The Genius of the System

In The Genius of the System, Thomas Schatz recalls Hollywood’s Golden Age from the 1920s until the dawn of television in the late 1940s, when quality films were produced swiftly and cost efficiently thanks to the intricate design of the system. Schatz takes us through the rise and fall of individual careers and the making—and unmaking—of movies such as Frankenstein, Casablanca, and Hitchcock’s Notorious. Through detailed analysis of major Hollywood moviemakers including Universal, Warner Bros., and MGM, he reminds us of a time when studios had distinct personalities and the relationship between contracts and creativity was not mutually exclusive.

Acknowlegements, Preface: The Center of Gravity, Introduction: “The Whole Equation of Pictures,” Part I: The 1920’s: Beginnings, 1. Universal: The System Takes Shape, 2. MGM: Dawn of the Thalberg Era, 3. Selznick at MGM: Climbing the Executive Ranks, 4. Warner Bros.: Talking Their Way to the Top, Part II: 1928–1932: The Powers That B, 5. Selznick at Paramount: From Boo to Bust, 6. Universal: Renaissance and Retrenchment, 7. MGM and Thalberg: Alone at the Top, 8. Selznick at RKO: At the Helm of a Foundering Studio, 9. Warner Bros.: The Zanuck Era, Part III: The 1930s: Golden Age, 10. MGM in the Mid-Thirties:Charmed Interval, 11. Selznick International Pictures: Going Independent, 12. Warner Bros.: Power Plays and Prestige, 13. Universal: Playing Both Ends Against the Middle, 14. MGM: Life after Thalberg, 15. Selznick and Hitchcock: Balance of PowerPart IV: 1941–1946: War Boom, 16. Warner Bros.: Warfare at Home and Abroad, 17. David O. Selznick Productions: Packaging Prestige, 18. Universal: The Best of Both Worlds, 19. MGM: The High Cost of Quality, 20. Selznick and Hitchcock: Separate Ways, Part V: 1947–1960: Decline, 21. Warner Bros.: Top of the World, End of the Line, 22. MGM: Last Gasp of the Studio Era, 23. Universal: Blueprint for the Television Age, 24. Epilogue: Into the New Hollywood, Notes on Sources, Photograph Credits, Index