Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.
Dumbo was released, becoming Disney's only big hit in the 1940s and one of the most acclaimed animated films ever made.
Box office numbers were reported at the time as a percentage compared to 'normal' business at each theater. For example, Sergeant York performed at 220% while Citizen Kane did 130% (coming in a surprisingly strong 30th for the year). This is why exact dollar grosses for the period are unreliable at best.
Best Picture: How Green Was My Valley - 20th Century-Fox
Best Actor: Gary Cooper - Sergeant York
Best Actress: Joan Fontaine - Suspicion
Best Supporting Actor: Donald Crisp - How Green Was My Valley
Best Supporting Actress: Mary Astor - The Great Lie
Best Director: John Ford - How Green Was My Valley
U.S.A. unless stated
January 1941
1 January
Princess Iron Fan (China)
16 January
The Face Behind the Mask
21 January
High Sierra
23 January
Suvorov
24 January
The Saint in Palm Springs
28 January
Sullivan's Travels
31 January
Buck Privates
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
February 1941
7 February
Back Street
18 February
Adam Had Four Sons
20 February
Tobacco Road
21 February
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary
Nice Girl?
The Strawberry Blonde
Western Union
25 February
The Lady Eve
March 1941
1 March
Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family (Japan)
7 March
Rage in Heaven
10 March
Flying Wild
21 March
The Sea Wolf
26 March
I Wanted Wings
28 March
Man Made Monster
April 1941
4 April
The Devil and Miss Jones
Ohm Krüger (Germany)
6 April
The Flame of New Orleans
10 April
Piccolo mondo antico (Italy)
11 April
Road to Zanzibar
That Night in Rio
12 April
The Great Lie
19 April
Hatter's Castle (Britain)
Quiet Wedding (GB)
24 April
Penny Serenade
25 April
Ziegfeld Girl
30 April
That Hamilton Woman (GB)
May 1941
1 May
Citizen Kane
3 May
Meet John Doe
5 May
Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It (GB)
9 May
U-Boat Course West! (Germany)
10 May
Spellbound
22 May
Blood and Sand
23 May
A Woman's Face
30 May
In the Navy
June 1941
7 June
Shining Victory
11 June
The Gang's All Here
13 June
Broadway Limited
Man Hunt
One Night in Lisbon
18 June
Moon Over Miami
20 June
The Big Store
The Reluctant Dragon
26 June
Blossoms in the Dust
27 June
Hit the Road
28 June
Kipps
Love on the Dole (GB)
July 1941
2 July
The Sea Wolf
4 July
Caught in the Draft
A Charming Man (Czechoslovakia)
12 July
The Bride Came C.O.D.
18 July
The Shepherd of the Hills
25 July
Target for Tonight (GB)
26 July
Pimpernel Smith
August 1941
1 August
Bowery Blitzkrieg
2 August
Major Barbara (GB)
6 August
Hold That Ghost
7 August
Here Comes Mr. Jordan
8 August
Six Gun Gold
9 August
Manpower
12 August
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
15 August
Life Begins for Andy Hardy
21 August
Sun Valley Serenade
28 August
The Blue Star Hotel (Czechoslovakia)
29 August
The Little Foxes
September
1 September
Lady Be Good
5 September
Charlie Chan in Rio
6 September
Cottage to Let (GB)
18 September
Ladies in Retirement
19 September
The Tyrant Father (Portugal)
25 September
You'll Never Get Rich
26 September
Hold Back the Dawn
It Started with Eve
A Yank in the RAF
October 1941
2 October
Honky Tonk
One Foot in Heaven
8 October
49th Parallel
Week-End in Havana
10 October
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break
17 October
The Devil and Daniel Webster
18 October
The Maltese Falcon
22 October
You Belong to Me
23 October
Dumbo
24 October
Spooks Run Wild
28 October
How Green Was My Valley
31 October
The Chocolate Soldier
November 1941
7 November
Unexpected Uncle
14 November
I Wake Up Screaming
Suspicion
15 November
Blues in the Night
21 November
Look Who's Laughing
Shadow of the Thin Man
Skylark
They Died with Their Boots On
27 November
Stormy Waters (France)
28 November
The Corsican Brothers
Keep 'Em Flying
December 1941
1 December
The 47 Ronin (Part 1) (Japan)
Tarzan's Secret Treasure
2 December
Ball of Fire
5 December
Mr. Bug Goes to Town
12 December
Among the Living
Red River Valley
The Wolf Man
18 December
H.M. Pulham, Esq.
Kathleen
21 December
The Heavenly Play (Sweden)
25 December
The Shanghai Gesture
26 December
Hellzapoppin'
The Sausage-Maker Who Disappeared (Norway)
31 December
Louisiana Purchase
U.S.A. unless stated
#
The 47 Ronin (Genroku chushingura), directed by Kenji Mizoguchi - (Japan)
49th Parallel, directed by Michael Powell, starring Leslie Howard and Laurence Olivier - (GB)
A-B
Adam Had Four Sons, starring Ingrid Bergman and Warner Baxter
Among the Living, starring Albert Dekker and Susan Hayward
Andy Hardy's Private Secretary, starring Mickey Rooney
Babes on Broadway, directed by Busby Berkeley, starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney
Back Street, starring Charles Boyer and Margaret Sullavan
Ball of Fire, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
The Big Store, starring the Marx Brothers, Margaret Dumont, Tony Martin
Blood and Sand, starring Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Rita Hayworth
Blossoms in the Dust, starring Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon
The Blue Star Hotel (Hotel Modrá hvězda), directed by Martin Frič - (Czechoslovakia)
Blues in the Night, starring Priscilla Lane and Betty Field
Bowery Blitzkrieg, starring the East Side Kids
The Bride Came C.O.D., starring James Cagney and Bette Davis
Broadway Limited, starring Victor McLaglen, Dennis O'Keefe, Patsy Kelly
Brothers and Sisters of the Toda Family, directed by Yasujirō Ozu - (Japan)
Buck Privates, starring Abbott and Costello
C
Caught in the Draft, starring Bob Hope and Dorothy Lamour
Charlie Chan in Rio, starring Sidney Toler
A Charming Man (Roztomilý člověk), directed by Martin Frič - (Czechoslovakia)
The Chocolate Soldier, starring Nelson Eddy
Churchill's Island (La Forteresse de Churchill) - (Canada)
Citizen Kane, directed by and starring Orson Welles, with Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Dorothy Comingore, Ray Collins
The Corsican Brothers, starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Cottage to Let, directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Leslie Banks, Alastair Sim, John Mills - (GB)
Cuando los hijos se van (When Children Leave Home) - (Mexico)
D
The Devil and Daniel Webster (aka All That Money Can Buy), starring Walter Huston and Edward Arnold
The Devil and Miss Jones, starring Jean Arthur and Robert Cummings
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring Spencer Tracy and Ingrid Bergman
Dumbo, animated film from Walt Disney
E-F
The Face Behind the Mask, starring Peter Lorre
The Flame of New Orleans, starring Marlene Dietrich
Flying Wild, starring the East Side Kids
Freedom Radio, directed by Anthony Asquith - (GB)
G-H
The Gang's All Here, starring Frankie Darro and Mantan Moreland
The Ghost of St. Michael's, starring Will Hay and Charles Hawtrey - (GB)
The Great Lie, starring Mary Astor and Bette Davis
H.M. Pulham, Esq., starring Hedy Lamarr and Robert Young
The Hard Life of an Adventurer (Těžký život dobrodruha) - (Czechoslovakia)
Hatter's Castle, starring Robert Newton and Deborah Kerr - (Britain)
The Heavenly Play (Himlaspelet), directed by Alf Sjöberg - (Sweden)
Hellzapoppin', starring Ole Olsen and Chic Johnson
Here Comes Mr. Jordan, starring Robert Montgomery
High Sierra, starring Ida Lupino and Humphrey Bogart in his first starring role
Hit the Road, starring the Dead End Kids
Hold Back the Dawn, starring Charles Boyer, Olivia de Havilland and Paulette Goddard
Hold That Ghost, starring Abbott and Costello
Honky Tonk, starring Clark Gable and Lana Turner
How Green Was My Valley, directed by John Ford, starring Walter Pidgeon and Maureen O'Hara - winner of 5 Academy Awards
I-J
I Wake Up Screaming, starring Betty Grable, Victor Mature, Carole Landis
I Wanted Wings, starring Ray Milland, William Holden, Veronica Lake, Brian Donlevy
In the Navy, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
Inspector Hornleigh Goes To It, starring Gordon Harker and Alastair Sim - (GB)
The Iron Crown (La corona di ferro) - (Italy)
It Started with Eve, starring Deanna Durbin and Robert Cummings
K
Kathleen, starring Shirley Temple
Keep 'Em Flying, starring Bud Abbott and Lou Costello
Khazanchi (Cashier) - (India)
Kipps, directed by Carol Reed, starring Michael Redgrave - (GB)
L
Ladies in Retirement, starring Ida Lupino and Louis Hayward
Lady Be Good, starring Eleanor Powell and Robert Young
The Lady Eve, directed by Preston Sturges, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
Life Begins for Andy Hardy starring Lewis Stone, Mickey Rooney, Cecilia Parker, Fay Holden
The Little Foxes, directed by William Wyler, starring Bette Davis
Look Who's Laughing, starring Edgar Bergen, Fibber McGee and Molly
Louisiana Purchase, starring Bob Hope
Love on the Dole, starring Deborah Kerr - (GB)
M
Major Barbara, directed by Gabriel Pascal, starring Wendy Hiller and Rex Harrison - (GB)
The Maltese Falcon, directed by John Huston, starring Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre
Man Hunt, starring Walter Pidgeon and Joan Bennett
Man Made Monster, starring Lon Chaney Jr. and Lionel Atwill
Manpower, starring Edward G. Robinson, Marlene Dietrich, George Raft
Meet John Doe, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck
Moon Over Miami, starring Betty Grable
Mr. & Mrs. Smith, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery
Mr. Bug Goes to Town
N-O
Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, starring W. C. Fields
Nice Girl?, starring Deanna Durbin
Ohm Krüger (Uncle Kruger), starring Emil Jannings - (Germany)
One Foot in Heaven, starring Fredric March and Martha Scott
One Night in Lisbon, starring Fred MacMurray and Madeleine Carroll
One Night in Transylvania (Egy éjszaka Erdélyben) - (Hungary)
P
Penn of Pennsylvania, starring Clifford Evans and Deborah Kerr - (GB)
Penny Serenade, starring Irene Dunne and Cary Grant
Piccolo mondo antico (Old-Fashioned World), starring Alida Valli - (Italy)
Pimpernel Smith, directed by and starring Leslie Howard - (GB)
A Place to Live
Pride of the Bowery, starring the East Side Kids
Princess Iron Fan (Tie shan gong zhu) - (China)
Q-R
Quiet Wedding, directed by Anthony Asquith, starring Margaret Lockwood - (GB)
Rage in Heaven, starring Robert Montgomery and Ingrid Bergman
Red River Valley, directed by Joseph Kane, starring Roy Rogers
The Reluctant Dragon, starring Robert Benchley
Road to Zanzibar, starring Bob Hope and Bing Crosby
S
The Saint in Palm Springs, starring George Sanders
The Sausage-Maker Who Disappeared (Den forsvundne pølsemaker) - (Norway)
The Sea Wolf, starring Edward G. Robinson, Ida Lupino, John Garfield
Sergeant York, directed by Howard Hawks, starring Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan
Shadow of the Thin Man, starring William Powell and Myrna Loy
The Shanghai Gesture, starring Gene Tierney
The Shepherd of the Hills, starring John Wayne
Shining Victory, starring James Stephenson and Geraldine Fitzgerald
Sikandar (Alexander the Great) - (India)
Six Gun Gold, starring Tim Holt
Skylark, starring Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland
Spellbound, starring Derek Farr - (GB)
Spooks Run Wild, starring East Side Kids and Bela Lugosi
Stormy Waters (Remorques), starring Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan - (France)
The Strawberry Blonde, starring James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, Rita Hayworth
Sullivan's Travels, directed by Preston Sturges, starring Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake
Sun Valley Serenade, starring Sonja Henie
Suspicion, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, starring Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant
Suvorov - (U.S.S.R.)
Swamp Water, directed by Jean Renoir, starring Walter Brennan and Walter Huston
T-V
The Tale of the Fox (Le Roman de Renard) - (France)
Target for Tonight, a propaganda documentary - (GB)
Tarzan's Secret Treasure, starring Johnny Weissmuller
Teresa Venerdì, directed by and starring Vittorio De Sica - (Italy)
That Hamilton Woman (aka Lady Hamilton), starring Vivien Leigh and Laurence Olivier - (GB)
That Night in Rio, starring Don Ameche, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda
They Died with Their Boots On, starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland
Tobacco Road, starring Gene Tierney
Turned Out Nice Again, starring George Formby - (GB)
The Tyrant Father (O Pai Tirano) - (Portugal)
U-Boat Course West! (U-Boote westwärts) - (Germany)
Unexpected Uncle, starring Anne Shirley, James Craig, Charles Coburn
Unholy Partners, starring Edward G. Robinson and Laraine Day
W-X
Week-End in Havana, starring Alice Faye, John Payne, Carmen Miranda and Cesar Romero
Western Union, starring Randolph Scott
The Wolf Man, starring Lon Chaney, Jr.
A Woman's Face, starring Joan Crawford and Melvyn Douglas
Y-Z
A Yank in the RAF, starring Tyrone Power and Betty Grable
You Belong to Me, starring Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda
You'll Never Get Rich, starring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth
Ziegfeld Girl, starring Judy Garland and James Stewart
The Adventures of Captain Marvel, starring Tom Tyler, directed by William Witney and John English
Dick Tracy vs Crime Inc, starring Ralph Byrd, directed by William Witney and John English
The Green Hornet, starring Gordon Jones
Holt of the Secret Service, directed by James W. Horne
The Iron Claw, directed by James W. Horne
Jungle Girl, starring Frances Gifford, directed by William Witney and John English
King of the Texas Rangers, directed by William Witney and John English
Riders of Death Valley, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
Sea Raiders, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
Sky Raiders, directed by Ray Taylor and Ford Beebe
The Spider Returns, starring Warren Hull, directed by James W. Horne
White Eagle, directed by James W. Horne
Buster Keaton (1917–1944)
Laurel and Hardy (1921-1945)
Our Gang (1922–1944)
Marx Brothers (1929–1946)
The Three Stooges (1933–1962)
Mickey Mouse (1928–1942, 1947–1953)
Looney Tunes (1930–1969)
Bugs Bunny (1941-1964)
Daffy Duck (1938–1968)
Porky Pig (1936–1946, 1948–1951)
Sniffles (1939–1946)
Inki (1939–1950)
Terrytoons (1930–1964)
Merrie Melodies (1931–1969)
Scrappy (1931-1941)
Popeye (1933–1957)
Color Rhapsodies (1934–1949)
Donald Duck (1937–1956)
Walter Lantz Cartunes (also known as New Universal Cartoons or Cartune Comedies) (1938–1942)
Goofy (1939–1955)
Andy Panda (1939–1949)
Tom and Jerry (1940–1958, 1961–1967)
The Midnight Snack
The Night Before Christmas
Woody Woodpecker (1941-1949,1951–1972)
Swing Symphonies (1941-1945)
The Fox and the Crow (1941-1950)
Superman (1941-1943)
January 14 - Faye Dunaway, American actress
January 26 - Scott Glenn, American actor
January 31 - Jessica Walter, American actress
February 8 - Nick Nolte, American actor and producer
February 10 - Michael Apted, English director, producer and screenwriter
March 4 - Adrian Lyne, English director and producer
March 14 - Wolfgang Petersen, German director, producer and screenwriter
April 7 - Danny Wells, Canadian actor and comedian (died 2013)
April 14 - Julie Christie, English actress and sex symbol
April 20 - Ryan O'Neal, American actor
April 28 - Ann-Margret, Swedish-born American actress, dancer and singer
May 13 - Senta Berger, Austrian actress and producer
June 2 - Stacy Keach, American actor
June 5 - Spalding Gray, American actor and screenwriter (died 2004)
June 20 - Stephen Frears, English film director
June 21 - Joe Flaherty, Canadian-American actor and comedian
June 22 - Michael Lerner, American actor
June 25 - Denys Arcand, Canadian director and screenwriter
June 27 - Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish director (died 1996)
July 29 - David Warner, English actor
September 26 - Martine Beswick, English actress and model
October 6 - Billy Murray, English actor
October 10 - Peter Coyote, American actor
October 19 - Simon Ward, English actor
October 23 - Mel Winkler, American actor
October 31 - Sally Kirkland, American actress
November 1 - Robert Foxworth, American actor
November 18 - David Hemmings, English actor, director and producer (died 2003)
November 23 - Franco Nero, Italian actor
November 25 - Tiit Lilleorg, Estonian actor
December 4 - Leila Säälik, Estonian actress
December 9 - Beau Bridges, American actor
January 4 – Henri Bergson, 81, French writer
January 10 – Joe Penner, 36, American comedian, actor, The Boys from Syracuse, Millionaire Playboy, The Day the Bookies Wept, Mr. Doodle Kicks Off
March 13 – Stuart Walker, 63, American director, White Woman, Great Expectations
May 8 – Tore Svennberg, 83, Swedish actor, The Phantom Carriage, A Woman's Face
May 12 – Ruth Stonehouse, 48, American actress, film director, The Satin Woman
May 22 – Ida Waterman, 89, American actress, Stella Maris, The Enchanted Cottage, Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley, Esmerelda
October 9 – Helen Morgan, 41, American actress and singer, You Belong to Me, Applause, Show Boat
October 26 – Victor Schertzinger, 41, American director, Paramount on Parade, Road to Zanzibar
November 2 – Bengt Djurberg, 43, Swedish actor, Troll-Elgen
December 21 – David Howard, 45, American film director, Daniel Boone
Cyd Charisse - The Gay Parisian
Laird Cregar - Hudson's Bay
Ava Gardner - Fancy Answers
Charlton Heston - Peer Gynt
Deborah Kerr - Major Barbara
Bruce Lee - Golden Gate Girl
Norman Lloyd - The Forgotten Man
Frank Sinatra - Las Vegas Nights
