The Golden Age of Hollywood and its glamour continue to define the film industry a century later. Even after we have ushered in a new, contemporary period of filmmaking, timeless talents like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart are still the faces of an ever-changing industry. Between the introduction of technicolor and the grand sets and performances that continue to inspire filmmakers in the 2020s, most of what came out of the Golden Age is unforgettable and remains a prominent point in United States history. Despite its stature, this legendary age of Hollywood wrapped decades ago. What caused the Golden Age of Hollywood to come to an end?

What Is the Golden Age?

Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine looking seriously at something off-camera in Casablanca.
Image via. Warner Bros. 

When discussing the Golden Age of Hollywood, what most people think of are black-and-white photos of famous faces, pearls and flashing camera lights on the red carpet, and the notable Hollywood sign that people travel far and wide to see. However, the era was mostly defined by what was happening behind the scenes, such as advancements in technology.

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The exact timeline of the Golden Age is often disputed and varies in start and end dates. Some say the age was finished by the 1950s, while others say it remained until the late 1970s. This depends on what exactly you call the Golden Age. People label only the years of technological advancement as the real Golden Age, which is a shorter period, and others include the years of film that were directly impacted by those advancements, which would lead practically into the 1980s. Other sources say the end of the Golden Age came with the start of World War II in 1939. Therefore, in some cases, this iconic Hollywood age is said to have started in the 1910s and finished in the late 1970s.

During this time, new advancements and revelations were being made in filmmaking, giving audiences iconic pictures like Casablanca (1942) and Vertigo (1958). Movie stars spoke with a Trans-Atlantic accent and the industry was run by five production titans that were then known as the "Big Five": Paramount, 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros., RKO Radio Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Studios. Other smaller studios in the picture were Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures, and United Artists. Some of these studios are still around today and have since reached media conglomerate status, or were purchased by one. Golden Age stars like Rita Hayworth and Cary Grant were often signed with one of these studios, meaning they would only star in films that one studio produced while under a contract with them. Signing these well-known and beloved actors happened to guarantee audiences for studios' films.

Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember
Image via 20th Century Fox

This period is not dubbed "golden" for its glamorization of fame and fortune, but rather the large increase in films being produced, as well as what was happening behind the camera. The move from silent films to "talkies" allowed filmmakers, writers, and actors to push boundaries when it came to what defined making a movie at the time. The introduction of sound to filmmaking made a plethora of room for movie musicals, which became wildly popular at the time. The combination of sound with technicolor was jaw-dropping, with one production year seeing up to 40 on-screen musicals. Some of the most popular films include The Wizard of Oz (1939), The Sound of Music (1965), and Singin' in the Rain (1952), with the latter having inspired present-day musicals such as La La Land (2016).

Another factor of movie-making that changed was the writing. The inclusion of audio production opened the door for more extensive dialogue, rather than simply text on a screen, and allowed for more complex plots and storytelling in films. Leaning more into the plot created the classic Golden Age genres like westerns and comedies. There was also the beginning of using multiple sets instead of one stage, as well as the overall creativity and uniqueness displayed in this era of film that resulted from technological discoveries and risks. All of this, combined with the start of major picture studio systems, caused an explosion of movie-making and movie-going.

So, What Killed the Golden Age?

Singin In The Rain

While, again, the end date of the Golden Age depends on who is asked, many factors closed out this era of filmmaking, as opposed to just one. The biggest culprit is the introduction and popularization of television. Between the mass move to suburbs and the growing number of families, television became a staple for homeowners. The existence of television brought both fear and loathing, with the small screen becoming a serious threat to film and movie theaters.

The television made more media more accessible, airing everything from sports to news after its invention in 1927. However, many people were initially unsettled by the idea of television. Some critics said that the idea of young people staring at a screen for hours on end made them feel uneasy, seeing it as a danger during the Red Scare and being declared anti-intellectual. Due to this, many films were produced with the theme of the TV's invention and may have even played up the public's fear. One film that explored this was Murder By Television (1935), starring Bela Lugosi, which follows a murder that occurs during a TV demonstration. Nevertheless, television became essential and directly impacted movie theater attendance, a fact similar to the present day regarding streaming services affecting the box office. After starting record labels and theme parks to increase revenue, major studios began to create television shows.

Another fairly direct cause of the Golden Age's downfall was the changes that were made in the major picture studio system. Between owning movie theaters and booking their films to show on the screens, bigger studios were found to have had too much power, and it started to attract legal action. Many Hollywood corporations were viewed as being guilty of violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, as studios were ultimately creating monopolies due to their level of control and lack of regulation. After the case was brought to court, studios were prohibited from owning places that showed only their films, as well as playing more than five of their films in theaters at once. This also had an impact on the contracts studios had with their stars, causing them to have to find new ways to make their productions unique. Another direct effect of this was the rise of independent and art house productions and theaters.

While the Golden Age of Hollywood paved the way for films we know and love today, and its glamour is still beloved, there was not much room for films from smaller studios. The framework for the industry has changed tremendously in this respect, while also still being dominated by bigger corporations. Additionally, the signing and treatment of movie stars in the early and mid-20th century may have laid the framework for intense fame and obsession with on-screen talent, well before the existence of social media. However, the desire for different stories from the ones audiences got at the time allows for a new kind of creativity and further pushing of boundaries when it comes to movies and technology. Still, audiences and filmmakers alike will not soon forget the era that defined and produced timeless, visually stunning stories.