There are many reasons why motion picture production and attendance reached a high crest during the 1930s. Nearly 10,000 films were created in that decade, the last before televisions were introduced into American households.
During that time, the only real media competition movies faced for leisure attention was radio. In addition, the harsh daily reality of the Depression increased the desire for escapism and happy endings. Motion picture production was one of the few areas of the American economy that continued to thrive, in no small part because a huge portion of the public were willing to sacrifice basics for their weekly visit to the movie theater.
A choice between a loaf of bread and an admission ticket often meant buying day-old.
The Depression made entertainment a necessity in American households. Today, many studies on monthly expenses regard cable television as a utility comparable to heat and water.