1,556 movie summaries · Page 38
Movie Summaries & Endings Explained from the 1940s
1,556 movies from the 1940s, each with a full plot summary, timeline, character guide and the ending explained. Combine filters to narrow it down.
Movie Summaries Matching Your Filters
Showing 1,481–1,520 of 1,556 movies · newest release first
White Heat
1949 · Action
Rhapsody in Blue
1945 · Biography
The Sea Wolf
1941 · Adventure
The Man Who Came to Dinner
1942 · Comedy
They Died with Their Boots On
1942 · War
Life with Father
1947 · Comedy
Romance on the High Seas
1948 · Comedy
The Horn Blows at Midnight
1945 · Fantasy
The Harvey Girls
1946 · Comedy
National Velvet
1945 · Drama
Woman of the Year
1942 · Drama
Pride and Prejudice
1940 · Drama
Waterloo Bridge
1940 · Drama
Tortilla Flat
1942 · Drama
Random Harvest
1942 · Drama
Good News
1947 · Sport
The Yearling
1947 · Drama
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
1949 · Sport
They Were Expendable
1945 · Drama
Keeper of the Flame
1942 · Drama
Lassie Come Home
1943 · Adventure
Till the End of Time
1946 · Drama
Under Capricorn
1949 · Drama
Anchors Aweigh
1945 · Fantasy
The Grapes of Wrath
1940 · Drama
Nightmare Alley
1947 · Drama
Miracle on 34th Street
1947 · Drama
Lifeboat
1944 · Drama
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
1948 · Adventure
The Maltese Falcon
1941 · Mystery
To Have and Have Not
1945 · Adventure
The Big Sleep
1946 · Mystery
Mildred Pierce
1945 · Drama
The Shop Around the Corner
1940 · Drama
The Postman Always Rings Twice
1946 · Drama
Saboteur
1942 · Thriller
Fantasia
1940 · Fantasy
Rope
1948 · Drama
Little Women
1949 · Drama
The Naked City
1948 · Drama
Can't Find Your Movie? Request a Summary
Tell us which movie to explain next – we'll prioritize it and give it the full Plot Explained treatment.
Browse by genre
Browse Movies Explained by Genre
Pick a genre and read what happens in its newest and most searched movies, from fan-favourite classics to this week's releases: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines.
- Action Explosive set pieces and last-minute rescues, untangled.
- Horror Who survives, what the monster was and why it ends that way.
- Thriller Twists, double-crosses and reveals in plain order.
- Sci-Fi Time loops, multiverses and big ideas made clear.
- Mystery Every clue, red herring and the final reveal.
- Drama Character arcs and emotional turning points, explained.
- Comedy The jokes, the chaos and how it all wraps up.
- Romance Who ends up together, and everything in the way.
- Crime Heists, betrayals and who really did it.
- Fantasy Magic, prophecies and epic endings decoded.
- Adventure Quests, journeys and how the heroes make it home.
- Animation Family favourites and anime stories, scene by scene.
Browse by mood
Find Movies by Mood, Pacing & Ending
Not sure what to watch or read next? Start from how a movie feels: dark or feel-good, slow burn or fast-paced, mind-bending or easy to follow, and whether it has a happy, sad or ambiguous ending.
- Dark Movies Grim worlds, moral grey zones and heavy atmospheres.
- Movies with a Happy Ending Stories that leave you smiling when the credits roll.
- Mind-Bending Movies Confusing, twisting stories you need to watch twice.
- Fast-Paced Movies No slow scenes: the story never stops moving.
- Slow-Burn Movies Patient storytelling that builds to something big.
- Tense Movies Edge-of-your-seat suspense from start to finish.
- Movies with Ambiguous Endings Open endings that people still argue about.
- Bittersweet Movies Bittersweet endings: the win comes at a real cost.
- Emotionally Heavy Movies Movies that make you cry and stay with you.
- Light & Easy Movies Easy watching with low emotional stakes.
- Intense Movies Relentless action and constant pressure.
- Whimsical Movies Playful, imaginative and a little bit odd.
Beyond genre
Movie Lists by Mood, Theme & Story Type
Looking for something more specific? Movie categories group films by emotion, atmosphere and story type, from mind-bending twists to quiet character studies. Every movie in them is fully explained.
Coming soon on iOS and Android
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
Plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Catch up on any movie in minutes, save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when we launch. Your email stays private, always.
Learn more about the app