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There is an extensive list of “essential” films from 1939 alone, which is regarded as the greatest year in cinematic history. However, the 1930s and 1940s present a target-rich environment of films whose impact and influence have extended across decades.

Before World War II intervened, the studios were operating at full capacity, producing films such as “Gone With the Wind,” “The Wizard of Oz,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Gunga Din,” “Stagecoach,” “Wuthering Heights,” “Ninotchka,” “Dark Victory,” “Goodbye, Mr. Chips,” and “Destry Rides Again.” This was all documented by Turner Classic Movies, CNN’s sister network. Alright, and let’s not overlook “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Young Mr. Lincoln,” and the original Sherlock Holmes film starring Basil Rathbone.

How could some of those films not make the list? However, some of them were left off. In an effort to create a roster that was more representative and varied, that also meant giving films directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Humphrey Bogart—see “The Big Sleep,” “The Maltese Falcon,” “Treasure of the Sierra Madre,” and “To Have and Have Not”—what could be considered short shrift.

Sadly, there was also no room for the legendary Universal monster films, such as “Dracula,” “Frankenstein” (together with his bride), “The Wolfman,” Charlie Chaplin, and the Marx brothers. Of course, the latter group would not want to be included on any list that included them.

Thus, once more, listed chronologically, this is a by no means comprehensive list of the “essentials” from those decades.

“King Kong” (1933)
a scene from the movie “King Kong” in which a massive gorilla perches atop a tower in Manhattan and seizes a passing jet plane. Hulton Archive/Getty Images provided the image.
a scene from the movie “King Kong” in which a massive gorilla perches atop a tower in Manhattan and seizes a passing jet plane. Hulton Archive/Getty Images provided the image. Hulton Archive/Getty Images/Hulton Archive
Despite its groundbreaking nature at the time, stop-motion animation has endured throughout the years, inspiring a new generation of filmmakers and special effects artists.

The Columbia Pictures production “It Happened One Night” (1934)
The genre was established by Frank Capra’s iconic romantic comedy/road movie, which starred Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert.

1935’s “The 39 Steps”
“The 39 Steps” Hulton Archive/Photos by Getty
Hitchcock often went back to the same premise, in which a regular guy (Robert Donat) gets tied to Madeleine Carroll and must flee, with danger and spies lurking around every corner. This was one of the best works by the maestro of suspense because of the narrative and twists.

1937’s “The Grand Illusion”
Captain von Rauffenstein is portrayed by Erich von Stroheim in the French war film “The Grand Illusion.” (Image courtesy of Getty Images/John Kobal Foundation))
Captain von Rauffenstein is portrayed by Erich von Stroheim in the French war film “The Grand Illusion.”
This outstanding French drama, directed by Jean Renoir and set in World War I, examines class divisions and the pointlessness of war through the eyes of French officers who are taken prisoner by the Germans.

The 1937 film “Lost Horizon”
In “Lost Horizon,” John Howard, Jane Wyatt, and Ronald Colman (picture by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images))
Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, and John Howard in “Lost”
The legendary city of Shangri-La is discovered by Ronald Colman—or is it?—in Frank Capra’s epic blend of romance, drama, and imagination.

“Robin Hood’s Adventures” (1938)
“The Adventures of Robin Hood” Bettmann/Archive Bettmann/Bettmann
While Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn starred in previous swashbucklers, the film’s brilliant color scheme and flawless casting—Rathbone never prevailed in a sword combat but looked fantastic losing—hit the mark just like its archer hero.

A film adaptation of “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) Warner Home Video
Nothing compares to home, and there’s no picture quite like the one where Judy Garland’s character Dorothy emerges from the glittering black and white of Kansas into the vibrant hues of Oz.

1939’s “Gone With the Wind”
“Gone With the Wind” MGM’s
While there are some aspects of the film that have not held up well over time, nothing compares to the overwhelming melodrama and grandiose spectacle of Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett O’Hara or the effect the film had on viewers at the time.

In 1939, “Wuthering Heights”
David Niven, Flora Robson, and Merle Oberon in “Wuthering”
The benchmark for all tearjerkers is William Wyler’s opulent production of Emily Bronte’s novel, starring Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon as Heathcliff and Cathy, respectively.

Mr. Smith Travels to the White House (1939)
Columbia Pictures, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”
James Stewart’s wide-eyed senator serves as the ideal vehicle for Capra’s passionate patriotism as he gains insight into the unscrupulous workings of politics while retaining his idealism and heart.

The 1940 film “Pinocchio”
Courtesy of “Pinocchio” Disney Studios at Walt Disney
Though not the first of the great Disney animated pictures, it is perhaps the best due to its stunning animation, enduring song “When You Wish Upon a Star,” and portrayal of a boy’s transformation.

“The Story of Philadelphia” (1940)
Hepburn and Stewart in the video “The Philadelphia Story”
Director George Cukor starred Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and James Stewart in a sophisticated comedy-romance film that involved copious amounts of alcohol consumption.

“Citizen Kane” (1941): A Guide to Newspaper Management
Any visit to Hearst Castle is made much more exciting by Orson Welles’s towering debut as both director and star, which is still regarded as the greatest movie of all time.

Casablanca (1942)
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in “Casablanca”
Film enthusiasts will always have this moving story of an American choosing duty over love in the midst of World War II, and Bogart and Ingrid Bergman will always have Paris. Kids, let me look at you.

“Laura” (1944) and “Double Indemnity” (1944)
Film noir was a popular genre in the 1940s, and these two are the best: Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, and Gene Tierney in a murder mystery with a big surprise and a melancholic musical score; and director Billy Wilder’s thriller in which Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck discover it’s not easy getting away with murder, especially if Edward G. Robinson’s on the case.

The 1946 book “The Best Years of Our Lives”
The iconic film, replete with poignant moments, about soldiers returning from battle.

1946’s It’s a Wonderful Life
Once again, Stewart and Capra collaborated on this timeless Christmas classic, which has been copied so often (but never as successfully) as to justify its countless copies.

“Notorious” (1946)
This is another classic Hitchcock film, starring Cary Grant at his most dapper best as a spy who meets a woman (Bergman) who he has been assigned to infiltrate a Nazi network by marrying one of its leaders (Claude Rains), who also happens to be in love with her. And possibly the greatest conclusion of any Hitchcock movie.

“Miracle on 34th Street” (1947) 20th Century “Miracle On 34Th Street”
Every year, the 1940s’ second-best Christmas film serves as a wonderful reminder that Santa Claus is not just for kids—Natalie Wood is adorable as a child—but for everyone.

1949’s “The Heiress”
a trailer for The Heiress (1949) in video format
In this drama about a shy heiress, her distant and disapproving father, and the suitor who has dollar signs in his eyes, Olivia de Havilland, Ralph Richardson, and Montgomery Clift had outstanding performances.