Hollywood loved books in the 1930’s and 40’s. Not only were many of the films adapted from books but books also played a pivotal role in promoting the films.
Above is Alan Ladd with a well-designed, super-sized copy of The Great Gatsby. Ladd played Jay Gatsby in the 1949 film version.
and here are a few more striking examples:
Charles Farrell and Janet Gaynor promote High Society Blues, 1930
Loretta Young, Alan Ladd– And Now Tomorrow , 1944
Jennifer Jones, Charles Boyer– Cluny Brown,1946
Toby Wing, actress in the 20’s and 30’s
All images via Sergio Leemann’s A Certain Cinema, an amazing repository featuring over 12,000 images.