Luxurious cinemites and the great depression: labour, stardom and Stand-In (1937)

Unlike more celebrated Hollywood-on-Hollywood films, Walter Wanger’s neglected screwball comedy Stand-In (1937) emphasizes the centrality of labour to studio-era production. Besides climaxing with a highly unusual, if carefully negotiated spectacle industrial action by Hollywood’s rank and file workers, film departs further from other self-reflexive movies defining stardom in relation gender focusing on topical contentious issues star salaries child (via parody Shirley Temple). With aid wide array primary secondary materials – including newspapers magazines, entertainment trade press, documents Production Code Administration as well detailed textual scrutiny, this essay examines Stand-In’s depiction Hollywood economic, social challenges Great Depression posed studio The article proposes that film’s comic framework allows it deliver an uncommonly upfront, conflicted critique contemporary motion picture business.