Classic and Golden Age cinema refers to the formative decades of film history — roughly from the 1920s through the 1960s — when the foundations of cinematic language, studio systems, and genre conventions were established. Read more
Who played Charles Foster Kane in 'Citizen Kane'?
EasyOrson Welles both directed and played the title character Charles Foster Kane in Citizen Kane (1941), a role he performed from age 25 to the character's old age through masterful makeup and performance. Kane is loosely based on newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst, who attempted to suppress the film. The film received nine Academy Award nominations but won only for Best Original Screenplay.
William Randolph Hearst, the real-life inspiration for Kane, used all his newspapers and Hollywood connections to destroy the film - refusing to carry any advertising for it and pressuring theatre chains not to screen it. Despite his campaign, Citizen Kane survived and is now ranked by many as the greatest film ever made.
Which 1939 film featured the song 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow'?
EasyThe Wizard of Oz (1939) featured 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' performed by Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale. The song won the Academy Award for Best Original Song and is consistently ranked the greatest song in Hollywood film history. The film was groundbreaking for its transition from sepia to Technicolor upon Dorothy's arrival in Oz.
'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' was nearly cut from The Wizard of Oz by MGM executives who felt it slowed the film down. It was removed after previews, then restored after the film's producer Arthur Freed fought to keep it. The song that was almost deleted became the most celebrated in Hollywood history.
Which comedy duo starred in 'Some Like It Hot' (1959)?
MediumJack Lemmon and Tony Curtis starred as the two cross-dressing musicians in Some Like It Hot (1959), directed by Billy Wilder. Their chemistry as the hapless Joe (Curtis) and Jerry/Daphne (Lemmon) in women's disguises is the comic engine of the film. Lemmon's physical comedy - particularly his growing attachment to his female persona - is widely regarded as one of the greatest comic performances in cinema history.
Tony Curtis's infamous comparison of kissing Marilyn Monroe to 'kissing Hitler' - if he actually said it - came from the extreme difficulty of filming their kissing scenes. Monroe required 59 takes for a simple scene of opening a drawer and saying 'Where's the bourbon?' - the crew reportedly ate the bourbon chocolates used as props between takes until they ran out and had to be replaced.
In 'The Wizard of Oz', what does Dorothy click her heels and say?
EasyDorothy clicks her ruby slippers together three times and says 'There's no place like home' to return to Kansas in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The line has become one of cinema's most quoted and is universally recognised as shorthand for homesickness and the value of familiar comfort.
'There's no place like home' is one of cinema's most universally recognised lines, yet the ruby slippers that make the magic possible weren't in L. Frank Baum's original book - Dorothy wore silver shoes in the novel. The change to ruby red was made specifically to showcase Technicolor, and the visual impact of those vivid red shoes has become so associated with the story that most people assume they were always red.
Who plays the Wicked Witch of the West in 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939)?
MediumMargaret Hamilton plays the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939), creating one of cinema's most memorable villains with her green makeup, cackling laugh, and flying monkeys. Hamilton suffered a serious injury during production when a fire effect went wrong, causing burns to her face and hands. Her performance is considered one of classic Hollywood's greatest villain portrayals.
Margaret Hamilton was burned during the filming of the Wicked Witch's disappearing-in-fire scene - the trapdoor mechanism that was supposed to lower her below the stage before the fire ignited was late, and she was exposed to the flames. She required six weeks of recovery and returned to filming wearing gloves for scenes where her hands needed to be concealed. She remained philosophical about the accident throughout her career.
What year was 'Gone with the Wind' released?
MediumGone with the Wind was released in 1939, premiering in Atlanta on December 15 before a nationwide US release. The film runs nearly four hours and is the highest-grossing film of all time when adjusted for inflation. Its production was turbulent - three directors worked on it and the script went through extensive rewrites throughout filming.
The premiere of Gone with the Wind in Atlanta on December 15, 1939 was effectively a three-day civic celebration - schools were closed, a public holiday was declared, and 300,000 people lined the streets. The event was marred by the exclusion of African American cast members including Hattie McDaniel from the segregated premiere theatre, despite her landmark Oscar win.
Who played Scarlett O'Hara in 'Gone with the Wind' (1939)?
EasyVivien Leigh played Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind (1939), winning the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal. The film had one of the most publicised casting searches in Hollywood history - over 1,400 actresses were considered before the British-born Leigh was chosen. The film remains one of the highest-grossing films of all time when adjusted for inflation.
Vivien Leigh was cast as Scarlett O'Hara just as filming of the opening scenes began - producer David O. Selznick's brother brought her to the set where they were burning the Atlanta backdrop, and she was cast literally while watching the fire. She had less than a week's preparation before appearing on camera.
In which decade was 'Casablanca' released?
EasyCasablanca was released in the 1940s - specifically November 1942 - during World War II, making its story of wartime sacrifice and romantic renunciation deeply resonant with contemporary audiences. The film was released just as American forces landed in North Africa, aligning its themes with events audiences were experiencing in real time.
Casablanca was released to coincide with the Allied invasion of North Africa in November 1942 - an entirely coincidental alignment that gave the film extraordinary contemporary relevance. When audiences watched Rick sacrifice his romantic happiness for the anti-Nazi cause, they were watching a film about exactly what America had recently committed to doing. The war made Casablanca feel like a statement of values rather than merely a love story.
Here's how you did on Classic & Golden Age Cinema