4. The Sound of Music (1965)
Gone With the Wind was released in 1940 and it devastated the box office, taking in nearly three times as much as any film before it. Due to various re-releases, its total gross continued swelling over the next few years until it had nearly six times as much as the previous record holder. All said, it held the title for 26 years. .... until
this juggernaut came along. It crushed Gone With the Wind and threw it out with the garbage. Where Gone With the Wind peaked at $67 million, The Sound Of Music took in a mind-blowing $112 million. The Sound of Music tells the fictionalized tale of the Von Trapps, a family that tries to escape the Nazi occupation in Austria, and along the way seem to learn how to sing (Do-re-mi-etc etc etc). Despite a lukewarm response from audiences (what was with them back then?!) the film went on to win five Academy Awards - including Best Picture and Best Director - with another five nominations. (BONUS: Five years later Gone With the Wind was re-released once more and took back the title of highest-grossing film)