Hollywood at War

Studio executive Walter Wanger (d. 1968) describes how World War II is affecting the motion picture industry in this Nov. 15, 1942, article. He notes that movie audiences are increasing, and suggests that because of gas rationing, the local movie house will become  the leading entertainment center. Wanger also describes the effect of a $5,000 limit on movie sets [$65,094.52 USD 2009] in terms of recycling materials and notes that costumes are being made of less expensive materials. The importance of conserving film stock means more rehearsals and fewer takes, he says. And he also notes moviemakers’ response to the loss of actors (and extras) to the military. Wanger apparently died of a heart attack in his New York apartment, where he lived quietly after a rather turbulent career, which culminated in the 1962 Elizabeth Taylor-Richard Burton opus/debacle "Cleopatra." He served 102 days at a county prison farm for the 1951 shooting of agent Jennings Lang over an alleged affair with Wanger’s wife, Joan Bennett. His prison experience prompted him to produce the film "I Want to Live," about the Barbara Graham case. He was also president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Comments

[Native Angeleno]

What a great, airtight, concise article, very telling of the spirit of life---sacrifice---during WW2.

Wanger's vision of the future movie bill, with 2 smaller features plus cartoon, had by the '60s become a thing of the past. Now in the theater we get interminable obnoxious loud previews appealing to the lowest common denominator among us, telling the entire story of each film, unnecessarily revealing most of the plot, often running over 15 minutes, and even a commercial or two before the single movie, the experience ending with the credits that also run a good ten minutes signalling us to please scurry out. There is little sense conveyed of a moviegoing entertainment package on the screen. Of course, Wanger could not have foretold television's role in giving us that, neverending---and yet, look at the deplorable state of tv today, and the relative fewer who watch it any more, in favor of playing on the pc for a completely different, self-directed, sense of satisfaction.