Home > Once in a Lifetime Summary & Study Guide > Essays and Criticism > Historical Context of This Play
Once in a Lifetime | Historical Context of This Play
In the following essay, the author discusses the historical context of this play.
The play Once in a Lifetime, by Kaufman and Hart, takes place during a very particular phase in the history of the Hollywood film industry: the transition from silent film to sound film, or ‘‘talkies.’’ In order to fully appreciate the play itself, it is helpful to have a grasp of the specific elements of this era of Hollywood history which are referred to in the play.
This play was originally performed in 1930, and takes place in 1927, during the period of transition from silent film to ‘‘talkies,’’ or movies with synchronized sound. The initial incident...
[The entire page is 1632 words long]
Join eNotes
The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:
Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...
Join eNotes
Over 3,500 study guides, question and answer forums, literature criticism, reference content, and much more!
Navigate
- Once in a Lifetime: Introduction
- Once in a Lifetime: Summary
- Once in a Lifetime: George S. Kaufman, Moss Hart Biography
- Once in a Lifetime: Characters
- Once in a Lifetime: Themes
- Once in a Lifetime: Style
- Once in a Lifetime: Historical Context
- Once in a Lifetime: Critical Overview
- Once in a Lifetime: Essays and Criticism
- Once in a Lifetime: Compare and Contrast
- Once in a Lifetime: Topics for Further Study
- Once in a Lifetime: Media Adaptations
- Once in a Lifetime: What Do I Read Next?
- Once in a Lifetime: Bibliography and Further Reading
- Once in a Lifetime: Pictures
- Copyright
Tell a friend about Once in a Lifetime at eNotes.
