For Women Writers Week 2026 at RogerEbert.com, Marya E. Gates writes about the history of an earlier crisis in Hollywood. “With the film industry once again in flux, be it the Paramount and Netflix bids for Warner Bros., the rise of AI, or general box office malaise, I thought it would be interesting to look back at what was going on in American film a century ago. It was another era full of change, as synced sound made its first appearance, new box office stars made their film debuts while others lost their lives, and the four main studios were beginning to find their footing in an industry still in its nascence.”

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