Who'S in the Money?: The Great Depression Musicals and Hollywood's New Deal

During 1933, Harry and Jack Warner, along with other studio moguls, attempted to reverse Roosevelt's policies within their studio and industry by creating a National Recovery Administration (NRA) code of practice for the motion picture industry. This code aimed to curtail workers' rights and salaries, serving the economic pain of the Depression onto artists and craftsmen rather than owners or management. This book explores the connections and tensions between Warner Bros. and the Roosevelt administration during this period, providing new insights into the legacy of the Great Depression, the Hollywood studio system, and President Roosevelt's New Deal program.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 31 January 2018
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

During 1933, the relationship between Warner Bros. and the Roosevelt administration was characterized by both connections and tensions. Harry and Jack Warner, prominent advocates and fundraisers for President Franklin Roosevelt's 1932 presidential campaign, played significant roles in supporting his New Deal legislation through successful Great Depression musicals like 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933, and Footlight Parade. However, while the Warner brothers portrayed themselves as exemplars of the New Deal in their movies and real life, they secretly sought to reverse Roosevelt's policies within their studio and the film industry.

This groundbreaking book delves into the bitter and little-known struggle that took place in Hollywood and Washington, D.C., during 1933. It examines the efforts to create a National Recovery Administration (NRA) code of practice for the motion picture industry. The NRA was designed to address the economic pain of the Great Depression and promote fair wages and workers' rights.

However, Harry and Jack Warner, along with other studio moguls, manipulated New Deal legislation to curtail workers' rights and salaries rather than bolstering both sides of the labor/management divide as intended by NRA regulations. Their goal was to serve the economic pain of the Depression as much as possible onto artists and craftsmen, rather than owners or management.

The creation of the NRA code for the motion picture industry is a captivating story of financial survival, political intrigue, and backstabbing during the worst of the Great Depression. It sheds light on the struggles of Hollywood stars and employees to win a fair share of the proceeds of their labor, amidst the backdrop of the Hollywood studio system and the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt.

This book offers extensive primary research on the creation of the NRA's motion picture code, providing new insights into the process. It offers students of U.S. history a fresh and entertaining way to examine the legacy of the Great Depression, the Hollywood studio system, and the presidency of Franklin Roosevelt.

Weight: 406g
Dimension: 158 x 234 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781474429412