The Great Depression And World War II

In the early 1900’s, as films stated centering their focus on profit, large scale studios came onto the film scene. The studios that were discussed in the chapter were: Universal, United Artists, Paramount, Warner Bros, MGM, Fox, Columbia, and RKO. These studios employed some of the biggest names in the film world at the time. Many of these studios are still in business today, and have given prominent actors and directors their shot at fame. Universal was the first studio to move to the west coast. They produced popular films such as The

During the course of this essay it is my intention to discuss the differences between Classical Hollywood and post-Classical Hollywood. Although these terms refer to theoretical movements of which they are not definitive it is my goal to show that they are applicable in a broad way to a cinema tradition that dominated Hollywood production between 1916 and 1960 and which also pervaded Western Mainstream Cinema (Classical Hollywood or Classic Narrative Cinema) and to the movement and changes that came about following this time period (Post-Classical or New Hollywood). I intend to do this by first analysing and defining aspects of Classical Hollywood and having done that,

This paper was prepared for Introduction to Film History, Module 1 Homework Assignment, taught by Professor Stephanie Sandifer.

Modernism began around the late 1800s or early 1900s, with artists and writers in Europe producing many extraordinary and influential works. This period spans many events, including both World Wars and the Great Depression. World War I appeared to be a major event that helped to start Modernism; this was because of the destruction and ruin that came from it and events that followed. This poem is consistent with the values of Modernism because of alienation, time, and self- consciousness; however, it continues to resonate with readers today because isolation, change, and insecurities are things that humans may face.

Many Americans still think that the Great Depression was caused by the stock market crashing, on October 29, 1929. What is true that most economists think now is that the stock market crash alone could not be fully to blame. There were many factors into creating the nationwide depression. The first being that the “Roaring 20’s” was the first time North Carolinians and their American counterparts could buy a lot more of the new consumer items, like washers and toasters, on newly available credit. The wealthy elite along with the new American business class, could not wait to come down to and enjoy leisure activities like the Grove Park Inn in Asheville, North Carolina, to spend all of that disposable free-flowing money. This was also one of the first times that average, middle-class people had more freedom because they had more income. In addition, banks in our state, as well as other states in the union, were small and unprotected. That means that when a bank went bankrupt, they could not pay back all of their loans or savings. Many farmers in North Carolina started to mechanize their new, larger farms to compete with other farms. This increased supply and dropped demand, lowered the price of food and made it harder to pay back the loans for the new tractors and machinery when the banks got into trouble for over-extending credit. Our state, like our small banks, did not depend on handouts from the Federal Government like

As Canada was maturing, many currencies were circulating throughout the colonies. “It was not until the Province of Canada’s revised Currency Act of 1857 that dollars and cents were recognized as the only official units of Canadian currency” (Vardy, J., 2005, p 3) “Silver and bronze coins, denominated in cents and bearing the word “Canada” issued for the first time in 1858, were the first distinctive Canadian Currency”. This currency was referred to as Dominion Notes and could be issued by “commercial banks, private enterprises and governments” (Vardy, J. , 2005,p 3). These notes “became the official currency of Canada in 1876” (Vardy, J., 2005, p 3).

The years surrounding the Great Depression and World War II were neither pleasant domestically nor internationally. During the Great Depression, businesses and industries fell rapidly, people became unemployed, and chaos ensued in trying to pick the global economy back up. Like every other industry, the movie industry, albeit a few years later than others, suffered a massive dip. Despite the conditions, however, many Americans still went to see movies, averaging around 60 to 80 million patrons every week. During this time, movies were not necessarily a means of escaping real world problems despite the fact that they did help to keep morale stable. Instead, movies that were produced in this era could be seen more as following a trend of realism, as we saw a rise in criminal, gangster, and scandal movies (Hollywood).

Faced with the Great Depression and World War II, Franklin D. Roosevelt, nicknamed “FDR,” guided America through its greatest domestic crisis, with the exception of the Civil War, and its greatest foreign crisis. His presidency—which spanned twelve years—was unparalleled, not only in length but in scope. FDR took office with the country mired in a horrible and debilitating economic depression that not only sapped its material wealth and spiritual strength, but cast a pall over its future. Roosevelt 's combination of confidence, optimism, and political savvy—all of which came together in the experimental economic and social programs of the "New Deal"—helped bring about the beginnings of a national recovery.

At the end of World War II, about seventy-two million people died. As tragic as this fact sounds, peace was still kept during and after the war. After the war, the formation of the United Nations helped negotiate and maintain peace, and during the war more jobs helped get the United States out of its biggest economic crisis, the Great Depression. Although, some economists argue that by creating more jobs during World War II, put America into even more debt than the country was already in. Standards of living lessened during the end of the Depression and the start of the war, but people understood the changed lifestyle was for a good cause. During World War II, The Great Depression and the United Nations helped create peace of mind in the

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was the thirty-second U.S president, and the only president to be elected four times. He led American through the trials of the Great Depression and World War II. He was born on January 30, 1882 in New York. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s curiosity, persistence, and self- confidence served to be extremely helpful traits through his presidency. When he combines all of his super powers together it makes an amazing success story. Sadly Roosevelt’s life was brutally taken by the deadly disease called polio in Georgia in 1945 from polio, a highly infectious viral disease; he still managed to lead this country to providence without fail. His is a president worthy of reputation; He was the beacon of light that led America to

Overall description of the group (demographics: education, income, location, marriage, children, etc., percentage of the population)

Inspiration was instilled to society during the four terms U.S. president Franklin D. Roosevelt held office. He led the United States through the Great Depression and World War II. He was a man who symbolized change, progress, and hope and effectively restored the faith several individuals lost as a result of the depression and war. By the time Roosevelt took office in March of 1933 as the 32nd president, there were 13 million unemployed Americans, and hundreds of banks were closed. Roosevelt faced the greatest crisis in American history since the Civil War. During the economic depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s biggest goal was to get people back to work, getting them fed, sheltered, and fixing the economy. During World War II Franklin Roosevelt’s aspiration was to save the world from utter collapse. He had to persuade the Americans to help Britain and France fight against dictator Hitler. He had to deal with Japan 's demands. When they attacked he put the U.S. into the war to fight off Japan and Germany. He then worked closely with France, England and Russia to defeat the Nazis. He also had an idea to join forces with the Allies to create the United Nations. Despite the conflicts worldwide, he sought to improve the state of the American nation to one all could be proud of. His social programs during the Great Depression redefined the role of government in Americans ' lives. His role during World War II established the United States ' leadership on the world

After WW1 the Great Depression had a very late impact on the major film companies in France, when it did, it unfortunately caused several film studios to go bankrupt, then in the late 1920’s to 1930’s many small film companies and groups emerged giving birth to the tendency called poetic realism. Because the large companies who made films with a focus on making money were gone the filmmakers and artists were able to concern themselves with the art of film, they often took poetic innovations that we can associate with impressionism or surrealism and combined them to create a more realistic style of narrative filmmaking. Therefore these films stylistic techniques have been influenced by the political and economical historical contexts that took place in France that has enhanced these films aesthetic. The growth of political awareness had then reflected in the films of this time, thus the enormous historical impact that effected France’s films and industry. The question can be asked, how did these social, political and economic issues of France at the time come thought the arts and cinema and start a very impactful thread of films.

The 1940’s and the years former were globally some of the hardest times to date. Emerging from the First World War, the Great Depression, and on the brink of another war, it’s no surprise that films of the time began reflecting the dark and troubled world of the 40’s. The rise of Film Noir and its consequential impact on Hollywood was no small feat, and there is no doubt to Film Noir’s importance in film history. But like any genre, it was developed slowly and surely from those beforehand. German Expressionism played a large role in forming Film Noir’s distinct styles, in particular the movements’ use of visuals to create emotional or psychological responses.

First, let’s take a look at the beginnings of the cinemas in general. Motion pictures began with Eadward Muybridge’s task to find out if all four hooves of a horse ever left the ground. He discovered that indeed they did, by lining up twelve cameras and having the horse trigger them when it broke the strings. Consequently, Muybridge inspired Edison to figure out a way to have real projection and in 1893 he did just that with the help of Laurie Dickson, calling it the Kinetoscope. Edison then built a film studio that “could rotate to let in the light of the sun through the open roof,” (McMahan pg. 25).