85 years ago, America was on the precipice of major upheaval — not only digging out from the ruins of the Great Depression and impending involvement in World War II, but also in the world of film. With the Hays Code firmly in place and major studios controlling productions and talent with an iron fist, a new breed of filmmaker rose to prominence — directors who blazed new paths both technically and artistically, bringing their personal touch to an artform already growing stale from rote storytelling. It was in this unique moment, when the very nature of humanity’s destructive potential was evident across oceans and continents, that this exemplary class of cinematic artists gave voice to the complexity of human experience.

Orson Welles’ debut feature broke all the rules of classic Hollywood cinema to take on a titan of capitalism, Preston Sturges delivered a gobsmacking one-two punch of fast-talking comedy gold with Howard Hawks taking him to the mat with a whip-smart Wilder/Brackett joint, and John Huston set up what would become one of the decade’s most prolific genres with his inestimably influential noir classic. This month, a modest sampling of some of the best the year had to offer — but these films would go on to define the decade America went to war and bring significant attention and opportunities to the auteurs at their helms.