The Blood of Jesus was the first feature directed by African-American director Spencer Williams, who would go on to direct eight more films during the 1940s, all with African-American casts. The film is a morality play about the struggle between an angel and a devil for the soul of Martha, a young Baptist woman who lies mortally wounded after being shot by Razz, her atheist husband. The film depicts the spiritual struggles of both Martha and Razz, as Razz's core beliefs are shaken by the consequences of his actions. The Library of Congress included the film in its National Film Registry. The movie is now in the public domain.
Monsieur Vincent stars Pierre Fresney as Saint Vincent De Paul and recounts his life story from his years as a slave in Algiers to his entry into the priesthood in 17th-century France. Father De Paul is assigned to the plague-ravaged Chatillon parish, where he ministers to the sick and the destitute. "Monsieur Vincent" was the first French film to win an Academy Award, winning the 1947 Best Foreign Picture Oscar. The film was included in the Vatican's Best Films List in 1995.
Ingrid Bergman stars as Joan of Arc in director Victor Mature's retelling of her life from her days as a peasant girl in Orleans to the divinely inspired young warrior who leads the Dauphin's armies against English invaders. The film's first half deals with Joan's ascent to leadership and the latter half with her trial by the English and her inner spiritual ordeal. The film included lavish set pieces and was the most expensive film of the 1940s, costing $8.7 million to produce. Producer Walter Wagner received an honorary Oscar at the 1949 Academy Awards for distinguished service to the motion picture industry by producing a religious film that contributed to the film industry's moral stature.
Cecil B. DeMille first commissioned a screenplay based on Samson and Delilah's story from the Book of Judges in 1935. The movie was a return to epic filmmaking, featuring lavish production including its Temple of Dagon set that took five months to build at a cost of $30,000. Victore Mature and Hedy Lamarr starred in the lead roles. The film's screenplay took liberties with the original story, most notably in making Delilah a more sympathetic character than described in the Bible. The film became Paramount Pictures' biggest hit to date, earning $12 million domestically.