CTCS 392
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FILM 1925-1950
SPRING 2008
INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Rick Jewell, Hugh M. Hefner Professor of American Film
OFFICE: George Lucas Bldg., Room 404N;
TEACHING ASSISTANT: Kristen Fuhs ()
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION: CTCS 392 examines the development of the Hollywood feature film during the “Golden Era” of the studio system. Special attention will be paid to historical backdrop, business practices, technological developments, censorship, narrative strategies and style, genres, stars and to certain exemplary films produced during the period.
2. TEXT BOOKS: Casper, Drew. Postwar Hollywood, 1946-1962. Malden, MA.: Blackwell, 2007.
Jewell, Richard B. The Golden Age of Cinema: Hollywood, 1929-1945. Malden, MA.: Blackwell, 2007.
3. REQUIREMENTS:
ONE TERM PAPER (10 page minimum). Due: April 14th (30 % of final grade)
MID-TERM EXAM March 10th (30 % of final grade)
FINAL EXAM Monday, May 12th, 7-9 p.m. (30 % of final grade)
DISCUSSION GROUP PARTICIPATION (10% of final grade)
a. The MID-TERM and FINAL EXAMS will cover lectures, screenings, assigned readings, handouts and discussions and will be primarily essay in nature.
b. PENALTY SCHEDULE FOR LATE PAPERS: The final grade assigned to a late term paper will be lowered as follows:
One day to one week: 1/3 letter grade
One week to two weeks: One full letter grade
Two weeks to three weeks: Two full letter grades
More than three weeks: Paper receives a grade of F
CTCS 392 -- Page 2
c. MISSING AN EXAM, INCOMPLETES: The only acceptable excuses for missing an exam or taking an incomplete in the course are personal illness or a family emergency (such as a death). Students must inform the professor or t.a. before the exam and present verifiable evidence in order for a make-up to be scheduled. Students who wish to take incompletes must also present documentation of the problem to the instructor or t.a.
d. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: The School of Cinematic Arts expects the highest standards of academic excellence and ethical performance from USC students. It is particularly important that you are aware of and avoid plagiarism, cheating on exams, submitting a paper to more than one instructor, or submitting a paper authored by anyone but yourself. Violations of this policy will result in a failing grade and be reported to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. If you have any questions or doubts about these policies, consult “SCampus” and/or confer with the professor or t.a.
e. STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES: Any student requesting academic accommodations based on a disability is required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me (or the lead T.A.) as early in the semester as possible. DSP is located in STU 301 and is open 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The phone number for DSP is (213) 740-0776.
4. OFFICE HOURS: My office is in Room 404N, located on the fourth floor of the George Lucas Instructional Building. I will hold office hours on Mondays from 4 to 5:30 and Thursdays from 2:30 to 3:15. Please sign up for an appointment at the reception desk in Critical Studies.
SYLLABUS
WEEK 1 -- January 14
Introduction
1. General Introduction to the course
2. The film industry and the studio system
Screening: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936--Frank Capra, Columbia)
Readings: None
CTCS 392 --Page 3
WEEK 2 -- January 28
Historical Overview I
1. Economic, social and political impact of the Depression on the U.S.
2. The pre-war period and World War II years
Screening: A Guy Named Joe (1943, Victor Fleming, MGM)
Readings: Jewell, Introduction, Chapter 1
WEEK 3 – February 4
Historical Overview II
1. Post-war America
Screening: Bachelor Mother (1939—Garson Kanin, RKO)
Readings: Casper, pp. 3-7, 11-13, 14-21, 23-35
WEEK 4 -- February 11
Business Practices I
1. Hollywood economics
2. Production practices of the major studios
Screening: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946—Frank Capra, Liberty/RKO)
Readings: Jewell, Chapter 2
WEEK 5 -- February 25
Business Practices II; Technology I
- Distribution and exhibition during the studio system era
- The coming of sound and its effect on Hollywood
Screening: Love Me Tonight (1932 – Rouben Mamoulian, Paramount)
Readings: Casper, pp. 39-50; Jewell, Chapter 3
CTCS 392 -- Page 4
WEEK 6 – March 3
Technology II; Censorship I
- The development of color filmmaking in Hollywood
- “Pre-Code” Hollywood
Screening: The Adventures of Robin Hood (1937 – William Keighley and Michael Curtiz,
Warner Bros.)
Readings: Casper, pp.91-94, 97-120; Jewell, Chapter 4
WEEK 7 -- March 10
MID-TERM EXAM
Screening: Marked Woman (1937—Lloyd Bacon, Warner Bros.)
WEEK 8 -- March 24
Censorship II; Style and Narrative Strategies I
1. Motion picture censorship practices after July 1934
2. Hollywood’s “invisible” style and Aristotelian approach to narrative
Screening: Stagecoach (1939—John Ford, Wanger/ United Artists)
Readings: Casper, 121-123; Jewell, Chapter 5
WEEK 9 -- March 31
Style and Narrative Strategies II
- Narrative and stylistic exploration of Stagecoach
- A new stylistic approach: film noir
Screening: T-Men (1948—Anthony Mann, Eagle-Lion)
Readings: Casper, pp. 349-393
WEEK 10 -- April 7
Genres I
- The studios’ commitment to film genres
- The “classical” western
Screening: The Gunfighter (1950—Henry King, Twentieth Century-Fox)
Readings: Jewell, Chapter 6
CTCS 392 – Page 5
WEEK 11 -- April 14
Genres II; The Star and the Star System I
- The “revisionist” western
- The star system
Screening: The Philadelphia Story (1940—George Cukor, MGM)
Readings: Casper, pp. 336-347
*********************************TERM PAPER DUE*************************
WEEK 12 -- April 21
The Star and the Star System II
- Katharine Hepburn’s star trajectory
- The most populat stars
Screening: Going My Way (1944—Leo McCarey, Paramount)
Readings: Jewell, Chapter 7
WEEK 13 -- April 28
Conclusion
1. The end of the studio era
2. Conclusion
Screening: Sullivan’s Travels (1941—Preston Sturges, Paramount)
Readings: None
***************FINAL EXAM: Monday, May 12th, 7-9 p.m.**************