1939 The Year in Movies: A Comprehensive Filmography

By Thomas D. Flannery and Tom Flannery

The scene: the year 1939 in America. FDR and his New Deal had gotten us past the worst of the Depression, the New York World's Fair opened, World War II was still European.The Wizard of Oz, Stagecoach, Gone with the Wind, Wuthering Heights, Beau Geste, Drums Along the Mohawk, Ninotchka, Gunga Din, Of Mice and Men, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Jimmy Stewart was in five in 1939, as was Henry Fonda): The movies of 1939 reflected the mood of the nation. People followed the Yellow Brick Road, Garbo laughed, and Gable shocked sensibilities by uttering the word damn!It was a year of big stars and bigger studios. The five majors--Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century-Fox, MGM and RKO--not only made and distributed films, but ran their own theater chains as well (nearly 2800 nationwide). With numerous lesser companies as well, the late thirties was the most prolific time for moviemaking in history.This heavily illustrated work examines over 125 of the famous and the obscure films of 1939 (Ronald Reagan also made at least five of them), including series. Cast and credits are given, as well as lengthy synopses in many cases. An extensive index concludes the book.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0899504663
• ISBN13: 9780899504667
• Release Date: January 1990
• Publisher: McFarland & Company
• Length: 302 Pages
• Weight: 1.34 lbs.