We’re in the Money! Case Studies from American Film History

Historian Douglas Gomery once wrote, “Anytime one sees a movie blockbuster—from George Lucas’ expected regular mega-creations to the unexpected small hit such as The Full Monty—one implicitly understands the continuing economic power of the Hollywood major studios.” While the references are now dated, the narrative remains: the film industry represents one of the most visible businesses of the American century. So how can business historians learn from this critical intersection of culture and economics by studying its parameters? This panel presents three distinct ways of understanding how media studies can help us understand business history. Martin L. Johnson examines how the chemical company DuPont made films in the 1910s and 1920s to promote their new dynamite while demonstrating the importance of moving images outside of traditional theaters and films outside fictional narratives. Susan Ohmer narrates the animation giant Disney and its move to Burbank in 1940, creating a new organizational system through the design of its studio—one that visually promoted a fairy tale land while also alienating its labor. And finally, Peter Labuza looks at the tensions of art and commerce in the 1950s with actress Ida Lupino’s venture into writing and directing and eventually distribution, and how the needs to keep the entrepreneurial business alive came in spiritual conflict with her artistic vision. This panel, featuring a response to the papers by Joanne Yates, features three film historians exploring how monetary concerns have shaped the images audiences saw while going to the movies. Peter Labuza is listed as chair here for the proposal, but we are open to having a chair assigned to us.