The period between the Great Depression and World War II, from the 1920s through the late 1940s, is known as Hollywood’s Golden Age. I’m a huge fan of films from the 1930s and ’40s—the era when Bette Davis captivated audiences as Mildred Rogers in Of Human Bondage (1934), battled with Jack Warner, and worked with Cary Grant to run the Hollywood Canteen. It’s also the decade that saw Errol Flynn break out as Peter Blood in Captain Blood (1935). Flynn’s life off-screen was just as dramatic as his roles: he traveled to Europe to report on the Spanish Civil War, had a controversial friendship with Nazi sympathizer Herman Erben, and later supported the Cuban Revolution—not to mention his notorious reputation as a womanizer.
Then there was Marlene Dietrich, who starred in her first American film, Morocco (1930), alongside Gary Cooper. Dietrich was a fashion icon, openly bisexual (remember the kiss Lola Lola gives to another woman in The Blue Angel?), and fiercely political. When the Nazi Party approached her during World War II, she refused to work with them and instead recorded anti-Nazi records. I could go on about Mae West in She Done Him Wrong (1933), the Marx Brothers, and other stars whose films pushed boundaries and sparked controversy.
Actors during this time were often bold and politically active. They had strong personalities, took professional risks, and led eventful lives. It was a transformative period in film history, as Hollywood shifted from silent films to talkies and musicals. New genres emerged, and many of the biggest stars got their start. I’m not saying movies were better back then, just different, and I really appreciate that difference. It’s similar to how I enjoy thrillers from the 1970s like The French Connection and Serpico and still get a thrill from more recent films like Pulp Fiction, The Usual Suspects, Narc, and the excellent Smokin’ Aces by Joe Carnahan.
Since I began writing my script, I’ve been asked more than once why I chose this Golden Age period as the backdrop. I hope this post sheds some light on my reasons. I still have a lot of research to do, and I don’t have the opportunity to connect with experts in this part of movie history, so it may take me months—or even years—to complete. But I’m determined to finish this script, taking the time I need to get it right.
As for getting it produced and directing it myself—well, let’s not put the cart before the horse. 😉