List of Chinese films of the 1940s
This is a list of films produced in the Republican period and initial Communist period of China ordered by year of release in the 1940s.
For an alphabetical listing of Chinese films see :Category:Chinese films.
1940
| Title | Chinese Title | Director | Actors | Genre | Notability |
| Adventures of the Chinese Tarzan | 中國泰山歷險記 | Wang Cilong | Lai Cheuk-Cheuk | Adventure/Romance | Adapted from Tarzan of the Apes |
| The Amorous History of Su San | 蘇三艷史 | Wu Cun | Zhou Xuan | Drama | |
| Baptism by Fire | 火的洗禮 | Sun Yu | Zhang Ruifang, He Weiling | War | |
| City of Darkness | 黑天堂 | Wu Cun | Zhou Xuan, Gong Jianong | Drama | |
| Confucius | 孔夫子 | Fei Mu | Tang Huaiqiu | Biographical/Historical | |
| The Country Girl | 鄉下大姑娘 | Wang Yin | Yuan Meiyun | Drama | |
| Dong Xiaowan | 董小宛 | Zhang Shichuan, Zheng Xiaoqiu | Zhou Xuan, Shu Shi | Alternate title: The Story of Dong Xiaowan | |
| Drizzling Rain | 瀟湘秋雨 | Zhang Shankun, Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang, Mei Xi | Drama | |
| The Emerald Hairpin | 碧玉簪 | Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang | Romance | Based on a Yue opera |
| Flower Girl | 花魁女 | Wu Yonggang | Chen Yen-yen, Liu Qiong | Romance/Costume | |
| The Gardener and the Lady | Wang Cilong | Lu Ming, Wang Yin | Romance | Based on a folk legend | |
| Ge Neniang | 葛嫩娘 | Chen Yiqing | Gu Lanjun, Mei Xi | Historical/Drama | Alternate title: Grudges at the End of the Ming |
| Guan Yin, a Bodhisattva | 觀世音 | Yan Youxiang | Zhang Cuihong | ||
| Hongxian Steals the Chest | 紅線盜盒 | Li Pingqian | Gu Lanjun | Historical/Action | |
| Invisible Heroine | 隱身女俠 | Wu Wenchao | Li Lihua | ||
| Legend of the Sui Dynasty | 隨宮春色 | Yang Xiaozhong | Chen Yen-yen, Liu Qiong | Historical/Romance | |
| Li Xiangjun | 李香君 | Wu Cun | Gu Lanjun | Drama | Based on The Peach Blossom Fan |
| Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai | 梁山伯與祝英台 | Yueh Feng | Zhang Cuihong, Gu Yelu | Romance/Costume | Based on the Butterfly Lovers |
| Light of East Asia | 東亞之光 | He Feiguang | War | ||
| Living Buddha Ji Gong | 濟公活佛 | Zheng Xiaoqiu | You Guangzhao | Biographical | |
| Meng Lijun | 孟麗君 | Zhang Shichuan | Zhou Xuan, Shu Shi | Romance/Costume | Alternate title: Magnificent Relationship |
| The Pearl Pagoda | 珍珠塔 | Fang Peilin | Li Hong, Gu Yelu | Romance | Sound remake of the 1926 silent of the same title |
| The Perfect Beauty | 絕代佳人 | Wang Cilong | Hu Die | Biographical/Historical | Last days of the Ming dynasty, focusing on the role played by famous beauty Chen Yuanyuan Alternate title: Chen Yuanyuan the Beauty |
| Powder and Sword | 紅粉金戈 | Wu Yonggang | Wang Xichun, Shu Shi | Historical/Action | |
| Princess Snow White | 白雪公主 | Wu Yonggang | Chen Juanjuan | Fantasy | Live-action adaptation of the 1937 Disney film Alternate title: China Princess Snow White |
| Qin Liangyu | 秦良玉 | Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang | Biographical/Historical | Based on the life and career of female general Qin Liangyu |
| Qin Xianglian | 秦香蓮 | Wen Yimin | Zhang Cuihong, Wang Cilong | Crime | Non-musical adaptation of Chen Shimei, one of the cases of Bao Zheng |
| Romance of the Western Chamber | 西廂記 | Zhang Shichuan | Zhou Xuan | Musical remake of the 1927 silent film of the same title | |
| Songstresses | Zhang Shichuan | Zhou Manhua | Romance | Adapted from a novel by Zhang Henshui | |
| Storm on the Border | 塞上風雲 | Ying Yunwei | Li Lili, Shu Xiuwen | War | First film to show Chinese minority people joining the anti-Japanese resistance |
| Su Wu Herds the Sheep | 蘇武牧羊 | Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang, Mei Xi | Biographical/Historical | The story of Han dynasty diplomat Su Wu |
| Tempest Over Taihang Mountain | 風雪太行山 | He Mengfu | Xie Tian | War | Alternate title: Struggle on Taihang Mountain |
| The Vast Sky | 長空萬裡 | Sun Yu | Gao Zhanfei, Bai Yang, Jin Yan, Wang Renmei | War | "National Defense" film made in unoccupied West China. Alternate English title: Wings of China |
| The Wandering Songstress | 天涯歌女 | Wu Cun | Zhou Xuan | Drama | |
| Yan Xijiao | 閻惜嬌 | Yueh Feng | Mei Xi, Diao Banhua | Based on a chapter in Water Margin | |
| Yanmen Pass | 雁門關 | Fang Peilin | Yuan Meiyun, Mei Xi | Historical/War | |
| Youth of China | 青年中國 | Su Yi | Tao Jin, Bai Yang | War | |
| Yue Fei, a National Hero | 岳飛精忠報國 | Wu Yonggang | Liu Qiong | Historical/War | Story of the Song dynasty general Yue Fei Alternate Chinese titles: 尽忠報國, 精忠報國 |
1942
| Title | Chinese Title | Director | Actors | Genre | Notability |
| A Girl's Secrets | 小姐的秘密 | Wen Yimin | Lu Luming | Drama | |
| A Joyful Night | 一夜銷魂 | Wen Yimin | Lu Luming, Sun Min | Drama | |
| A Tragic Marriage | 淚洒相思地 | Sun Min | Lu Luming, Shangguan Yunzhu | Tragedy | |
| College Students | 學府風光 | Wu Wenchao | Zhang Cuiying, Han Lan'gen | Comedy | |
| Compassion | Various | Ensemble cast | Anthology | Collection of 11 short stories illustrating universal brotherhood | |
| Enemies Behind Every Bush | Zhu Shilin | Yan Jun, Chen Qi | Drama | ||
| The Fallen Peony | Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang, Gu Eryi | Drama | ||
| Fallen Plum Blossoms | 梅花落 | Tu Guangqi | Wang Xichun, He Bin | Drama | Remake of the 1927 silent film of the same title. Released in two parts. |
| Grand Hotel | 大飯店 | Mei Qi | Lu Luming, Sun Min | Drama | Remake of the 1932 American film of the same title |
| The Happy Years | 歡樂年年 | Yang Xiaozhong | Chen Yunshang, Mei Xi | ||
| Rainy Night on Cold Mountain | Ma-Xu Weibang | Li Lihua, Huang He | Adventure | ||
| Romance in Spring | 春水情波 | Huang Han | Hu Feng, Ouyang Sha-fei | Drama | Remake of the 1933 film of the same title |
| Roses Are Blooming Everywhere | Fang Peilin | Gong Qiuxia, Gu Yelu | Romance | ||
| Second Sight | 重見光明 | Bu Wancang | Chen Yunshang, Gu Yelu | Drama | |
| She Lost Her Job | 玉碎珠圓 | Zheng Xiaoqiu | Bai Hong, Han Fei | ||
| The Standard Wife | 標准夫人 | Bu Wancang | Chen Yen-yen, Mei Xi | Drama | Alternate title: Repentance |
| The Strange Lady | 奇女子 | Wen Yimin | Li Lihua, Lu Luming, Sun Min | Drama | |
| Two Generations of Women | Bu Wancang | Gu Lanjun, Wang Danfeng | |||
| Wedding Night | 洞房花燈夜 | Zhu Shilin | Chen Yen-yen, Liu Qiong | Drama |
1943
| Title | Chinese Titles | Director | Actors | Genre | Notability |
| Ask for Help | Zhu Shilin | Tu Guangqi, Zhou Manhua | Comedy | ||
| Daughter of the Fisherman | Bu Wancang | Zhou Xuan | Romance | Yu Jia Nu | |
| Eternity | 萬世流芳 | Bu Wancang, Ma-Xu Weibang | Chen Yunchang | Drama | Controversial film on the Opium War, produced under the Japanese occupation |
| A Japanese Spy | 日本間諜 | Yuan Congmei | Luo Jun, Feng Fei, many others | Drama | Adaptation of Amleto Vespa's Secret Agent of Japan. Made in China's wartime capital of Chungking. |
1947
Mainland Chinese film production totals
| Year | Total Films |
| 1940 | 59 |
| 1941 | 108 |
| 1942 | 33 |
| 1943 | 1 |
| 1944 | 1 |
| 1945 | 3 |
| 1946 | 6 |
| 1947 | 39 |
| 1948 | 75 |
| 1949 | 44 |