The Golden Age of Hollywood: 1930s (2024)

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Broad and specific print sources covering various film genres are listed below. Westerns, musicals, screwball comedies, and film noir were popular genres of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

fa*gen, Herb. The Encyclopedia of Westerns. New York: Checkmark Books, 2003.

Contains more than 3,500 entries covering westerns from 1902 until today. Entries include title, year released, director, writers and screenwriters, cast, and running time along with a summary of the film and a critical analysis of the more significant films.
Davis Reference (PN1995.9.W4 F27 2003)

Gehring, Wes, ed. Handbook of American Film Genres. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1988.

Includes an overview for each genre, a bibliographical essay, a selected bibliography of books and shorter works, and a selected filmography.
Davis Reference (PN1993.5.U6 H335 1988)
Undergraduate Library Reference (PN1993.5.U6 H335 1988)

Green, Stanley. Encyclopaedia of the Musical Film. New York: Oxford University Press, 1981.

Contains information on the musical screen’s most prominent individuals, productions and songs. Emphasis is on Hollywood, although British musical films and selected original television films are covered. Content is divided into alphabetically-arranged entries, academy nominations and awards, title changes, biography, general bibliography and discography.
Davis (PN1995.9.M86 G7)
Undergraduate Library Reference (PN1995.9.M86 G7)

Miller, Robert Milton. The screwball comedy films : a history and filmography, 1934-1942. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Co., 1991.

This book focuses on the genre of screwball comedy between 1934 and 1942, film-by-film and year-by-year.
Davis (PN1995.9.C55 B97 1991)

Stephens, Michael. Film Noir: A Comprehensive, Illustrated Reference to Movies, Terms, and Persons. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland & Company, 1995.

Covers film noir classics along with the lesser known titles, related personalities, filmmakers and terms of the genre from its beginning.
Undergraduate Library Reference (PN1995.9.F54 S74 1995)