Warner Brothers: House Style –
The Warner Brothers films that defined the 1930’s were more “authentic” than other studios of the time.
The house style of Warner Brothers was formed Mervyn LeRoy and Michael Curtiz, one of which primarily made social dramas and the other films staged in a familiar real world. The values of Warners was of a thoughtful narrative with a realistic undertone, presented by the finest stars the studio had to offer. Typically a happy ending.
The actors in their films weren’t particularly remarkable and striking like other film studios’ stables, with actors such as Cagney not being known for being particularly attractive but was much like the ‘unremarkable guy next door’
They ‘made it big’ with their ‘big screen realism’ they employed from the 1930’s that begin with production chief Daryl Zanuck and later Wallis which influenced the gangster and crime films they became known for.
Executive Producer: Jack Warner –
He formed Warner Brothers along with his 3 brothers and gained “exclusive control” in the 1950’s wen he purchased his brothers shares of the company.
A loyal Republican but often promoted the aims of the Democratic Party and their President F.D.R who desired intervention in WW2. He condemned the Nazi Party before America got involved in the war.
Known for being difficult and working actors relentlessly. Despite being Republican, he encouraged films that promoted F.D.R’s ‘New Deal’ agenda as he wanted American involvement in the war.
Producer: Hal B. Wallis –
Producer of Casablanca. He left Warners after Jack Warner took the Oscar for the film as he was about to get it in 1944, leaving 1 month later and would go on to work as an independent producer for Paramount, Universal and sometime Warners.
Warner Brothers made an impact at the beginning of the 1930’s when he among others helped to create a series of crime dramas and gangster films which resonated with audiences at the time of the Great Depression because of the appeal it had to people in financial troubles.
These films developed a house style for Warners of “urban settings, snappy dialogue and a brisk pace, with scripts and performances that never strayed into sentimentality”.
Director: Michael Curtiz –
Already a well known director when Warners invited him to Hollywood in the mid-1920s as a contract director, helping them to become one of the fastest growing studios and made stars out of the likes of Joan Crawford and James Cagney.
He was a Versatile director and made sure to properly represent the “human-interest aspect of every story” and his attitude didn’t change when he joined Warners and was given the responsibility of directing major pictures.
He introduced a certain visual style to Hollywood by using ‘artistic lighting, extensive and fluid camera movement, high crane shots, and unusual camera angles’
Cinematographer: Arthur Edeson –
Director of Photography on Casablanca
‘In the late 1930s and early 1940’s Edison worked for Warner Brothers within the parameters of the studio style, but utilising his own below-eye-level shots and strong angular compositions, he was able to create Casablanca’
Worked on films such as Frankenstein (1931) and The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Composer: Max Steiner –
Some of his most notable works include King Kong (1933) and Little Women (1933)
An American theatre and film music composer who originally worked in England before moving to Hollywood and composing for more than 300 films
One of the most successful composers, earning 20 nominations for an academy award and winning three
Aaron Bruce's Film Studies Blog 