From Booklist
Each of the 10 chapters begins with a short overview of the subject later covered in detail, and each ends with a summary of the thesis of the chapter. Some were written by Balio, a professor of communication arts at the University of Wisconsin, and others were contributed by other film scholars. The book is illustrated with striking, large black-and-white photos of film scenes and of actors and studio executives referred to in the text.
Although a great number of films are mentioned in each chapter, the purpose of the book is not to provide criticism. The authors are more concerned with how the American public reacted to a film than with analyzing it critically. There is considerable discussion about how the great film studios developed during this formative decade.
Appendixes include a list of the top-grossing films of the 1930s (compiled by Variety), an Academy Award list by year, and Film Daily's "Ten Best Films" for each year of the decade. An extensive bibliography, a general index, and an index of films conclude the book.
There are many histories of American film that cover the films of this period with more critical attention, but this is the most comprehensive treatment of the film industry during the thirties. It will be most useful in the circulating collections of public and academic libraries supporting film-studies and business-history programs. Large research libraries may also find it valuable to include a copy of Grand Design (as well as the other books in this series) in their film reference collections.
