Post War Hollywood

1. Post War Hollywood 1945 - 1965

2. 1946 – 1.7 billion gross (highest in 50 years) • 1958 – below a billion • 1962 – 900 million • 1968 – 1.3 billion • 1974 – 2 billion • 1983 – 3 billion • 1989 – 5 billion • 2000 – 7.7 billion

3. Wartime witnessed Hollywood at its most productive. People needed an escape. Hollywood responded by not only providing escape, but also contributed to the war efforts by lending its leading directors to make documentaries for the government. • Hollywood generated a lot of money for the war effort and built considerable goodwill amongst the masses. Movies kept the American audiences updated with news at the war front. Hollywood sent its best directors; Capra, Wyler, Ford, Huston, Zinnemann to make documentaries for the govt. 16mm prints of the latest releases were sent to the army offshore units free of cost. • Prestige and profits increased for Hollywood during the War years. Additionally, War Tax was imposed on cinema tickets and war bonds were sold in theatre lobbies.

4. After the war the relationship between film industry and the govt started to deteriorate. • In 1948, the Federal Supreme Court held a ruling whereby film studios were prompted to relinquish their ties with cinemas. The previously acceptable practise of blockbooking was discouraged for the benefit of free market enterprise. ’48 was the same year TV picked up in the United States.

5. There was also a general shift in American mood. There was a wider distrust of a foreigner. Compounding the problem was the McCarthy witch-hunt, proceedings were already initiated by the House of Un-American Activities Committee in the late 40s, that effectively expelled some of the most promising and talented of talent from Hollywood.

6. It was a sign of things going bad when MGM declared wage cuts and immense layoffs in 1949. Two assets Hollywood used to be proud off turned into liabilities. Acres of land and sound studios were empty and the contract with respective stars, directors and technicians proved to be costly. This, in aid of financial flops like Cleopetra (1963) effectively heralded the end of the Studio System in Hollywood.

7. Other things that effected Hollywood dollars were brought about the new found spending power that the potential audiences acquired: • More things to buy (supermarket boom), • Shift to suburbs, • Long distance holidays made possible. • Music industry

8. All of this resulted in diminishing number of ticket sales. Hollywood responded by; • 3-D films, • New screening formats; Cinerama, Cinemascope, more use of color, • Driveway cinemas, • Films that were less glamorous and had a lesser escapist value. Socially relevant films and Film Noir was a result of this move.