The Top 100 Movies of the 1940s

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1

Casablanca

1942  •  Michael Curtiz  •  Rated PG

Drama  •  Romance  •  Romantic Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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2

Citizen Kane

1941  •  Orson Welles  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Period Film

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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3

The Third Man

1949  •  Carol Reed  •  Not Rated

British Noir  •  Mystery  •  Psychological Thriller

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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4

Double Indemnity

1944  •  Billy Wilder  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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5

Notorious

1946  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Film Noir  •  Mystery  •  Political Thriller

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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6

The Bicycle Thief

1948  •  Vittorio De Sica  •  Not Rated

Coming-of-Age  •  Crime  •  Crime Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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7

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

1948  •  John Huston  •  Not Rated

Adventure  •  Adventure Drama  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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8

The Maltese Falcon

1941  •  John Huston  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Detective Film  •  Femme Fatale

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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9

The Philadelphia Story

1940  •  George Cukor  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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11

Shadow of a Doubt

1943  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Rated PG

Crime  •  Crime Thriller  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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12

The Big Sleep

1946  •  Howard Hawks  •  Not Rated

Detective Film  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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13

His Girl Friday

1940  •  Howard Hawks  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Media Satire  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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14

It's a Wonderful Life

1946  •  Frank Capra  •  Not Rated

Americana  •  Comedy Drama  •  Drama

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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15

Rope

1948  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Crime  •  Crime Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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16

The Great Dictator

1940  •  Charles Chaplin  •  Rated G

Anti-War Film  •  Comedy  •  Political Satire

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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17

Rebecca

1940  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Gothic Film  •  Mystery  •  Psychological Thriller

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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18

Laura

1944  •  Otto Preminger  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Thriller  •  Detective Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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19

Out of the Past

1947  •  Jacques Tourneur  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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20

Sullivan's Travels

1941  •  Preston Sturges  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Road Movie  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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21

Arsenic and Old Lace

1944  •  Frank Capra  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Crime

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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22

The Best Years of Our Lives

1946  •  William Wyler  •  Not Rated

Americana  •  Drama  •  Ensemble Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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23

Brief Encounter

1945  •  David Lean  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Drama  •  Romance

Up by 4 in the past 45 days 4

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25

The Grapes of Wrath

1940  •  John Ford  •  Not Rated

Americana  •  Drama  •  Family Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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26

The Lady Eve

1941  •  Preston Sturges  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Con Artist / Hustler  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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27

Key Largo

1948  •  John Huston  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Thriller  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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28

The Shop Around the Corner

1940  •  Ernst Lubitsch  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Drama  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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29

Black Narcissus

1947  •  Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Melodrama  •  Religious Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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30

White Heat

1949  •  Raoul Walsh  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Thriller  •  Film Noir

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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32

The Lost Weekend

1945  •  Billy Wilder  •  Not Rated

Addiction Drama  •  Drama  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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33

Red River

1948  •  Howard Hawks, Arthur Rosson  •  Not Rated

Adventure  •  Epic  •  Western

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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34

To Be or Not to Be

1942  •  Ernst Lubitsch  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Farce  •  Satire

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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35

The Magnificent Ambersons

1942  •  Orson Welles  •  Rated PG

Drama  •  Family Drama  •  Period Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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36

Spellbound

1945  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Film Noir  •  Medical Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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37

The Ox-Bow Incident

1943  •  William A. Wellman  •  Not Rated

Message Movie  •  Western

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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38

Children of Paradise

1945  •  Marcel Carné  •  Not Rated

Costume Romance  •  Drama  •  Foreign Language Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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39

Kind Hearts and Coronets

1949  •  Robert Hamer  •  Not Rated

Black Comedy  •  Crime  •  Crime Comedy

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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40

Beauty and the Beast

1946  •  Jean Cocteau  •  Not Rated

Fairy Tales and Legends  •  Fantasy  •  Foreign Language Film

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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41

Fantasia

1940  •  James Algar  •  Rated G

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Family

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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42

The Wolf Man

1941  •  George Waggner  •  Not Rated

Horror  •  Monster Film  •  Werewolf Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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43

Stray Dog

1949  •  Akira Kurosawa  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Film Noir  •  Foreign Language Film

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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44

Mildred Pierce

1945  •  Michael Curtiz  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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45

The Lady from Shanghai

1947  •  Orson Welles  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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46

Gilda

1946  •  Charles Vidor  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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47

Suspicion

1941  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Film Noir  •  Mystery  •  Psychological Thriller

Down by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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48

Lifeboat

1944  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Adventure  •  Drama  •  Ensemble Film

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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49

My Darling Clementine

1946  •  John Ford  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Traditional Western  •  Western

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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50

Ernest Hemingway's To Have and Have Not

1944  •  Howard Hawks  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Romance  •  Romantic Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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51

Meet Me in St. Louis

1944  •  Vincente Minnelli  •  Not Rated

Americana  •  Drama  •  Family Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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52

Adam's Rib

1949  •  George Cukor  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Romance  •  Romantic Comedy

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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53

Foreign Correspondent

1940  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Not Rated

Political Thriller  •  Spy Film  •  Thriller

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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54

Pinocchio

1940  •  Hamilton Luske  •  Rated G

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Based-on-19th-Century-Literature

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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55

Saboteur

1942  •  Alfred Hitchcock  •  Rated PG

Chase Movie  •  Spy Film  •  Thriller

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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56

Cat People

1942  •  Jacques Tourneur  •  Not Rated

Horror  •  Mystery  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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57

The Killers

1946  •  Robert Siodmak  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Detective Film  •  Drama

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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58

Gaslight

1944  •  George Cukor  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Period Film  •  Psychological Thriller

Up by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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59

Great Expectations

1946  •  David Lean  •  Not Rated

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature  •  Costume Romance  •  Drama

Up by 3 in the past 45 days 3

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60

Yankee Doodle Dandy

1942  •  Michael Curtiz  •  Not Rated

Based-on-a-True-Story  •  Biopic  •  Drama

Up by 3 in the past 45 days 3

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61

I Walked with a Zombie

1943  •  Jacques Tourneur  •  Not Rated

Horror  •  Monster Film  •  Supernatural Horror

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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62

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

1948  •  Charles Barton  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Horror  •  Horror Comedy

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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63

Ball of Fire

1941  •  Howard Hawks  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Comedy of Manners  •  Crime

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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64

Miracle on 34th Street

1947  •  George Seaton  •  Rated G

Comedy  •  Family  •  Family-Oriented Fantasy

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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65

Monsieur Verdoux

1947  •  Charles Chaplin  •  Not Rated

Black Comedy  •  Comedy Drama  •  Crime

Up by 12 in the past 45 days 12

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66

Rome, Open City

1945  •  Roberto Rossellini  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Italian Neorealism

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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67

The Pride of the Yankees

1942  •  Sam Wood  •  Not Rated

Based-on-a-True-Story  •  Biopic  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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68

Late Spring

1949  •  Yasujiro Ozu  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Family Drama  •  Foreign Language Film

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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69

Bambi

1942  •  David Hand  •  Rated G

Animated Musical  •  Animation  •  Family

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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70

The Palm Beach Story

1942  •  Preston Sturges  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Comedy of Manners  •  Romance

Up by 20 in the past 45 days 20

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71

I Know Where I'm Going!

1945  •  Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Romance  •  Romantic Drama

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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73

Hamlet

1948  •  Laurence Olivier  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Shakespeare  •  Based-on-Theatre  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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74

She Wore a Yellow Ribbon

1949  •  John Ford  •  Not Rated

Action  •  Western

Up by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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75

Heaven Can Wait

1943  •  Ernst Lubitsch  •  Not Rated

Comedy Drama  •  Fantasy  •  Fantasy Comedy

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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76

The Naked City

1948  •  Jules Dassin  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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77

Dumbo

1941  •  Ben Sharpsteen  •  Rated G

Adventure  •  Animated Musical  •  Animation

Up by 5 in the past 45 days 5

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78

The Postman Always Rings Twice

1946  •  Tay Garnett  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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79

The Stranger

1946  •  Orson Welles  •  Not Rated

Detective Film  •  Drama  •  Film Noir

Down by 4 in the past 45 days 4

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80

How Green Was My Valley

1941  •  John Ford  •  Not Rated

Coming-of-Age  •  Drama  •  Family Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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81

Murder, My Sweet

1944  •  Edward Dmytryk  •  Not Rated

Detective Film  •  Femme Fatale  •  Film Noir

Up by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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83

Scarlet Street

1945  •  Fritz Lang  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Up by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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84

Drunken Angel

1948  •  Akira Kurosawa  •  Rated PG13

Drama  •  Foreign Language Film  •  Medical Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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85

Detour

1945  •  Edgar G. Ulmer  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Down by 15 in the past 45 days 15

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86

On the Town

1949  •  Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly  •  Not Rated

Based-on-Theatre  •  Comedy  •  Musical

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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87

Meet John Doe

1941  •  Frank Capra  •  Not Rated

Americana  •  Comedy Drama  •  Drama

Up by 12 in the past 45 days 12

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88

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

1947  •  Joseph L. Mankiewicz  •  Not Rated

Drama  •  Fantasy  •  Horror

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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89

Sergeant York

1941  •  Howard Hawks  •  Not Rated

Based-on-a-True-Story  •  Biopic  •  Drama

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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90

Dark Passage

1947  •  Delmer Daves  •  Not Rated

Film Noir  •  Mystery  •  Romance

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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91

Fort Apache

1948  •  John Ford  •  Not Rated

Action  •  Traditional Western  •  Western

Down by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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92

Unfaithfully Yours

1948  •  Preston Sturges  •  Not Rated

Comedy  •  Domestic Comedy  •  Screwball Comedy

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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93

And Then There Were None

1945  •  René Clair  •  Not Rated

Ensemble Film  •  Mystery  •  Whodunit

Down by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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94

Leave Her to Heaven

1945  •  John M. Stahl  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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95

Easter Parade

1948  •  Charles Walters  •  Not Rated

Musical  •  Musical Comedy  •  Backstage Musical

Down by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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96

Nightmare Alley

1947  •  Edmund Goulding  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Drama

Up by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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97

The Fallen Idol

1948  •  Carol Reed  •  Not Rated

British Noir  •  Childhood Drama  •  Drama

Up by 2 in the past 45 days 2

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98

The Woman in the Window

1944  •  Fritz Lang  •  Not Rated

Crime  •  Crime Drama  •  Crime Thriller

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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99

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

1949  •  Jack Kinney  •  Rated G

Animation  •  Fantasy

Held position in the past 45 days 0

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100

High Sierra

1941  •  Raoul Walsh  •  Not Rated

Caper  •  Crime  •  Crime Drama

Down by 1 in the past 45 days 1

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