Class Notes – General

Question 1

What is the moral panic?

Answer 1

Reaction to the media: unfamiliar rate of adoption… That affects other people – non-straight non-white non-middle class…

Question 2

What is the pathetic fallacy?

Answer 2

Nature response to human conditions or emotions

red dust

Question 3

As part of the moral panic that ensued with many of the films at the tail end of the 20s and into the 30s who were supposedly the most susceptible to this kind of influence? To this moral panic?

Answer 3

“The other “– women, nonwhite, non-middle class/upper class, non-educated, or poorly educated, the vulnerable

As such, the non-other must protect the vulnerable

Question 4

The Golden age – what was this really a reflection of?

Answer 4

The world according to Joseph bring – Hollywood under the code/production of the code! Changed to reality/reflection of unopposed reality.

Question 5

List details of the fil “ladies they talk about”

Answer 5

Warner Bros. 1933 – Howard bretherton

Nan Taylor - Barbara Stanwyck
David Slade - Preston Foster
Linda - Lilian Roth
Mustard (black woman)
Susie (dirty sneak)

Question 6

What was the Paramount decision and when was it made?

Answer 6

In 1948, the Supreme Court ruled that film studios were monopolizing too much; vertical control. Courts ruled that they had to let go of their theaters.

Took 10 years to unravel…

Question 7

Name three reasons why the code fell off in the late 50s

Answer 7

Paramount decision… 1948

Television! – Films distributing back logs to broadcasters

Foreign films! Race year, more bizarre/aesthetically challenging

Question 8

Describe the studio system in the 20s and 30s… Really, leading up to mid 50s.

Answer 8

Dream factory! Big five, little three! MGM, universal, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, paramount…

All inclusive/vertical control. Sophisticated systems for production. Studio’s specific contracts. “Notorious seven-year contract “highly mechanized/industrial

Question 9

Who were the primary influences of the Paramount decision in 1948?

Answer 9

Theatre managers! Complained about this monopolizing system – unable to show the hottest films.

Question 10

What are vice additives?

Answer 10

Imbued films with this content on purpose in order to satisfy the appeal and desires of audiences

Deliberately spice up films “more hot quote to attract audiences

Question 11

Distinguish between the fallen woman films and bad girl films

Answer 11

Fallen woman – forced into situation to survive. Born out of necessity.

Bad girl – out of pleasure. Uses it to get what she wants… Often just to destroy

The code required there repentance/fall

Question 12

List the main characters and players in Babyface

Answer 12

Lily – Barbara Stanwyck

Trentholm – George Brent

Question 13

List of the main characters, players, and director of red dust

Answer 13

Victor Fleming,

Dennis Carson – Clark Gable,
Vantine - Jean Harlow
Barbara - Mary Astor

Question 14

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of red dust

Answer 14

MGM 1932 - Victor Fleming,

Dennis Carson – Clark Gable,
Vantine - Jean Harlow
Barbara - Mary Astor

Question 15

List of the year, production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of little Caesar

Answer 15

Warner Bros. 1931 - Mervyn Leroy (also dir. I am a fugitive from a chain gang; three on a match, gold diggers of 1933; the wizard of oz (uncredited))

Little Caesar (Riko Bandello) - Edward G. Robinson
Mr. Montana

Question 16

Little Cesar represents the symbolic consolidation of many of the factors that led to the gangsters genre. What were these factors?

Answer 16

1) Social environment
- depression. Warfare. Troubled American dream.
Fascination with vigilante figures (Al Capone John Dillinger)

2) Technology – sound. Tommy guns, wardrobe, crime has sound! Tires screeching,

** American mythologies –
impenetrable exceptionalism. (from astronauts to Cowboys to gangsters.… Private investigators even!)
Individual rather than collective.

Question 17

What does the gangster character reflect in social attitude/ideals?

Answer 17

Undercutting of conventional ways of climbing the social/economic ladder.
Embodiment of American exceptionalism (but also criminal that is often considered as a foreign infestation… the dangerous part; Irish, Italian, black, Jewish.

Question 18

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of I am a fugitive from a chain gang

Answer 18

Warner Bros. 1932 - Mervyn Leroy

James Allen - Paul Muni
Based on char. Robert burning
Sebastian (black man)

Question 19

What studio was to social issues as another was to glamour?

Answer 19

Warner Bros. Dash hard realities

Paramount and MGM – glamour

Question 20

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of Heroes for sale

Answer 20

First National Pictures (controlled by Warner Bros. ) 1933 Dir. Williams Wellman (also skyscraper souls)

Ruth - Loretta young
Tom Holmes - MC
Roger (betrayer)
Max

Question 21

What seems so compelling/interesting about the ending to heroes for sale?

Answer 21

Open ended. Situation seemed to have no end… There was a promise with FDR; but it seems like the depression had no end.

Question 22

Heroes for sale and,in part, I am a fugitive from a chain gang are examples of what? – Type of film at this time.

Answer 22

Preachment yards

The finger of judgement - LAW

Question 23

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of Gabriel over the White House

Answer 23

MGM 1933 – Gregory la Cava

Judson Hammond – Walter Houston

Question 24

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of Gabriel over the White House

Answer 24

MGM 1933 – Gregory la Cava

Judson Hammond – Walter Houston

Question 25

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of The film that exemplifies wisecracking

Answer 25

Footlight parade – Warner Bros. – 1933 Dir. Lloyd Bacon

Chester Kent –James Cagney
Nan – Joan Blondel

Question 26

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of Skyscraper souls

Answer 26

1932Edgar Selwyn

David White – warren William
Lynn – Maureen O’Sullivan
Jenny – Anita page

Question 27

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of The Black Cat

Answer 27

Universal pictures 1934
Edgar G. Unmer
Hjalmar Poelzig - Boris Karloff
Dr. Vitus Wedegast - Bella Lugosi

Question 28

List of the production company, director and main characters (and their characters) of Tarzan and his mate

Answer 28

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1934 – Cedric gibbons James McKay

Tarzan – Johnny Weissmuller
Jane - Marino Sullivan