Movies – 1930s Early cinema –Feature films, narrative –Talkies –Movies – major form of entertainment by 1920s “Mass Culture” –web of national experience –movies, automobiles, paved roads, radios, telephones, mass circulation magazines, chain stores,… Movies –Number of Theater increase 1929 – 23,000 theaters –Attendance rises million million million

–Impact on society hair styles, clothing, recreation sexual behavior –Depression Attendance does fall, but still substantial About $.25 avg. for ticket, cheap Prizes for moviegoers Various genres – comedy, horror, drama, escapist, crime/gangster Censorship –1920s – state’s adopt laws – ban smoking, pregnant women – not effective –1920s – film industry self-regulates – not effective »Association of Movie Producers »Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America –1930 – Will Hays, Postmaster General, oversees creation of Production Code Administration (PCA)

–Hays Code – not effective either – producers could appeal to other producers Dancing, vulgarity, dress, violence, miscegenation, depiction of venereal disease, childbirth, illegal drug use Gangster movies especially bothersome – The Public Enemy Joe Breen takes over as Production Code Administrator (1934) – strengthens implementation of Code –Studios could be fined $25,000 for showing a film not approved by PCA or Manipulated after PCA approval –Movies Gangster - Little Caesar (1930), The Public Enemy (1931), Scarface (1932), The Roaring Twenties (1939) Horror - Dracula (1931), Frankenstein (1931), Freaks (1932), The Black Cat (1934), The Bride of Frankenstein (1935) Drama -Red Dust (1932), Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), Gone with the Wind (1939) Other – All Quiet on the Western Front (1930), 42 nd Street (1933), Wizard of Oz (1939)