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They both returned to Hollywood in 1939 where he made The Hunchback of Notre Dame although Lanchester didn't appear in another film until 1941 with Ladies in Retirement.

She and Laughton played husband and wife ( their characters were named Charles and Elsa Smith ) in Tales of Manhattan ( 1942 ) and they both appeared again in the all-star, mostly British cast of Forever and a Day ( 1943 ).

Lassie Come Home ( also 1943 ) was Elsa's first Technicolor film.

She then received top billing in Passport to Destiny ( 1944 ) for the only time in her Hollywood films.

In this, she played a cockney charlady who scrubs her way across occupied Europe in order to assassinate Hitler.

She played supporting roles in The Spiral Staircase and The Razor's Edge ( both 1946 ) and also appeared in The Bishop's Wife the following year.

She played a comical role in the 1948 thriller, The Big Clock, in which Laughton starred as a murderous, megalomaniac press tycoon.

She had a substantial part as an artist specialising in nativity scenes in Come to the Stable for which she was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award ( 1949 ).