The Golden Age of Hollywood: Crash Course Film History #11

Summary

This script explores the Golden Age of Hollywood, spanning the 1920s to the 1950s, when sound and color revolutionized the film industry. It highlights the rise of major studios like MGM and Paramount, each with distinct styles and stars. The economic downturn during the Great Depression paradoxically boosted the film industry, as movies offered an affordable escape. Technological advancements in color cinematography and aspect ratios, like the shift to widescreen, are discussed, illustrating how they enriched cinematic storytelling. The script also touches on the 1948 Supreme Court case that challenged the studios' monopolies, leading to significant industry changes.

Takeaways

• 🎬 Hollywood's Golden Age was between the 1920s and 1950s, marked by the advent of sound in films and the rise of major studios.
• 💸 Despite the Great Depression, Hollywood thrived as people flocked to movies for an affordable escape from their hardships.
• 🌈 Technicolor revolutionized color cinematography, allowing for more vibrant and reliable color in films.
• 📈 The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences standardized the 4:3 aspect ratio in 1932, which was later replaced by widescreen formats.
• 🎥 MGM was the largest studio in the 1930s, known for producing big-budget musicals, comedies, and literary adaptations.
• 🌍 Paramount Pictures was known for attracting European filmmakers and giving them creative freedom, leading to unique films.
• 🏭 Warner Brothers was recognized for producing films that resonated with the working class, including gritty gangster movies and musicals.
• 🌟 20th Century-Fox gained fame through director John Ford and star Shirley Temple, producing critically acclaimed and popular films.
• 💃 RKO was the studio behind popular Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musicals and innovative films like 'Citizen Kane'.
• 📉 The U.S. Supreme Court's decision in United States vs. Paramount Pictures in 1948 forced studios to divest from theaters, ending their monopoly on the industry.

Q & A

What significant changes occurred in Hollywood between the 1920s and the 1950s?

During the 1920s to the 1950s, Hollywood saw the emergence of big-budget movies, star-studded premieres, and major film studios. This era marked the introduction of sound in films, leading to the rise of new major film studios, each with their own style and favorite celebrities. It was also a period of significant technological innovations, including color film and widescreen formats.

Why did the Great Depression actually benefit the American film business?

Despite the economic hardships of the Great Depression, the American film business thrived because cinema offered an affordable escape from the harsh realities of life for many people. Films became a popular form of entertainment, and the major studios released more films during the 1920s and '30s than in any other decade, averaging about 800 films per year.

Which genres of films became popular during the Great Depression?

During the Great Depression, genre films such as gangster films, musicals, westerns, and screwball comedies gained popularity. These films provided an escape from the grim realities of the time and celebrated American values of optimism, resilience, ambition, and courage.

What was unique about MGM's approach to film production in the 1930s?

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) was known for producing big-budget musicals, comedies, melodramas, and literary adaptations. They spared no expense on sets, costumes, extras, and the biggest movie stars, aiming for opulence in their films, as exemplified by The Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and Mutiny on the Bounty.

How did Warner Brothers differentiate itself from other studios during the Golden Age of Hollywood?

Warner Brothers branded itself as the studio of the working class, focusing on low-budget melodramas and gritty gangster movies. They also produced musicals set during the Depression, such as Footlight Parade, often starring James Cagney.

What was the impact of the 1948 U.S. Supreme Court Case on Hollywood's major studios?

The 1948 U.S. Supreme Court Case, known as United States versus Paramount Pictures, forced the major studios to break up their businesses, sell their theaters, and focus solely on production and distribution due to antitrust law violations. This marked the end of their near-complete control over the industry.

What was the significance of Technicolor in the development of color cinematography?

Technicolor revolutionized color cinematography with its beam-splitting camera that produced more reliable and accurate colors than previous attempts. It eventually expanded into a three-color process, giving it a virtual monopoly on color film for two decades and significantly influencing the look of films during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Why was the aspect ratio of 4:3 established by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 1932?

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences established a standard aspect ratio of 4:3, also known as the Academy aperture, to standardize the shape of movie screens and ensure consistency in film production and projection.

How did the introduction of widescreen aspect ratios change filmmaking techniques?

The introduction of widescreen aspect ratios, such as 16:9 and 2.35:1, provided filmmakers with more room to fill with visual elements, leading to a focus on composition and long takes over editing. Filmmakers had to adjust their framing techniques, especially for close-ups, and found that certain genres like westerns and large-scale epics were particularly suited to the widescreen format.

What was the role of anamorphic lenses in the transition to widescreen cinema?

Anamorphic lenses played a crucial role in the transition to widescreen cinema by allowing cameras to record a wider image that was laterally squeezed to fit onto standard 35mm film stock. When projected, a similar lens on the projector would 'unsqueeze' the image, creating a widescreen aspect ratio and enhancing the cinematic experience.