Movies And The Great Depression Essay

Through, The Great Depression and World War II, movies reflected and responded the lives of Americans. The Great Depression which took place during the 1930s, was the greatest economic crisis of the 20th century. The US fought World War II to stop the Japanese and the Natzi attempt of world dominance. Both of these events took a big toll on the morals of Americans which resulted in the desire to escape. While movies in the 1930s were a means of escape for Americans from the Depression, the movies of the 1940s transitioned to a more realistic tone and were dominated by war related themes. Despite the harsh economic times of the depression 60-70 millions Americans continued going to the movies each week. Americans were willing to spend 15 cents each week on a movie because it enabled them to forget about the hard times they were going through. Due to the economic crisis, movie industries such as Hollywood Studios, were forced to focus the movie industry on what americans wanted to watch. Due to the …show more content…
Americans didn't want to escape into a fantasy life, rather a life other than their own. Americans wanted to escape from their struggles. Also, films caused viewers to realize that their situation is not as bad as it seems, boosting moral. Gangster films portrayed American society through a different lense, in the 1930s. The gangsters depicted in the films seemed different than lives of Americans when they were in fact similar. Just as in the lives of gangsters their was a hierarchy so to in american society their is is social ladder which is hard to climb. These films showed the American dream is a myth, especially in qthe times of depression. Gangster films reflected American society during the 1930s, but do the gangster setting Americans could escape from their own lives while relating to the