The advent of the first talkie, The Jazz Singer (1927), marks the beginning of a rapid evolution in the business and art of motion pictures, with Hollywood taking center stage as the Mecca of movie production. While the silent era certainly had it's luminaries, only a few were able to cross over the boundary laid down by the invention of sound. Hence, the decade of the 1930's came to be a renaissance defined by it's own stars, artistic innovations, new film genres and industry culture. Arising as it did in the midst of the Great Depression, the Hollywood Dream Machine was fueled by and continued to feed America's thirst for escapism. The decade of the 1930's also saw the rise of the studio system, with the eight major studios marketing their own "brand" of films, stable of stars, and collectively were responsible for producing the vast majority of American films.
For many, the symbolic apex of the Hollywood's Golden Age was the year 1939, which arguably produced more great classics then any single year since. "Gone with the Wind," the most successful movie of all time (if adjusted for inflation), emerged as the Oscar victor, with the "The Wizard of Oz," close on it's heels. But other great films crowded on that stage, including "Destry Rides Again," "Stagecoach," "The Women," "Wuthering Heights," "Gunga Din," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," and so on.
The 1940's continued the trend with more great films (Citizen Kane, Casablanca) and iconic stars that would leave an enduring legacy not only on American cinema, but on world cinema. Different sources suggest different dates for when Hollywood's Golden Age came to a close, but many place it's end in the late 1940's with such developments as the advent of television and the decline of the studio system as actors became free agents.
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General Information:
Library: Heights Libraries (Cleveland Heights-University Heights)
(with the CLEVNET Consortium of Libraries)
General LC Number: PN1993.5.U6
General Dewey Number: 791.43
Subject Headings:
Motion pictures--United States--History
Motion picture industry--United States--History
Motion picture industry--United States--Los Angeles--History--20th century.
Motion picture studios--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century.
Motion pictures--California--Los Angeles--History--20th century.
Hollywood (Los Angeles, Calif.)--History--20th century.
Motion picture actors and actresses--United States--Biography.
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Topical Books (Locally Available):
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide (DDC: 791.437 MALTI)
This one-of-a-kind guide to classic movies is from the leading authority on film: Leonard Maltin, author of the bestselling annual "Movie Guide." (from OPAC)
The Great Movies, by Roger Ebert (DDC: 791.43 EBERT)
Summary: Reprints 100 essays published in the between 1996 and 2001. Revisiting classic films that have been largely forgotten as well as more recent masterpieces.
Classic Movie Companion, edited by Robert Moses (DDC: 791.4375 M911C)
Moses, former editor of American Movie Classics (AMC) magazine, guides the reader through 4500 classic Hollywood films made between 1929 and 1979, with brief plot synopses, credits, ratings, running times, and 100 photos. (From Library Journal review)
The Golden Age of Cinema: Hollywood, 1929-1945, by Richard Jewell
(Cleveland Main-LC: PN1993.5 .U6 J49 2007)
This book provides a detailed account of the motion picture business during its formative years, especially in terms of the many technical and artistic innovations of the time.
The Genius of the System: Hollywood Filmmaking in the Studio Era, by Thomas Schatz (Cleveland Main-LC: PN1993.5.U65 S3 2010)
Describes the Hollywood studio system in detail, showing how artistry and business combined to produce one of cinema's golden ages.
Leading Men: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actors of the Studio Era, by Turner Classic Movies (Cleveland Main, LC: PN1998.A2 M64 2006)
From the definitive resource for classic films, this stylish guide profiles 50 unforgettable leading men of the studio era.
Leading Ladies: The 50 Most Unforgettable Actresses of the Studio Era, by Turner Classic Movies (Cleveland Main, LC: PN1998.2 .L43 2006)
From the definitive resource for classic films, this stylish guide profiles 50 unforgettable leading ladies of the studio era.
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Sources on the Web:
Comprehensive Movie Sites:
Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com)
A comprehensive source on all aspects of cinema and television. This site extends far beyond the scope of Hollywood's Golden Age. But, armed with the name of a movie, actor, director, etc, a searcher can uncover an extensive amount of information.
All Movies (www.allmovies.com)
Another popular, general source on the Internet for movies and actors. Searches for specific figures will offer biographical information.
More Specific to Hollywood's Golden Age:
Reel Classics (www.reelclassics.com)
The Internet's most comprehensive site dedicated exclusively to Classic Movies. Comprising over 2500 pages and more than 3 gigabytes of content (with much more on the way), it may well be the biggest too. (From the Website.)
Modern Times (www.moderntimes.com)
This site houses features on areas such as Classic Films, B-Films, Black Americans in Film, Screwball Comedy, as well as on individual artists. Movies can be browsed by decade and a useful bibliography is provided.
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Brief Lists of Films and Celebrities:
These lists are only meant to provide a helpful starting point for learning about some of the signature titles and celebrities of the period. Note: many of these celebrities had careers beyond the period of the 1930's and 1940's. And for easy reference, they have been linked to their pages at the Internet Movie Database.
Golden Age Films:
Bringing Up Baby, Casablanca, Citizen Kane, City Lights, Duck Soup, Gone with the Wind, Gunga Din, It Happened One Night, It’s a Wonderful Life, King Kong, Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, A Night at the Opera, Notorious, The Philadelphia Story, Pride of the Yankees, Red River, Stagecoach, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Top Hat, Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The Wizard of Oz, Wuthering Heights.
Note: these films are available on DVD through CLEVNET's Consortium of Libraries.
Golden Age Actors:
Fred Astaire, Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Gary Cooper, Errol Flynn, Clark Gable, Cary Grant, Boris Karloff, Marx Bros (Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo), Lawrence Olivier, William Powell, Claude Rains, Edward G. Robinson, Mickey Rooney, James Stewart, Spencer Tracy, John Wayne, Johnny Weissmuller.
Golden Age Actresses:
Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Claudette Colbert, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Marlene Dietrich, Irene Dunne, Greta Garbo, Ava Gardner, Judy Garland, Jean Harlow, Rita Hayworth, Katharine Hepburn, Vivian Leigh, Carol Lombard, Myrna Loy, Rosalind Russell, Barbara Stanwick, Shirley Temple, Lana Turner, Mae West, Fay Wray.
Golden Age Directors:
Frank Capra, George Cukor, Cecil B. DeMille, John Ford, Victor Fleming, Howard Hawks, Alfred Hitchcock, George Stevens, Preston Sturges, Orson Welles.
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Sources For Local Events (Cleveland Area)
These Cleveland locations show a variety of films, some of them classics.
The Cleveland Museum of Art, (www.clevelandart.org)
(11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106; 216-421-7340)
Features documentaries, modern independent and foreign films as well as occasional classics. See the website for a schedule.
The Cleveland Institute of Art Cinematheque, (www.cia.edu/cinematheque)
(11141 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH 44106; 216-421-7450)
Features modern independent and foreign films as well as occasional classics. See the website for a schedule.
Other Sources:
Filmfestivals.com (www.filmfestivals.com)
As advertised, this site is devoted to news about film festivals all over the world, many of which are devoted fully or partly to classics. The site also offers thoughtful reviews and services for professionals.
The Great Lakes Cinephile Society (www.cinephiles.org)
This Michigan-based society sponsors an annual Cinesation festival to promote silents and early talkies. This year's Cinesation takes place in Massillon, Ohio.
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The Marx Brothers: A Scene from "A Night at the Opera."
