Golden Age Of Hollywood Essay

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The Golden Age of Hollywood began in the late 1930s with five major film studios at the lead. MGM, Paramount, Warner Brothers, RKO and Fox studios were considered the “Big Five” of all studios, and they controlled the studios like efficient factories that have produced some of cinemas greatest films. The studio system as it was called was a system that managed with, expert efficiency, a studios workforce including but not limited to contracted laborers and had complete control over studio talent. Part of this studio system was the vertical integration of theatre houses that monopolized the film industry and ensuring film distribution to central cities. These practices monopolized the film industry for the Big Five leaving minor movie studios and independent movie houses to unfair practices. In 1948 however, the film industry was forced to change its methods with a Supreme Court ruling nicknamed the Paramount Decision. With this landmark case and with the invention of television the Golden Era of cinema slowly declined and forced major studios to end the system. The days …show more content…

This method was efficient and cost effective to the studios but also guaranteed work and steady pay for its employees. For some talent, however, the idea of working exclusively for a studio and complying with a studio’s contract wasn’t an ideal work environment. The actor was bound by an agreement that assigned films to the talent, controlled their public image and was primarily controlled to perform. Some rebelled against the system like James Cagney who walked off Warner Brothers lot demanding more money and fewer assignments, but most stars found protesting the contract system was counter productive (104). Artists at this time were created, controlled and ultimately protected as artistic property by the

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