the Bronx, Film Assocs.

Bomber, U.S. Office for Emergency Management Film Unit.

Christmas Under Fire, British Ministry of Information, Warner Bros.

Churchill's Island, Canadian Film Board, UA.

Letter from Home, British Ministry of Information.

Life of a Thoroughbred, 20th Century-Fox.

Norway in Revolt, March of Time. RKO Radio.

Soldiers of the Sky, 20th Century-Fox.

War Clouds in the Pacific, Canadian Film Board. 

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Walt Disney.

Special Awards

Rey Scott for his extraordinary achievement in producing Kukan, the film record of China's struggle, including its photography with a 16mm camera under the most difficult and dangerous conditions (certificate).

The British Ministry of Information for its vivid and dramatic presentation of the heroism of the RAF in the documentary film Target for Tonight (certificate). Leopold Stokowski and his associates for their unique achievement in the creation of a new form of visualized music in Walt Disney's production Fantasia, thereby widening the scope of the motion picture as entertainment and as an art form (certificate).

Walt Disney, William Garity, John N.A. Hawkins and the RCA Manufacturing Company, for their outstanding contribution to the advancement of the use of sound in motion pictures through the production of Fantasia (certificates).

Scientific or Technical

Class I (Statuette)

None.

Class II (Plaque)

Electrical Research Products Division of Western Electric Co., Inc., for the development of the precision integrating sphere densitometer.

RCA Manufacturing Co. for the design and development of the MI-3043 Uni-directional microphone.

Class III (Citation)

Ray Wilkinson and the Paramount Studio Laboratory for pioneering in the use of and for the first practical application to release printing of fine grain positive stock.

Charles Lootens and the Republic Studio Sound Dept. for pioneering the use of and for the first practical application to motion picture production of Class B push-pull variable area recording.

Wilber Silvertooth and the Paramount Studio Engineering Dept. for the design and computation of a relay condenser system application to transparency process projection, delivering considerably more usable light.

Paramount Pictures, Inc., and 20th Century-Fox Film Corp. for the development and first practical application to motion picture production of an automatic scene slating device.

Douglas Shearer and the MGM Studio Sound Dept. and to Loren Ryder and the Paramount Studio Sound Department for pioneering the development of fine grain emulsions for variable density original sound recording in studio production.

Venice Film Festival (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

Best Italian Film:

La Corona di Ferro, Alessandro Biasseti

Best Foreign Film:

Ohm Kruger, Hans Steinhoff

Best Actor:

Ermete Zacconi, Don Buonaparte

Best Actress:

Luise Ullrich, Annelie

Best Direction:

G.W. Pabst, Komodianten

Cups of the Biennial:

Lettre d'Amore Smarrite

Alter ego

Marianela

Ich klage an

I Mariti

The New York Times Ten Best List (Listed in chronological order. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

The Lady Eve

Citizen Kane

Major Barbara

Sergeant York

The Stars Look Down (1940)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan

Target for Tonight

Dumbo

How Green Was My Valley

One Foot in Heaven

The Top Box-Office Hits of 1941 (According to Variety. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg. Totals were not listed.).

1941 films listed on the 1940/41 list:

Aloma of the South Seas

Blood and Sand

The Bride Came C.O.D.

Caught in the Draft

Charley's Aunt

Dive Bomber

Hold That Ghost

I Wanted Wings

The Lady Eve

Life Begins for Andy Hardy

Meet John Doe

Road to Zanzibar

The Sea Wolf

The Strawberry Blonde

That Hamilton Woman

Ziegfeld Girl

1941 films listed on the 1941/42 list:

Ball of Fire

Honky Tonk

How Green Was My Valley

Louisiana Purchase

Sergeant York

To the Shores of Tripoli

The Top Ten Box-Office Stars of 1941 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)
1) Mickey Rooney

2) Clark Gable

3) Abbott & Costello

4) Bob Hope

5) Spencer Tracy

6) Gene Autry

7) Gary Cooper

8) Bette Davis

9) James Cagney

10) Judy Garland

The Next Fifteen:

11) Tyrone Power

12) Alice Faye

13) James Stewart

14) Errol Flynn

15) Dorothy Lamour

16) Betty Grable

17) Bing Crosby

18) Ginger Rogers

19) Wallace Beery

20) Jack Benny

21) Robert Taylor

22) Don Ameche

23) Cary Grant

24) Deanna Durbin

25) William Powell

The Top Ten Western Stars of 1941 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors).

1) Gene Autry

2) William Boyd

3) Roy Rogers

4) Charles Starrett

5) Smiley Burnette

6) Tim Holt

7) Johnny Mack Brown

8) Three Mesquiteers

9) Bill Elliot

10) Tex Ritter

The Top Ten Box-Offices Stars of 1941 in Britain (according to The Motion Picture Herald).

British Stars:

1) George Formby

2) Arthur Lucan

3) Arthur Askey

4) Robert Donat

5) Will Hay

6) Conrad Veidt & Gordon Harker (tied)

7) Anna Neagle

8) Gracie Fields

9) Charles Laughton 

10) Leslie Howard

The Next Fifteen:

11) Clive Brook

12) Margaret Lockwood

13) Michael Redgrave

14) Wendy Hiller

15) Rex Harrison

16) Emlyn Williams

17) Laurence Olivier

18) Barry K. Barnes

19) The Crazy Gang

20) Diana Wynyard

21) Will Fyffe

22) Vivien Leigh

23) Frank Randle and Harry Korris

24) Wilfrid Lawson 

25) John Clements

International Stars:

1) Mickey Rooney

2) Deanna Durbin

3) Spencer Tracy

4) George Formby

5) Jeanette MacDonald

6) Errol Flynn

7) Nelson Eddy

8) Gary Cooper

9) James Cagney

10) Bing Crosby

The Next Fifteen:

11) Judy Garland

12) Bette Davis

13) Robert Taylor

14) Charles Boyer

15) Tyrone Power

16) Alice Faye

17) Arthur Lucan

18) Don Ameche

19) Charles Chaplin

20) Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy

21) James Stewart

22) Laurence Olivier

23) Dorothy Lamour

24) Clark Gable

25) Vivien Leigh

Harvard Lampoon's Movie Worst Awards (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

Ten Worst Pictures:

Hudson's Bay

Wild Geese Calling

Belle Starr

Navy Blues

Honky Tonk

You Belong to Me

This Woman is Mine

Lady Be Good

Aloma of the South Seas

Smilin' Through

Worst Performer:

Betty Grable

Worst Script:

The Feminine Touch

Worst Discovery:

Veronica Lake

Most Unattractive Actress:

Jeanette MacDonald

Fastest-on-the-Downward-Pass Award

Alice Faye, Nelson Eddy

Greatest Disappointment:

Sundown

Film Data for 1940

The Film Daily's Ten Best Pictures of 1940 (poll of 546 film critics and reviewers) 

1) Rebecca- 391 votes 

2) The Grapes of Wrath- 367 

3) Ninotchka (1939)- 269 

4) Foreign Correspondent- 247 

5) All This, and Heaven Too- 230 

6) Abe Lincoln in Illinois- 221 

7) Boom Town- 215 

8) Northwest Passage- 198 

    Our Town- 198 

10) The Mortal Storm- 172 

  The Honor Roll- 

11) Of Mice and Men (1939)- 163 

12) Pinocchio- 162 

13) Edison, the Man- 150 

14) Knute Rockne, All American- 136 

15) Pride and Prejudice- 134 

16) The Story of Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet- 121 

17) The Great McGinty- 105 

18) Waterloo Bridge- 93 

19) The Shop Around the Corner- 78 

20) Young Tom Edison- 75 

21) The Howards of Virginia- 70 

      My Favorite Wife- 70 

23) His Girl Friday- 64 

24) Destry Rides Again (1939)- 62 

      My Son, My Son- 62 

26) The Hunchback of Norte Dame (1939)

New York Film Critics Awards (Winners announced on December 30, 1940. Awards presented on January 5, 1941 at the Rainbow Room in New York. NBC radio broadcast 15 minutes of the ceremony live nationwide. Sources: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards, 2001 and Donald Lyons, "The Lights of New York," Film Comment, March-April, 1993).

Best Picture

The Grapes of Wrath (won on VII ballot with 12 votes)

Runner-up: The Philadelphia Story, 3 votes

According to Lyons, The Long Voyage Home had been runner-up on early ballots.

Best Director

John Ford, The Grapes of Wrath and The Long Voyage Home (12 votes on ballot XX)

Runner-up: William Wyler, The Letter (4 votes)

Best Actor

Charles Chaplin in The Great Dictator (won on ballot XXIII- no vote count given)

Runner-up: James Stephenson in The Letter

Lyons mentions Chaplin and Stephenson virtually tied on the first nine ballots, and the 23 ballots needed for Chaplin's victory led the critics to place a sixth-ballot cutoff for future awards.

Best Actress

Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (won on ballot III- no vote count given)

Runner-up: Martha Scott in Our Town

Best Foreign Film

The Baker's Wife (France)

Special Award

Walt Disney, Fantasia

National Board of Review (Voting results announced on December 22, 1940. Source: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards).

Best Picture

The Grapes of Wrath

Rest of the Top Ten (in order of preference):

The Great Dictator

Of Mice and Men (1939)

Our Town

Fantasia

The Long Voyage Home

Foreign Correspondent

The Biscuit Eater

Gone With the Wind (1939)

Rebecca

Best Acting (in alphabetical order)

Jane Bryan, We Are Not Alone

Charles Chaplin, The Great Dictator

Jane Darwell, The Grapes of Wrath

Betty Field, Of Mice and Men

Henry Fonda, The Grapes of Wrath, The Return of Frank James

Joan Fontaine, Rebecca

Greer Garson, Pride and Prejudice

William Holden, Our Town

Vivien Leigh, Gone with the Wind, Waterloo Bridge

Thomas Mitchell, The Long Voyage Home

Raimu, The Baker's Wife

Ralph Richardson, The Fugitive

Flora Robson, We Are Not Alone

Ginger Rogers, The Primrose Path

George Sanders, Rebecca

Martha Scott, Our Town

James Stewart, The Shop Around the Corner

Conrad Veidt, Escape

Best Foreign Film

The Baker's Wife (France, 1938- 1940 U.S. release)

Best Documentary

The Fight for Life

The Academy Awards (Nominations announced on February 10, 1941. Awards were presented on February 27, 1941. Awards were presented at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles. Sources Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards and Mason Wiley and Damien Bona's Inside Oscar (Winners in bold print).

Best Picture

All This, and Heaven Too, Warner Bros. Produced by Jack L. Warner and Hal B. Wallis, with David Lewis.

Foreign Correspondent, Wanger, UA. Produced by Walter Wagner.

The Grapes of Wrath, 20th Century-Fox. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck, with Nunnally Johnson.

The Great Dictator, Chaplin, UA. Produced by Charles Chaplin.

Kitty Foyle, RKO Radio. Produced by David Hempstead.

The Letter, Warner Bros. Produced by Hall B. Wallis.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wanger, UA. Produced by John Ford.

Our Town, Lesser, UA. Produced by Sol Lesser.

The Philadelphia Story, MGM. Produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Produced by David O. Selznick.

Best Director

George Cukor for The Philadelphia Story (MGM).

John Ford for The Grapes of Wrath (20th Century-Fox).

Alfred Hitchcock for Rebecca (Selznick, UA).

Sam Wood for Kitty Foyle (RKO Radio).

William Wyler for The Letter (Warner Bros.).

Best Actor

Charles Chaplin in The Great Dictator (Chaplin, UA).

Henry Fonda in The Grapes of Wrath (20th Century-Fox).

Raymond Massey in Abe Lincoln in Illinois (RKO Radio).

Laurence Olivier in Rebecca (Selznick, UA).

James Stewart in The Philadelphia Story (MGM).

Best Actress

Bette Davis in The Letter (Warner Bros.).

Joan Fontaine in Rebecca (Selznick, UA).

Katharine Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story (MGM).

Ginger Rogers in Kitty Foyle (RKO Radio).

Martha Scott in Our Town (Lesser, UA).

Best Supporting Actor

Albert Basserman in Foreign Correspondent (Wagner, UA).

Walter Brennan in The Westerner (Goldwyn, UA).

William Gargan in They Knew What They Wanted (RKO Radio).

Jack Oakie in The Great Dictator (Chaplin, UA).

James Stephenson in The Letter (Warner Bros.).

Best Supporting Actress

Judith Anderson in Rebecca (Selznick, UA).

Jane Darwell in The Grapes of Wrath (20th Century-Fox).

Ruth Hussey in The Philadelphia Story (MGM).

Barbara O'Neil in All This, and Heaven Too (Warner Bros.).

Marjorie Rambeau in The Primrose Path (RKO Radio).

Best Writing (Original Story)

Arise, My Love, Paramount. Benjamin Glazer, John S. Toldy.

Comrade X, MGM. Walter Reisch.

Edison, the Man, MGM. Hugo Butler and Dore Schary. 

My Favorite Wife, RKO Radio. Leo McCarey, Bella Spewack and Samuel Spewack.

The Westerner, Goldwyn, UA. Stuart N. Lake.

Best Writing (Screenplay)

The Grapes of Wrath, 20th Century-Fox. Nunnally Johnson.

Kitty Foyle, RKO Radio. Dalton Trumbo.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wanger, UA. Dudley Nichols.

The Philadelphia Story, MGM. Donald Ogden Stewart. 

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Joan Harrison and Robert E. Sherwood.

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

Angels Over Broadway, Columbia. Ben Hecht.
Dr. Ehrlich's Magic Bullet, Warner Bros. Norman Burnside, Heinz Herald and John Huston.

Foreign Correspondent, Wagner, UA. Charles Bennett and Joan Harrison.

The Great Dictator, Chaplin, UA. Charles Chaplin.

The Great McGinty, Paramount. Preston Sturges. 

Cinematography (Black-and-White)

Abe Lincoln in Illinois, RKO Radio. James Wong Howe.

All This, and Heaven Too, Warner Bros. Ernest Haller.

Arise, My Love, Paramount. Charles B. Lang. 

Boom Town, MGM. Harlod Rossen.

Foreign Correspondent, Wanger-UA. Rudolph Mate.

The Letter, Warner Bros. Gaetano Gaudio.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wanger, UA. 

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. George Barnes.

Spring Parade, Universal. Joseph Valentine.

Waterloo Bridge, MGM. Joseph Ruttenberg.

Cinematography (Color)

Bitter Sweet, MGM. Oliver T. Marsh and Allen Davey.

The Blue Bird, 20th Century-Fox. Arthur Miller and Ray Rennahan.

Down Argentine Way, 20th Century-Fox. Leon Shamroy and Ray Rennahan.

North West Mounted Police, DeMille, Paramount. Victor Milner and W. Howard Green.

Northwest Passage, MGM. Sidney Wagner and William V. Skull.

The Thief of Bagdad, Korda, UA (British). George Perinal. 

Interior Decoration (Black-and-White)

Arise, My Love, Paramount. Hans Dreier and Robert Usher.

Arizona, Columbia. Lionel banks and Robert Peterson.

The Boys from Syracuse, Universal. John Otterson.

Dark Command, Republic. John Victor Mackay.

Foreign Correspondent, Wagner-UA. Alexander Golitzen.

Lillian Russell, 20th Century-Fox. Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright.

My Favorite Wife, RKO Radio. Van Nest Polglase and Mark-Lee Kirk.

My Son, My Son, Small, UA. John DuCasse Schulze. 

Our Town, Lesser, UA. Lewis J. Rachmil.

Pride and Prejudice, MGM. Cedric Gibbons and Paul Groesse.

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Lyle Wheeler.

The Sea Hawk, Warner Bros. Anton Grot.

The Westerner, Goldwyn, UA. James Basevi. 

Interior Decoration (Color)

Bitter Sweet, MGM. Cedric Gibbons and John S. Detlie.

Down Argentine Way, 20th Century-Fox. Richard Day and Joseph C. Wright.

North West Mounted Police, DeMille, Paramount. Hans Dreier and Roland Anderson.

The Thief of Bagdad, Korda, UA (British). Vincent Korda.

Best Sound Recording

Behind the News, Republic. Charles Lootens.

Captain Caution, Roach, UA. Elmer Raguse.

The Grapes of Wrath, 20th Century-Fox. E.H. Hansen.

The Howards of Virginia, Columbia. Jack Whitney, General Service.

Kitty Foyle, RKO Radio. John Aalberg.

North West Mounted Police, DeMille, Paramount. Loren Ryder

Our Town, Lesser, UA. Thomas Moulton.

The Sea Hawk, Warner Bros. Nathan Levinson.

Spring Parade, Universal. Bernard B. Brown.

Strike Up the Band, MGM. Douglas Shearer.

Too Many Husbands, Columbia. John Livadary.

Best Song

"Down Argentine Way," (Down Argentine Way, 20th Century-Fox); Music by Harry Warren. Lyrics by Mack Gordon.

"I'd Know You Anywhere" (You'll Find Out, RKO Radio); Music by Jimmy McHugh. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

"It's a Blue World" (Music in My Heart, Columbia); Music and Lyrics by Chet Forrest and Bob Wright.

"Love of My Life" (Second Chorus, Paramount); Music by Artie Shaw. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

"Only Forever" (Rhythm on the River, Paramount); Music by James Monaco. Lyrics by Johnny Burke.

"Our Love Affair" (Strike Up the Band, MGM); Music and Lyrics by Roger Edens and Georgie Stoll.

"Waltzing in the Clouds" (Spring Parade, Universal); Music by Robert Stolz. Lyrics by Gus Kahn.

"When You Wish Upon a Star" (Pinocchio, Disney, RKO Radio); Music by Leigh Harline. Lyrics by Ned Washington.

"Who Am I?" (Hit Parade of 1941, Republic). Music by Jule Styne. Lyrics by Walter Bullock. 

Best Score

Arise, My Love, Paramount. Victor Young.

Hit Parade of 1941, Republic. Cy Feuer.

Irene, RKO Radio. Anthony Collins.

Our Town, Lesser, UA. Aaron Copeland.

The Sea Hawk, Warner Bros. Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

Second Chorus, Paramount. Artie Shaw.

Spring Parade, Universal. Charles Previn.

Strike Up the Band, MGM. Georgie Stoll and Roger Edens.

Tin Pan Alley, 20th Century-Fox. Alfred Newman.

Best Original Score

Arizona, Columbia. Victor Young.

Dark Command, Republic. Victor Young.

The Fight for Life, U.S. Government-Columbia. Louis Gruenberg.

The Great Dictator, Chaplin, UA. Meredith Willson.

The House of the Seven Gables, Universal. Frank Skinner.

The Howards of Virginia, Columbia. Richard Hageman.

The Letter, Warner Bros. Max Steiner.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wagner, UA. Richard Hageman.

The Mark of Zorro, 20th Century-Fox. Alfred Newman.

My Favorite Wife, RKO Radio. Roy Webb.

North West Mounted Police, DeMille, Paramount. Victor Young.

One Million, B.C., Roach, UA. Werner Heymann.

Our Town, Lesser, UA. Aaron Copeland.

Pinocchio, Disney, RKO Radio. Leigh Harline, Paul J. Smith and Ned Washington.

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Franz Waxman.

The Thief of Bagdad, Korda, UA (British). Miklos Rozsa.

Waterloo Bridge, MGM. Herbert Stothart.

Best Film Editing

The Grapes of Wrath, 20th Century-Fox. Robert E. Simpson.

The Letter, Warner Bros. Warren Low.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wagner, UA. Sherman Todd.

North West Mounted Police,  DeMille, Paramount. Anne Bauchens.

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Hal C. Kern.

Best Special Effects

The Blue Bird, 20th Century-Fox. Photographic: Fred Sersen. Sound: E.H. Hansen.

Boom Town, MGM. Photographic: A. Arnold Gillespie. Sound: Douglas Shearer.

The Boys from Syracuse, Universal. Photographic: John P. Fulton. Sound: Bernard B. Brown and Joseph Lapis.

Dr. Cyclops, Paramount. Photographic: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings. Sound: No credit listed.

Foreign Correspondent, Wagner, UA. Photographic: Paul Eagler. Sound: Thomas T. Moulton.

The Invisible Man Returns, Universal. Photographic: John P. Fulton. Sound: Bernard B. Brown and William Hedgecock.

The Long Voyage Home, Argosy-Wagner, UA. Photographic: R.T. Layton and R.O. Binger. Sound: Thomas T. Moulton.

One Million, B.C., Roach. UA. Photographic: Roy Seawright. Sound: Elmer Raguse.

Rebecca, Selznick, UA. Photographic: Jack Cosgrove. Sound: Arthur Johns.

The Sea Hawk, Warner Bros. Photographic: Byron Haskin. Sound: Nathan Levinson. 

Swiss Family Robinson, RKO Radio. Photographic: Vernon L. Walker. Sound: John O. Aalberg.

The Thief of Bagdad, Korda, UA (British). Photographic: Lawrence Butler. Sound: Jack Whitney.

Typhoon, Paramount. Photographic: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings. Sound: Loren Ryder.

Women in War, Republic. Photographic: Howard J. Lydecker, William Bradford and Ellis J. Thackery. Sound: Herbert Norsch.

Best Short Subject Cartoon

Milky Way, MGM. (Rudolph Ising Series).

Puss Gets the Boot, MGM. (Cat and Mouse Series).

A Wild Hare, Schlesinger, Warner Bros.

Best Short Subject (One-Reel)

London Can Take It, Warner Bros. (Vitaphone Varieties).

More About Nostradamus, MGM.

Quicker 'N a Wink, Pete Smith, MGM.

Siege, RKO Radio (Reelism).

Best Short Subject (Two-Reel)

Eye of the Navy, MGM (Crime Doesn't Pay).

Service with the Colors, Warner Bros. (National Defense Series). 

Teddy, the Rough Rider, Warner Bros. (Historical Featurette).

Special Awards

Bob Hope, in recognition of his unselfish services to the motion picture industry (special silver plaque). 

Colonel Nathan Levinson for his outstanding service to the industry and the Army during the past nine years, which has made possible the present efficient mobilization of the motion picture industry facilities for the production of Army training films (statuette). 

Scientific or Technical

Class I (Statuette)

20th Century-Fox Film Corp. for the design and construction of the 20th Century Silenced Camera developed by Daniel Clark, Grover Laube, Charles Miller and Robert W. Stevens.

Class II (Plaque)

None.

Class III (Citation)

Warner Bros. Studio Art Department and Anton Grot for the design and perfection of the Warner Bros. water ripple and wave illusion machine.

Venice Film Festival (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

Best Italian Film:

L'asseido dell'Alcazar, Auguste Genina

Best Foreign Film:

Der Postmeister, Gustav Ucicky

The New York Times Ten Best List (Listed in chronological order. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

The Grapes of Wrath

The Baker's Wife (France, 1938- 1940 U.S. release)

Rebecca

Our Town

The Mortal Storm

Pride and Prejudice

The Great McGinty

The Long Voyage Home

The Great Dictator

Fantasia

The Top Box-Office Hits of 1940 (According to Variety. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg. Totals were not listed.).

1940 films listed on the 1939/40 list:

All This, and Heaven Too

The Fighting 69th

The Grapes of Wrath

Lillian Russell

My Favorite Wife

Northwest Passage

Rebecca

The Road to Singapore

1940 films listed on the 1940/41 list:

Boom Town

The Great Dictator

North West Mounted Police

The Philadelphia Story

This Thing Called Love

The Top Ten Box-Office Stars of 1940 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)
1) Mickey Rooney

2) Spencer Tracy

3) Clark Gable

4) Gene Autry

5) Tyrone Power

6) James Cagney

7) Bing Crosby

8) Wallace Beery

9) Bette Davis

10) Judy Garland

The Next Fifteen:

11) James Stewart

12) Deanna Durbin

13) Alice Faye

14) Errol Flynn

15) Myrna Loy

16) Dorothy Lamour

17) Cary Grant

18) Bob Hope

19) Henry Fonda

20) Gary Cooper

21) Don Ameche

22) Jack Benny

23) Ginger Rogers

24) Ann Sheridan

25) William Powell

The Top Ten Western Stars of 1940 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors).

1) Gene Autry

2) William Boyd

3) Roy Rogers

4) George O'Brien

5) Charles Starrett

6) Johnny Mack Brown

7) Tex Ritter

8) Three Mesquiteers

9) Smiley Burnette

10) Bill Elliot

The Top Ten Box-Offices Stars of 1940 in Britain (according to The Motion Picture Herald).

British Stars:

1) George Formby

2) Robert Donat

3) Gracie Fields

4) Arthur Askey

5) Arthur Lucan and Kitty McShane (as a team)

6) Charles Laughton 

7) Will Hay

8) Conrad Veidt

9) Gordon Harker

10) Anna Neagle

International Stars:

1) Mickey Rooney

2) Deanna Durbin

3) Spencer Tracy

4) Jeanette MacDonald

5) George Formby

6) Nelson Eddy

7) Errol Flynn

8) James Cagney

9) Gary Cooper

10) Bing Crosby

The Next Fifteen:

11) Shirley Temple

12) Tyrone Power

13) Clark Gable

14) Robert Donat

15) Bette Davis

16) Wallace Beery

17) Dorothy Lamour

18) Greta Garbo

19) Gracie Fields

20) Alice Faye

21) Myrna Loy

22) Judy Garland

23) Ginger Rogers

24) Laurel and Hardy

25) Victor McLaglen

Harvard Lampoon's Movie Worst Awards (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

Ten Worst Pictures:

The Howards of Virginia

Swanee River
The Great Victor Herbert

1,000,000 B.C.

I Take This Woman

My Son, My Son

Green Hell

Lillian Russell

Typhoon

Boom Town

Film Data for 1939

The Film Daily's Ten Best Pictures 

1) Goodbye, Mr. Chips- 472 votes 

2) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- 433 

3) Pygmalion (1938)- 349 

4) Wuthering Heights- 283 

5) Dark Victory- 280 

6) The Women- 254 

7) The Wizard of Oz- 244

8) Juarez- 216 

9) Stanley & Livingston- 213

10) The Old Maid- 166 

The Honor Roll- 

11) Stagecoach- 153 

12) Young Mr. Lincoln- 152 

13) Babes in Arms- 135 

14) Love Affair- 128 

15) Union Pacific- 112 

16) On Borrowed Time- 111 

17) Bachelor Mother- 93 

18) Gunga Din- 82 

      Nurse Edith Cavell- 82 

20) The Rains Came- 77 

21) Jesse James- 69 

22) The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle- 68 

23) The Beachcomber (1938)- 67 

24) Idiot's Delight- 60 

25) The Story of Alexander Graham Bell- 59 

 26) The Great Waltz (1938)- 56 

27) Four Feathers- 52 

28) The Lady Vanishes (1938)- 47 

29) Only Angels Have Wings- 46 

30) Beau Geste- 40 

31) Golden Boy- 38

Newspaper Film Critics of America Poll (Source: The Film Daily 1940 Annual)

First-place votes received 75 points. Second-place votes received 50 points. Third-place votes received 25 points.

Best Picture 

1) Goodbye, Mr. Chips- 22,775 points 

2) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- 14,755 points 

3) Wuthering Heights- 6,950 points 

Best Actor 

1) Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips- 23,200 points 

2) James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- 14,150 points 

3) Spencer Tracy in Stanley & Livingston- 7,825 points 

Best Actress 

1) Bette Davis in Dark Victory- 23,175 points 

2) Greta Garbo in Ninotchka- 9,750 points 

3) Rosalind Russell in The Women 9,725 points 

Best Supporting Actor 

1) Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach- 14,125 points 

2) Brian Aherene in Juarez- 12,125 points 

3) Akim Tamiroff in Disputed Passage- 7,750 points 

Best Supporting Actress 

1) Greer Garson in Goodbye, Mr. Chips- 15,650 points 

2) Rosalind Russell in The Women- 12,350 points 

3) Alice Brady in Young Mr. Lincoln- 8,600 points 

"Young Actor Most Likely to Win Greatest Fame in 1940" 

1) Jeffery Lynn- 15,825 points 

2) Eddie Albert- 9,925 points 

3) John Howard- 8,825 points 

"Young Actress Most Likely to Win Greatest Fame in 1940" 

1) Maureen O'Hara 13,075 

2) Linda Darnell- 12,575 

3) Lana Turner- 10,925

New York Film Critics Awards (Winners announced on December 27, 1939. Awards presented on January 7, 1940 at the Rainbow Room in New York. The ceremony was broadcast live by NBC radio. Sources: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards, 2001 and Donald Lyons, "The Lights of New York," Film Comment, March-April, 1993)

Best Picture

Wuthering Heights (won on XIV ballot)

Runner-ups: Gone with the Wind and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

On ballot I, Gone with the Wind had 6 votes, Wuthering had 4 votes and Mr. Smith had 3 votes.

On ballot V, Gone with the Wind and Mr. Smith had 6 votes apiece, and Wuthering had 4 votes.

On ballot VI, Wuthering had 7 votes and Gone with the Wind had 5 votes.

On ballot VII, Gone with the Wind and Wuthering both had 7 votes. 

Best Director

John Ford, Stagecoach (12 votes on ballot II)

Runner-up:  Ernst Lubitsch, Ninotchka (3 votes)

Best Actor

James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (won on ballot III)

Runner-up: Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Best Actress

Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (won on ballot II)

Runner-up: Greta Garbo in Ninotchka

Best Foreign Film

Harvest

National Board of Review (Voting results announced on December 24, 1939. Source: Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards).

Best Picture

Confessions of a Nazi Spy

Rest of the top ten (in order of preference):

Wuthering Heights

Stagecoach

Ninotchka

Young Mr. Lincoln

Crisis

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

The Roaring Twenties

U-Boat 29

Best Acting (in alphabetical order):

James Cagney, The Roaring Twenties

Bette Davis, Dark Victory and The Old Maid

Geraldine Fitzgerald, Dark Victory and Wuthering Heights

Henry Fonda, Young Mr. Lincoln

Jean Gabin, Port of Shadows

Greta Garbo, Ninotchka

Francis Lederer, Confessions of a Nazi Spy

Paul Lukas, Confessions of a Nazi Spy

Thomas Mitchell, Stagecoach

Laurence Olivier, Wuthering Heights

Flora Robson, We Are Not Alone

Michel Simon, Port of Shadows, The End of a Day

Best Foreign Film

Port of Shadows (France)

The Academy Awards (Nominations announced on February 11, 1940. Awards were presented on February 29, 1940 at the Cocoanut Grove of the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Sources Tom O'Neil's Movie Awards and Mason Wiley and Damien Bona's Inside Oscar)

Best Picture

Dark Victory, Warner Bros. Produced by David Lewis.

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Produced by David O. Selznick.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, MGM (British). Produced by Victor Saville.

Love Affair, RKO Radio. Produced by Leo McCarey

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Produced by Frank Capra.

Ninotchka, MGM. Produced by Sidney Franklin.

Of Mice and Men Roach, UA. Produced by Lewis Milestone.

Stagecoach, Wanger, UA. Produced by Walter Wanger.

The Wizard of Oz, MGM. Produced by Mervyn LeRoy.

Wuthering Heights, Goldwyn, UA. Produced by Samuel Goldwyn.

Best Director

Frank Capra for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia).

Victor Fleming for Gone with the Wind (Selznick, MGM).

John Ford for Stagecoach (Wanger, UA).

Sam Wood for Goodbye, Mr. Chips (MGM) (British).

William Wyler for Wuthering Heights (Goldwyn, UA).

Best Actor

Robert Donat in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (MGM) (British).

Clark Gable in Gone with the Wind (Selznick, MGM).

Laurence Olivier in Wuthering Heights (Goldwyn, UA).

Mickey Rooney in Babes in Arms (MGM).

James Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia).

Best Actress

Bette Davis in Dark Victory (Warner Bros.)

Irene Dunne in Love Affair (RKO Radio).

Greta Garbo in Ninotchka (MGM). 

Greer Garson in Goodbye, Mr. Chips (MGM) (British).

Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind (Selznick, MGM).

Best Supporting Actor

Brian Aherne in Juarez (Warner Bros.).

Harry Carey in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia).

Brian Donlevy in Beau Geste (Paramount). 

Thomas Mitchell in Stagecoach (Wanger, UA).

Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Columbia).

Best Supporting Actress

Olivia de Havilland in Gone with the Wind (Selznick, MGM).

Geraldine Fitzgerald in Wuthering Heights (Goldwyn, UA).

Hattie McDaniel in Gone with the Wind (Selznick, MGM).

Edna Mae Oliver in Drums Along the Mohawk (20th Century-Fox).

Maria Ouspenskaya in Love Affair (RKO Radio).

Writing (Original Story)

Bachelor Mother, RKO Radio. Felix Jackson.

Love Affair, RKO Radio. Mildred Cram and Leo McCarey.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Lewis R. Foster.

Ninotchka, MGM. Melchior Lengyel.

Young Mr. Lincoln, 20th Century-Fox. Lamar Trotti.

Writing (Screenplay)

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Sidney Howard.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, MGM (British). Eric Maschwitz, R.C. Sherriff and Claudine West. 

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Sidney Buchman.

Ninotchka, MGM. Charles Brackett, Walter Reisch and Billy WIlder.

Wuthering Heights, Goldwyn, UA. Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.

Best Interior Decoration

Beau Geste, Paramount. Hans Dreier and Robert Odell.

Captain Fury, Roach, UA. Charles D. Hall.

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Lyle Wheeler.

Love Affair, RKO Radio. Van Nest Polglase and Al Herman.

Man of Conquest, Republic. John Victor Mackay.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Lionel Banks.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Warner Bros. Anton Grot.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox. William Darling and George Dudley.

Stagecoach, Wanger, UA. Alexander Toluboff.

The Wizard of Oz, MGM. Cedric Gibbons and William A. Horning.

Wuthering Heights, Goldwyn, UA. James Basevi.

Best Cinematography (Black-and-White)

First Love, Universal. Joseph Valentine.

The Great Victor Herbert, Paramount. Victor Milner.

Gunga Din, RKO Radio. Joseph H. August.

Intermezzo: A Love Story, Selznick, UA. Gregg Toland.

Juarez, Warner Bros. Tony Gaudio.

Lady of the Tropics, MGM. Norbert Brodine

Only Angels Have Wings, Columbia. Joseph Walker.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox. Arthur Miller.

Stagecoach, Wanger, UA. Bert Glennon.

Wuthering Heights, Goldwyn, UA. Gregg Toland.

Best Cinematography (Color)

Drums Along the Mohawk, 20th Century-Fox. Ray Rennahan and Bert Glennon.

Four Feathers, Denham, UA. Georges Perinal and Osmond Borradaile.

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Ernest Haller and Ray Rennahan.

The Mikado, Universal. William V. Skall.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Warner Bros. Sol Polito and W. Howard Greene. 

The Wizard of Oz, MGM. Hal Rosson.

Film Editing

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Hal C. Kern and James E. Newcom.

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, (MGM) (British). Charles Frend.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Gene Havlick and Al Clark.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox. Barbara McLean.

Stagecoach, Wanger, UA. Otho Lovering and Dorothy Spencer.

Best Song

"Faithful Forever"(Gulliver's Travels, Paramount); Music by Ralph Rainger. Lyrics by Leo Robin.

"I Poured My Heart into a Song" (Second Fiddle, 20th Century-Fox); Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin.

"Over the Rainbow" (The Wizard of Oz, MGM); Music by Harold Arlen. Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg.

"Wishing" (Love Affair, RKO Radio); Music and Lyrics by Buddy De Sylva.

Best Score

Babes in Arms, MGM. Roger Edens and George E. Stoll.

First Love, Universal. Charles Previn.

The Great Victor Herbert, Paramount. Phil Boutelje and Arthur Lange.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, RKO Radio. Alfred Newman.

Intermezzo: A Love Story, Selznick, UA. Lou Forbes.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. Dimitri Tiomkin.

Of Mice and Men Roach, UA. Aaron Copeland.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Warner Bros. Erich Wolfgang Korngold.

She Married a Cop, Republic. Cy Feuer.

Stagecoach, Walter Wanger, UA. Richard Hageman, Frank Harling, John Leipold and Leo Shuken.

Swanee River, 20th Century-Fox. Louis Silvers.

They Shall Have Music, Goldwyn, UA. Alfred Newman.

Way Down South, Lesser, RKO Radio. Victor Young.

Best Original Score

Dark Victory, Warner Bros. Max Steiner.

Eternally Yours, Walter Wanger, UA. Werner Janssen.

Golden Boy, Columbia. Victor Young.

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Max Steiner.

Gulliver's Travels, Paramount. Victor Young.

The Man in the Iron Mask, Small, UA. Lud Gluskin and Lucien Moraweck.

Man of Conquest, Republic. Victor Young.

Nurse Edith Cavell, RKO Radio. Anthony Collins.

Of Mice and Men Roach, UA. Aaron Copeland.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox. Alfred Newman.

The Wizard of Oz, MGM. Herbert Stothart.

Wuthering Heights, Goldwyn, UA. Alfred Newman.

Best Sound Recording

Balalaika, MGM. Douglas Shearer.

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM. Thomas T. Moulton

Goodbye, Mr. Chips, MGM (British). A. W. Watkins.

The Great Victor Herbert, Paramount. Loren Ryder.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, RKO Radio. John Aalberg.

Man of Conquest, Republic. C. L. Lootens.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Columbia. John Livadary.

Of Mice and Men Roach, UA. Elmer Raguse.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Warner Bros. Nathan Levinson.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox. E. H. Hansen.

When Tomorrow Comes, Universal. Bernard B. Brown.

Best Special Effects

Gone with the Wind, Selznick, MGM.  Photographic: John R. Cosgrove. Sound: Fred Albin and Arthur Johns.

Only Angels Have Wings, Columbia. Photographic: Roy Davidson. Sound: Edwin C. Hahn.

The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex, Warner Bros.  Photographic: Byron Haskin. Sound: Nathan Levinson.

The Rains Came, 20th Century-Fox.  Photographic: E.H. Hansen. Sound: Fred Sersen.

Topper Takes a Trip, Roach, UA. Roy Seawright.

Union Pacific, Paramount. Photographic: Farciot Edouart and Gordon Jennings. Sound: Loren Ryder.

The Wizard of Oz, MGM.  Photographic: A. Arnold Gillespie. Sound: Douglas Shearer.

Best Short Subject Cartoon

Detouring America, Warner Bros.

Peace on Earth, MGM.

The Pointer, Walt Disney, RKO Radio.

The Ugly Duckling, Walt Disney, RKO Radio.

Best One-Reel Short Subject

Busy Little Bears, Paramount (Paragraphics).

Information Please, RKO Radio.

Prophet Without Honor, MGM (Miniatures).

Sword Fishing, Warner Bros. (Vitaphone Varieties).

Best Two-Reel Short Subject

Drunk Driving, MGM (Crime Doesn't Pay).

Five Times Five, RKO Radio (Special).

Sons of Liberty, Warner Bros. (Historical Featurette).

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

David O. Selznick.

Special Awards

Douglas Fairbanks (Commemorative Award)- recognizing the unique and outstanding contribution of Douglas Fairbanks, first president of the Academy, to the international development of the motion picture (statuette).

The Motion Picture Relief Fund- acknowledging the outstanding services to the industry during the past year of the Motion Picture Relief Fund and its progressive leadership. Presented to Jean Hersholt, President; Ralph Morgan, Chairman of the Executive Committee; Ralph Block, First Vice-President; Conrad Nagel (plaques).

Judy Garland for her outstanding performance as a screen juvenile during the past year (miniature statuette).

William Cameron Menzies for outstanding achievement in the use of color for the enhancement of dramatic mood in the production of Gone with the Wind (plaque).

The Technicolor Company for its contribution in successfully bringing three-color feature production to the screen (statuette).

Scientific or Technical Awards

Class I (Statuette)

None.

Class II (Plaque)

None.

Class III (Citation)

George Anderson of Warner Bros. Studio for an improved positive head for sun arcs.

John Arnold of MGM Studio for the MGM mobile camera crane.

Thomas T. Moulton, Fred Albin and the Sound Department of the Samuel Goldwyn Studio for the origination and application of the Delta db test to sound recording in motion pictures.

Farciot Edouart, Joseph E. Robbins, William Rudolph and Paramount Pictures, Inc., for the design and construction of a quiet portable treadmill.

Emery Huse and Ralph B. Atkinson of Eastman Kodak Co., for their specifications for chemical analysis of photographic developers and fixing baths.

Harold Nye of Warner Bros. Studio for a miniature incandescent spot lamp.

A. J. Tondreau of Warner Bros. Studio for the design and manufacture of an improved sound track printer.

Multiple Award for important contributions in cooperative development of new improved Process Projection Equipment:

    F.R. Abbott, Haller Belt, Alan Cook and Bausch & Lomb Optical Co. for faster projection lenses.

    

    Mitchell Camera Co. for a new type process projection head.

    Mole-Richardson Co. for a new type automatically controlled projection arc lamp.

    Charles Handley, David Joy and National Carbon Co. for improved and more stable high-intensity       carbons.

    Winton Hoch and Technicolor Motion Picture Corp. for an auxiliary optical system.

    Don Musgrave and Selznick International Pictures, Inc., for pioneering in the use of coordinated           equipment in the production of Gone with the Wind.

Venice Film Festival (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg)

Best Foreign Film:

(Not awarded this year)

Best Italian Film:

Abuna Messias, Goffredo Alessandrini

Best Cameraman:

Ubaldo Arata, Derniere Jeunesse

Cups of the Biennial:

La Fin du Jour

Robert Koch, der Bekampfer

Four Feathers

Glad dig i din ungdom and En handfull Ris

Selection of Swedish films as a whole

Special Mention Awards:

Margarita, Armando y su Padre

Tulak Macoun

Jeunes Filles en Detresse

Veertig Jaaren

Bors Istvan

The Golden Harvest of the Wilwatersrand

The Mikado

The New York Times Ten Best List (Listed in chronological order. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg).

Made for Each Other

Stagecoach

Wuthering Heights

Dark Victory

Juarez

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

The Women

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Ninotchka

Gone With the Wind

The Top Box-Office Hits of 1939 (According to Variety. Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg. Totals were not listed.)

1939 films listed on the 1938/39 list:

Dodge City

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Gunga Din

The Hardys Ride High

Jesse James

Juarez

Stagecoach

Three Smart Girls Grow Up

Union Pacific

1939 Films listed on the 1939/40 list:

Another Thin Man

Babes in Arms

Destry Rides Again

Drums Along the Mohawk

Gone with the Wind

Gulliver's Travels

Hollywood Cavalcade

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Ninotchka

The Old Maid

The Rains Came

The Women

Ten Big Pictures of 1939 (Source: Box Office Digest 1940 Annual, with estimated gross listed):

1) Jesse James- $3,250,000

2) Gunga Din- $3,100,000

3) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington- $2,700,000

4) The Rains Came- $2,600,000

5) Babes in Arms- $2,550,000

6) Dodge City- $2,400,000

7) The Women- $2,400,000

8) Goodbye, Mr. Chips- $2,300,000

9) The Wizard of Oz- $2,300,000

10) Drums Along the Mohawk- $2,200,000

The Top Ten Box-Office Stars of 1939 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)
1) Mickey Rooney

2) Tyrone Power

3) Spencer Tracy

4) Clark Gable

5) Shirley Temple

6) Bette Davis

7) Alice Faye

8) Errol Flynn

9) James Cagney

10) Sonja Henie

The Next Fifteen:

11) Bing Crosby

12) Deanna Durbin

13) Jane Withers

14) Robert Taylor

15) Wallace Beery

16) Myrna Loy

17) Bob Burns

18) Gary Cooper

19) Jeanette MacDonald

20) Don Ameche

21) Ginger Rogers

22) Henry Fonda

23) Paul Muni

24) Irene Dunne

25) Cary Grant

The Top Ten Western Stars of 1939 (according to Quigley Publishing's poll of film exhibitors)

1) Gene Autry

2) William Boyd

3) Roy Rogers

4) George O'Brien

5) Charles Starrett

6) Three Mesquiteers

7) Tex Ritter

8) Buck Jones

9) John Wayne

10) Bob Baker

The Top Ten Box-Offices Stars of 1939 in Britain (according to The Motion Picture Herald)

British Stars:

1) George Formby

2) Gracie Fields

3) Robert Donat

4) Will Hay

5) Anna Neagle

6) Leslie Howard

7) Charles Laughton 

8) Gordon Harker

9) Ralph Richardson

10) Will Fyffe

International Stars:

1) Deanna Durbin

2) Mickey Rooney

3) Shirley Temple

4) Robert Taylor

5) Jeanette MacDonald

6) Spencer Tracy

7) Errol Flynn

8) George Formby

9) Nelson Eddy

10) Gary Cooper

Harvard Lampoon's Movie Worst Awards (Source: Film Facts, 1980, edited by Cobbett Steinberg)

Ten Worst Pictures:

The Rains Came

Hollywood Cavalcade

Winter Carnival

St. Louis Blues

Five Little Peppers

Bad Little Angel

The Fighting 69th

Idiot's Delight

20,000 Men a Year

The Man in the Iron Mask

Worst Actor:

Tyrone Power, The Rains Came

Worst Actress:

Norma Shearer, Idiot's Delight

Most Consistently Bad Performances:

Dorothy Lamour

Don Ameche

Most Colossal Flop:

The Wizard of Oz