#1 of 3 #1 history movie of 1940
1940 · Drama, History
$402.4M worldwide · 100% of the chart's total
$200.9M US & Canada · 50% $201.5M elsewhere · 50%
History box office · 1940
History Box Office 1940: Highest-Grossing History Movies
Gone with the Wind (1940) is the highest-grossing history movie released in 1940, with $402.4M worldwide, ahead of The Grapes of Wrath (1940) at $7.3K and From Mayerling to Sarajevo (1940) at $5.2K. 3 history films released in 1940 report a worldwide gross, $402.4M in all, 50% of it from the US & Canada. One film crossed $100 million; none reached $1 billion.
- 1940 releases with a gross
- 3
- combined worldwide
- $402.4M
- film crossed $100M
- 1
- earned in the US & Canada
- 50%
#1 of 3 Top 3
What Were the Biggest History Hits of 1940?
Gone with the Wind (1940) leads with $402.4M, 100% of the total. The top 3 together took $402.4M, almost all of what the 3 films earned. Each bar splits a film's gross into the US & Canada and the rest of the world.
- Number 1
-
Number 2 -
Number 3
US & Canada (domestic) Rest of the world
The chart
Every History Release of 1940, Ranked by Worldwide Gross
Lifetime worldwide grosses in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation; domestic means the US & Canada. Films are grouped by their release date in 1940.
- 1 Jan 17, 1940 US and Canada: $200.9M Rest of the world: $201.5M Worldwide: $402.4M
- 2 Mar 15, 1940 US and Canada: – Rest of the world: – Worldwide: $7.3K
- 3 Jan 27, 1940 US and Canada: $5.2K Rest of the world: Worldwide: $5.2K
By release month
Which Month of 1940 Earned the Most?
January releases took the most, $402.4M from 2 films, led by Gone with the Wind (1940). March was the quietest month ($7.3K). Each column is a release month and links to that month's chart.
- January Jan Gone with the Wind (1940) $402.4M Gone with the Wind (1940)
- February Feb No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- March Mar The Grapes of Wrath (1940) $7.3K The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
- April Apr No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- May May No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- June Jun No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- July Jul No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- August Aug No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- September Sep No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- October Oct No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- November Nov No reported grosses – No reported grosses
- December Dec No reported grosses – No reported grosses
Last 10 years
How Does 1940 Compare With Previous Years?
Of these 10 years, 1940 earned the most: $402.4M from 3 films, led by Gone with the Wind (1940).
| Year | Films | Worldwide | Change | Biggest film |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1931 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1932 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1933 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1934 1 film | 1 | $3.4K | – | The Scarlet Empress (1934) $3.4K |
| 1935 2 films · +121% | 2 | $7.4K | +121% | Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) $4.9K |
| 1936 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1937 No films | 0 | – | – | – |
| 1938 2 films | 2 | $8K | – | The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) $5.7K |
| 1939 1 film · +30% | 1 | $10.4K | +30% | Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) $10.4K |
| 1940 3 films · +3884019% | 3 | $402.4M | +3884019% | Gone with the Wind (1940) $402.4M |
Archive
History Box Office Year by Year
Every year from 1918 to 2026 with its total and its biggest film. 2023 leads with $2.8B, led by Oppenheimer (2023).
2020s 7 years · $6.8B
2010s 10 years · $11.6B
- 2019 $1.8B #1 My People, My Country (2019)
- 2018 $1.2B #1 Green Book (2018)
- 2017 $1.7B #1 Dunkirk (2017)
- 2016 $1.8B #1 Dangal (2016)
- 2015 $1.1B #1 Everest (2015)
- 2014 $528.3M #1 Unbroken (2014)
- 2013 $969.9M #1 American Hustle (2013)
- 2012 $1.2B #1 Lincoln (2012)
- 2011 $413.7M #1 Beginning of the Great Revival (2011)
- 2010 $881.6M #1 The King's Speech (2010)
2000s 10 years · $6.7B
- 2009 $638.5M #1 Public Enemies (2009)
- 2008 $943.6M #1 Australia (2008)
- 2007 $426.8M #1 Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)
- 2006 $744.1M #1 World Trade Center (2006)
- 2005 $796.9M #1 Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
- 2004 $1.2B #1 The Passion of the Christ (2004)
- 2003 $666.9M #1 The Last Samurai (2003)
- 2002 $630M #1 Gangs of New York (2002)
- 2001 $103.7M #1 Enemy at the Gates (2001)
- 2000 $565.8M #1 Gladiator (2000)
1990s 10 years · $2.6B
- 1999 $183.1M #1 Anna and the King (1999)
- 1998 $353.8M #1 The Man in the Iron Mask (1998)
- 1997 $207.8M #1 Seven Years in Tibet (1997)
- 1996 $40.4M #1 Ghosts of Mississippi (1996)
- 1995 $980.4M #1 Apollo 13 (1995)
- 1994 $52.8M #1 Quiz Show (1994)
- 1993 $420M #1 Schindler's List (1993)
- 1992 $58M #1 Malcolm X (1992)
- 1991 $223M #1 JFK (1991)
- 1990 $42.6M #1 Glory (1990)
1980s 10 years · $628.2M
- 1989 $24.8M #1 Henry V (1989)
- 1988 $70.4M #1 Gorillas in the Mist (1988)
- 1987 $157.2M #1 The Untouchables (1987)
- 1986 $23.6M #1 The Mission (1986)
- 1985 $73.7M #1 The Killing Fields (1985)
- 1984 $63.8M #1 Amadeus (1984)
- 1983 $74M #1 Gandhi (1983)
- 1982 $53.3M #1 Quest for Fire (1982)
- 1981 $83.5M #1 Reds (1981)
- 1980 $4M #1 Kagemusha (1980)
1970s 9 years · $171.8M
- 1979 $1.9M #1 Zulu Dawn (1979)
- 1978 $15.9M #1 American Hot Wax (1978)
- 1977 $50.8M #1 A Bridge Too Far (1977)
- 1976 $70.8M #1 All the President's Men (1976)
- 1975 $416.1K #1 Barry Lyndon (1975)
- 1974 $103.4K #1 Edvard Munch (1974)
- 1972 $37.8K #1 Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
- 1971 $3.1K #1 The Devils (1971)
- 1970 $31.9M #1 Little Big Man (1970)
1960s 10 years · $108.7M
- 1969 $1M #1 Army of Shadows (1969)
- 1968 $20.1K #1 The Lion in Winter (1968)
- 1967 $316 #1 In Cold Blood (1967)
- 1966 $1.1M #1 The Battle of Algiers (1966)
- 1965 $162.9K #1 War and Peace (1965)
- 1964 $149.3K #1 Becket (1964)
- 1963 $58M #1 Cleopatra (1963)
- 1962 $46M #1 Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
- 1961 $350K #1 The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
- 1960 $1.9M #1 Spartacus (1960)
1950s 9 years · $177.5M
- 1959 $74.6M #1 Ben-Hur (1959)
- 1958 $38.4K #1 The Vikings (1958)
- 1957 $68K #1 Throne of Blood (1957)
- 1956 $65.5M #1 The Ten Commandments (1956)
- 1955 $911.1K #1 The Dam Busters (1955)
- 1954 $26.6K #1 Knights of the Round Table (1954)
- 1953 $36M #1 The Robe (1953)
- 1952 $280.5K #1 Les Miserables (1952)
- 1950 $10.9K #1 The Flame and the Arrow (1950)
1940s 5 years · $402.5M
- 1949 $158 #1 The Heiress (1949)
- 1947 $2.5K #1 Green Dolphin Street (1947)
- 1946 $1.7K #1 Ivan the Terrible, Part II: The Boyars’ Plot (1946)
- 1944 $74.8K #1 Henry V (1944)
- 1940 $402.4M #1 Gone with the Wind (1940)
1930s 4 years · $29.1K
1920s 3 years · $124.9K
1910s 1 year · $9.7K
FAQ
History Box Office 1940: Questions & Answers
The chart's numbers in short: the #1 film, the total, the billion-dollar hits and the US & Canada share, answered from the same 3 films as the chart.
What is the highest-grossing history movie in 1940?
Gone with the Wind (1940) leads with $402.4M worldwide, $200.9M of it in the US & Canada. Next come The Grapes of Wrath (1940) at $7.3K and From Mayerling to Sarajevo (1940) at $5.2K.
How much did history movies released in 1940 earn?
3 history films released in 1940 report a worldwide gross, $402.4M in all, or $134.1M per film on average.
How many history movies released in 1940 made $1 billion?
None. 1 film crossed $100 million, led by Gone with the Wind (1940) with $402.4M.
How is the 1940 history box office chart ranked and where do the numbers come from?
Films are ranked by lifetime worldwide gross in US dollars, not adjusted for inflation, and grouped by their release date in 1940. The figures are the reported box office grosses in our database. A gross that looks misattributed, such as one figure shared by two unrelated films or a blockbuster total on an obscure title, is left out rather than shown as a fact.
How often is the 1940 history box office chart updated?
Grosses change while films are in theaters and whenever a new figure is reported; this chart reads the latest numbers in our database, so an older film can still move after a re-release.