{"id":5996,"date":"2022-04-04T14:51:06","date_gmt":"2022-04-04T14:51:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/?post_type=chapter&#038;p=5996"},"modified":"2022-09-26T19:04:32","modified_gmt":"2022-09-26T19:04:32","slug":"culture-and-the-arts-during-the-depression","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/chapter\/culture-and-the-arts-during-the-depression\/","title":{"raw":"Culture and the Arts During the Depression","rendered":"Culture and the Arts During the Depression"},"content":{"raw":"<section id=\"fs-idp35729888\" data-depth=\"1\">\r\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\r\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>Describe the ways in which artists reacted to and portrayed the hardships Americans faced during the Depression<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Changing Values, Changing Culture<\/h2>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"260\"]<img src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2015\/08\/23203143\/CNX_History_25_03_Astaire.jpg\" alt=\"A movie poster for Flying Down to Rio shows drawings of four young women in short dresses, with their arms spread out in various poses. The text reads, \u201cStupendous musical! 200 Beauties! Flying Down to Rio with Dolores del Rio, Gene Raymond, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire.\u201d\" width=\"260\" height=\"339\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/> <strong>Figure 1.<\/strong>\u00a0Flying Down to Rio (1933) was the first motion picture to feature the immensely popular dance duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The pair would go on to star in nine more Hollywood musicals throughout the 1930s and 1940s.[\/caption]\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp1401392\">In the decades before the Great Depression, and particularly in the 1920s, American culture largely reflected the values of individualism, self-reliance, and material success through competition. Novels like F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Great Gatsby<\/em> and Sinclair Lewis\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">Babbit<\/em> portrayed wealth and the self-made man in America, albeit in a critical fashion. In film, many silent movies, such as Charlie Chaplin\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Gold Rush<\/em>, depicted the rags-to-riches fable that Americans so loved. With the shift in U.S. fortunes, however, came a shift in values, and with it, a new cultural reflection. The arts revealed a new emphasis on the welfare of the whole and the importance of community in preserving family life. While box office sales briefly declined at the beginning of the Depression, they quickly rebounded. Movies offered a way for Americans to think of better times, and people were willing to pay twenty-five cents for a chance to escape, at least for a few hours.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idm25625152\">Even more than escapism, other films at the close of the decade reflected on the sense of community and family values that Americans struggled to maintain throughout the Depression. John Ford\u2019s screen version of Steinbeck\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Grapes of Wrath<\/em> came out in 1940, portraying the haunting story of the Joad family\u2019s exodus from their Oklahoma farm to California in search of a better life. Their journey leads them to realize that they need to join a larger social movement\u2014communism\u2014dedicated to bettering the lives of all people. Tom Joad says, \u201cWell, maybe it's like Casy says, a fella ain\u2019t got a soul of his own, but on\u2019y a piece of a soul\u2014the one big soul that belongs to ever\u2019body.\u201d The greater lesson learned was one of the strength of community in the face of individual adversity.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp54912768\">Another common narrative was that of the hard-working everyman against greedy banks and corporations. This was perhaps best portrayed in the movies of Frank Capra, whose <em data-effect=\"italics\">Mr. Smith Goes to Washington<\/em> was emblematic of his work. In this 1939 film, Jimmy Stewart plays a legislator sent to Washington to finish out the term of a deceased senator. While there, he fights corruption to ensure the construction of a boy\u2019s camp in his hometown rather than a dam project that would only serve to line the pockets of a few. He ultimately engages in a two-day filibuster, standing up to the power players to do what\u2019s right. The Depression era was a favorite of Capra\u2019s to depict in his films, including <em data-effect=\"italics\">It\u2019s a Wonderful Life<\/em>, released in 1946. In this film, Jimmy Stewart runs a family-owned savings and loan, which at one point faces a bank run similar to those seen in 1929\u20131930. In the end, community support helps Stewart retain his business and home against the unscrupulous actions of a wealthy banker who sought to bring ruin to his family.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\r\n<h3>\u201cBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?\u201d<\/h3>\r\n\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrpFpdey3jA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?<\/a>\u201d first appeared in 1932, written for the Broadway musical <em data-effect=\"italics\">New Americana<\/em> by Jay Gorney, a composer who based the song\u2019s music on a Russian lullaby, and Edgar Yipsel \u201cYip\u201d Harburg, a lyricist who would go on to win an Academy Award for the song \u201cOver the Rainbow\u201d from <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Wizard of Oz<\/em> (1939).\r\n<blockquote>\r\n<div>They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob\r\nWhen there was earth to plow or guns to bear, I was always there, right on the job\r\nThey used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead\r\nWhy should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?\r\nOnce I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time\r\nOnce I built a railroad, now it\u2019s done, Brother, can you spare a dime?\r\nOnce I built a tower up to the sun, brick and rivet and lime\r\nOnce I built a tower, now it\u2019s done, Brother, can you spare a dime?\u2014Jay Gorney and \u201cYip\u201d Harburg<\/div><\/blockquote>\r\nWith its lyrics speaking to the plight of the common man during the Great Depression and the refrain appealing to the same sense of community later found in the films of Frank Capra, \u201cBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?\u201d quickly became the <em data-effect=\"italics\">de facto<\/em> anthem of the Great Depression. Recordings by Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, and Rudy Vallee all enjoyed tremendous popularity in the 1930s.\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp48481728\">Finally, there was a great deal of pure escapism in the popular culture of the Depression. Even the songs found in films reminded many viewers of the bygone days of prosperity and happiness, from Al Dubin and Henry Warren\u2019s hit \u201cWe\u2019re in the Money\u201d to the popular \u201cHappy Days are Here Again.\u201d The latter eventually became the theme song of Franklin Roosevelt\u2019s 1932 presidential campaign. People wanted to forget their worries and enjoy the madcap antics of the Marx Brothers, the youthful charm of Shirley Temple, the dazzling dances of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or the comforting morals of the <em data-effect=\"italics\">Andy Hardy<\/em> series. The Hardy series\u2014nine films in all, produced by MGM from 1936 to 1940\u2014starred Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, and all followed the adventures of a small-town judge and his son. No matter what the challenge, it was never so big that it could not be solved with a musical production put on by the neighborhood kids, bringing together friends and family members in a warm display of community values.<\/p>\r\n<p id=\"fs-idp35750512\">All of these movies reinforced traditional American values, which suffered during these hard times, in part due to declining marriage and birth rates, and increased domestic violence. At the same time, however, they reflected an increased interest in sex and sexuality. While the birth rate was dropping, surveys in <em data-effect=\"italics\">Fortune<\/em> magazine in 1936\u20131937 found that two-thirds of college students favored birth control, and that 50 percent of men and 25 percent of women admitted to premarital sex, continuing a trend among younger Americans that had begun to emerge in the 1920s. Contraceptive sales soared during the decade, and again, culture reflected this shift. Blonde bombshell Mae West was famous for her sexual innuendoes, and her flirtatious persona was hugely popular, although it got her banned on radio broadcasts throughout the Midwest. Whether West or Garland, Chaplin or Stewart, American film continued to be a barometer of American values, and their challenges, through the decade.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/section>\r\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\r\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\r\nhttps:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/f9157472-f9f6-4c6d-a3b5-16ef18664f09\r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\r\n<h3>Review Question<\/h3>\r\n<section>What did the popular movies of the Depression reveal about American values at that time? How did these values contrast with the values Americans held before the Depression?\r\n[reveal-answer q=\"955608\"]Show Answer[\/reveal-answer]\r\n[hidden-answer a=\"955608\"]American films in the 1930s served to both assuage the fears and frustrations of many Americans suffering through the Depression and reinforce the idea that communal efforts\u2014town and friends working together\u2014would help to address the hardships. Previous emphasis upon competition and individualism slowly gave way to notions of \u201cneighbor helping neighbor\u201d and seeking group solutions to common problems. The Andy Hardy series, in particular, combined entertainment with the concept of family coming together to solve shared problems. The themes of greed, competition, and capitalist-driven market decisions no longer commanded a large audience among American moviegoers.[\/hidden-answer]<\/section><\/div>","rendered":"<section id=\"fs-idp35729888\" data-depth=\"1\">\n<div class=\"textbox learning-objectives\">\n<h3>Learning Objectives<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Describe the ways in which artists reacted to and portrayed the hardships Americans faced during the Depression<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<h2 data-type=\"title\">Changing Values, Changing Culture<\/h2>\n<div style=\"width: 270px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/courses-images-archive-read-only\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/884\/2015\/08\/23203143\/CNX_History_25_03_Astaire.jpg\" alt=\"A movie poster for Flying Down to Rio shows drawings of four young women in short dresses, with their arms spread out in various poses. The text reads, \u201cStupendous musical! 200 Beauties! Flying Down to Rio with Dolores del Rio, Gene Raymond, Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire.\u201d\" width=\"260\" height=\"339\" data-media-type=\"image\/jpeg\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>Figure 1.<\/strong>\u00a0Flying Down to Rio (1933) was the first motion picture to feature the immensely popular dance duo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The pair would go on to star in nine more Hollywood musicals throughout the 1930s and 1940s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idp1401392\">In the decades before the Great Depression, and particularly in the 1920s, American culture largely reflected the values of individualism, self-reliance, and material success through competition. Novels like F. Scott Fitzgerald\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Great Gatsby<\/em> and Sinclair Lewis\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">Babbit<\/em> portrayed wealth and the self-made man in America, albeit in a critical fashion. In film, many silent movies, such as Charlie Chaplin\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Gold Rush<\/em>, depicted the rags-to-riches fable that Americans so loved. With the shift in U.S. fortunes, however, came a shift in values, and with it, a new cultural reflection. The arts revealed a new emphasis on the welfare of the whole and the importance of community in preserving family life. While box office sales briefly declined at the beginning of the Depression, they quickly rebounded. Movies offered a way for Americans to think of better times, and people were willing to pay twenty-five cents for a chance to escape, at least for a few hours.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idm25625152\">Even more than escapism, other films at the close of the decade reflected on the sense of community and family values that Americans struggled to maintain throughout the Depression. John Ford\u2019s screen version of Steinbeck\u2019s <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Grapes of Wrath<\/em> came out in 1940, portraying the haunting story of the Joad family\u2019s exodus from their Oklahoma farm to California in search of a better life. Their journey leads them to realize that they need to join a larger social movement\u2014communism\u2014dedicated to bettering the lives of all people. Tom Joad says, \u201cWell, maybe it&#8217;s like Casy says, a fella ain\u2019t got a soul of his own, but on\u2019y a piece of a soul\u2014the one big soul that belongs to ever\u2019body.\u201d The greater lesson learned was one of the strength of community in the face of individual adversity.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp54912768\">Another common narrative was that of the hard-working everyman against greedy banks and corporations. This was perhaps best portrayed in the movies of Frank Capra, whose <em data-effect=\"italics\">Mr. Smith Goes to Washington<\/em> was emblematic of his work. In this 1939 film, Jimmy Stewart plays a legislator sent to Washington to finish out the term of a deceased senator. While there, he fights corruption to ensure the construction of a boy\u2019s camp in his hometown rather than a dam project that would only serve to line the pockets of a few. He ultimately engages in a two-day filibuster, standing up to the power players to do what\u2019s right. The Depression era was a favorite of Capra\u2019s to depict in his films, including <em data-effect=\"italics\">It\u2019s a Wonderful Life<\/em>, released in 1946. In this film, Jimmy Stewart runs a family-owned savings and loan, which at one point faces a bank run similar to those seen in 1929\u20131930. In the end, community support helps Stewart retain his business and home against the unscrupulous actions of a wealthy banker who sought to bring ruin to his family.<\/p>\n<div class=\"textbox key-takeaways\">\n<h3>\u201cBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?\u201d<\/h3>\n<p>\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=VrpFpdey3jA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?<\/a>\u201d first appeared in 1932, written for the Broadway musical <em data-effect=\"italics\">New Americana<\/em> by Jay Gorney, a composer who based the song\u2019s music on a Russian lullaby, and Edgar Yipsel \u201cYip\u201d Harburg, a lyricist who would go on to win an Academy Award for the song \u201cOver the Rainbow\u201d from <em data-effect=\"italics\">The Wizard of Oz<\/em> (1939).<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<div>They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob<br \/>\nWhen there was earth to plow or guns to bear, I was always there, right on the job<br \/>\nThey used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead<br \/>\nWhy should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?<br \/>\nOnce I built a railroad, I made it run, made it race against time<br \/>\nOnce I built a railroad, now it\u2019s done, Brother, can you spare a dime?<br \/>\nOnce I built a tower up to the sun, brick and rivet and lime<br \/>\nOnce I built a tower, now it\u2019s done, Brother, can you spare a dime?\u2014Jay Gorney and \u201cYip\u201d Harburg<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>With its lyrics speaking to the plight of the common man during the Great Depression and the refrain appealing to the same sense of community later found in the films of Frank Capra, \u201cBrother, Can You Spare a Dime?\u201d quickly became the <em data-effect=\"italics\">de facto<\/em> anthem of the Great Depression. Recordings by Bing Crosby, Al Jolson, and Rudy Vallee all enjoyed tremendous popularity in the 1930s.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p id=\"fs-idp48481728\">Finally, there was a great deal of pure escapism in the popular culture of the Depression. Even the songs found in films reminded many viewers of the bygone days of prosperity and happiness, from Al Dubin and Henry Warren\u2019s hit \u201cWe\u2019re in the Money\u201d to the popular \u201cHappy Days are Here Again.\u201d The latter eventually became the theme song of Franklin Roosevelt\u2019s 1932 presidential campaign. People wanted to forget their worries and enjoy the madcap antics of the Marx Brothers, the youthful charm of Shirley Temple, the dazzling dances of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, or the comforting morals of the <em data-effect=\"italics\">Andy Hardy<\/em> series. The Hardy series\u2014nine films in all, produced by MGM from 1936 to 1940\u2014starred Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney, and all followed the adventures of a small-town judge and his son. No matter what the challenge, it was never so big that it could not be solved with a musical production put on by the neighborhood kids, bringing together friends and family members in a warm display of community values.<\/p>\n<p id=\"fs-idp35750512\">All of these movies reinforced traditional American values, which suffered during these hard times, in part due to declining marriage and birth rates, and increased domestic violence. At the same time, however, they reflected an increased interest in sex and sexuality. While the birth rate was dropping, surveys in <em data-effect=\"italics\">Fortune<\/em> magazine in 1936\u20131937 found that two-thirds of college students favored birth control, and that 50 percent of men and 25 percent of women admitted to premarital sex, continuing a trend among younger Americans that had begun to emerge in the 1920s. Contraceptive sales soared during the decade, and again, culture reflected this shift. Blonde bombshell Mae West was famous for her sexual innuendoes, and her flirtatious persona was hugely popular, although it got her banned on radio broadcasts throughout the Midwest. Whether West or Garland, Chaplin or Stewart, American film continued to be a barometer of American values, and their challenges, through the decade.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<div class=\"textbox tryit\">\n<h3>Try It<\/h3>\n<p>\t<iframe id=\"assessment_practice_f9157472-f9f6-4c6d-a3b5-16ef18664f09\" class=\"resizable\" src=\"https:\/\/assess.lumenlearning.com\/practice\/f9157472-f9f6-4c6d-a3b5-16ef18664f09?iframe_resize_id=assessment_practice_id_f9157472-f9f6-4c6d-a3b5-16ef18664f09\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border:none;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:300px;\"><br \/>\n\t<\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"bcc-box bcc-info\">\n<h3>Review Question<\/h3>\n<section>What did the popular movies of the Depression reveal about American values at that time? How did these values contrast with the values Americans held before the Depression?<\/p>\n<div class=\"qa-wrapper\" style=\"display: block\"><span class=\"show-answer collapsed\" style=\"cursor: pointer\" data-target=\"q955608\">Show Answer<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"q955608\" class=\"hidden-answer\" style=\"display: none\">American films in the 1930s served to both assuage the fears and frustrations of many Americans suffering through the Depression and reinforce the idea that communal efforts\u2014town and friends working together\u2014would help to address the hardships. Previous emphasis upon competition and individualism slowly gave way to notions of \u201cneighbor helping neighbor\u201d and seeking group solutions to common problems. The Andy Hardy series, in particular, combined entertainment with the concept of family coming together to solve shared problems. The themes of greed, competition, and capitalist-driven market decisions no longer commanded a large audience among American moviegoers.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t <section class=\"citations-section\" role=\"contentinfo\">\n\t\t\t <h3>Candela Citations<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t <div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <div id=\"citation-list-5996\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <div class=\"licensing\"><div class=\"license-attribution-dropdown-subheading\">CC licensed content, Shared previously<\/div><ul class=\"citation-list\"><li>US History. <strong>Provided by<\/strong>: OpenStax. <strong>Located at<\/strong>: <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http:\/\/openstaxcollege.org\/textbooks\/us-history\">http:\/\/openstaxcollege.org\/textbooks\/us-history<\/a>. <strong>License<\/strong>: <em><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"license\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/\">CC BY: Attribution<\/a><\/em>. <strong>License Terms<\/strong>: Access for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/us-history\/pages\/1-introduction<\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t <\/div>\n\t\t\t <\/section>","protected":false},"author":29,"menu_order":13,"template":"","meta":{"_candela_citation":"[{\"type\":\"cc\",\"description\":\"US History\",\"author\":\"\",\"organization\":\"OpenStax\",\"url\":\"http:\/\/openstaxcollege.org\/textbooks\/us-history\",\"project\":\"\",\"license\":\"cc-by\",\"license_terms\":\"Access for free at https:\/\/openstax.org\/books\/us-history\/pages\/1-introduction\"}]","CANDELA_OUTCOMES_GUID":"786bbefe-027c-479e-a6fc-dbbdc76e6ef1,f45c31d9-f73d-4854-a178-53a7037f4edd","pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-5996","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":258,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/29"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5996\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9581,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5996\/revisions\/9581"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/258"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/5996\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=5996"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=5996"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/courses.lumenlearning.com\/wm-ushistory2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=5996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}