COMM 150 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Donald Ogden Stewart, British War Relief Society, Screwball Comedy Film
Document Summary
The studios developed a system in which personalities or personae became the most valuable commodity. Actors and the promotion of celebrity thus became a major part of doing business. Mgm dominated 1930s (made the philadelphia story) Mgm contracted jimmy stewart, katherine hepburn, and cary grant. Descended from english families with great wealth. Won best actress for morning glory in 1933. Nonconformist attitude, wearing pants and no makeup to interviews made her troubling to the studio heads. Donated all pro t to british war relief. Directed the donald ogden stewart adaptation of the philadelphia story. Comedies deal with the problems that get in the way of something like a good society. Many argue this is about a kind of rebirth from death. Thus, the genre interrogates what gets in the way of social reconciliation. Plot follows the existent society- something gets in the way of the hero"s happiness.
