The 1920s saw the rise of the Hollywood studio system, which came to dominate the American film industry. The major studios, such as Paramount, MGM, and Warner Bros., were responsible for financing, producing, and distributing films. This allowed them to exert a great deal of control over the content of films and the careers of actors and filmmakers.
The development of sound film
The introduction of sound technology in the late 1920s brought about a revolutionary change in the way films were made. Silent films were replaced by "talkies", and filmmakers and actors used sound to enrich the narrative and atmosphere of their films. The transition to sound was not without its challenges, however, as some actors struggled to adapt to the new medium.
The emergence of stars
The studio system led to the emergence of movie stars, whose fame reached unprecedented levels. Some of the most iconic stars of the 1920s included Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, and Marlene Dietrich. These stars often enjoyed enormous popular appeal and could command sky-high salaries.
The diversification of genres
During the 1920s, Hollywood expanded its output to include a variety of genres beyond the traditional Westerns and comedies. Genres such as musicals, gangster films, and horror films gained popularity, and filmmakers began to experiment with more creative and complex narratives.
The impact of censorship
The 1920s also saw the rise of film censorship, particularly in the form of the Hays Code. This code, which went into effect in 1930, prohibited the depiction of certain "salacious" or "immoral" subjects in films. This had a significant impact on the content of films produced during the decade.
Overall, the 1920s was a period of tremendous innovation and change in the film industry. These developments set the stage for the subsequent rise of Hollywood as the world's dominant film producer.