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Depression-Era New York: 1929–1939
New York · 1929–1939 · exact time + place
NYC during the economic collapse — a time of hardship, resilience, and stories of both crime and hope captured in films and books. The button below opens StoryTerra with both New York and 1929–1939 already set.
Open Depression-Era NYC on the map10 famous stories set in Depression-era New York
Live snapshot of the top 10 most popular catalogue items (2026-09-04). Click any card to open this entry on the live map.
Browse 45 books, 99 movies and 3 games set in New York.
King Kong
In 1933 New York an overly ambitious movie producer coerces his cast and hired ship crew to travel to mysterious Skull Island where they encounter Kong a giant ape who is immediately smitten with the leading lady.
Water for Elephants
Winner of the 2007 BookBrowse Award for Most Popular Book.An atmospheric, gritty, and compelling novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932, by the bestselling author of Riding Lessons. When Jacob…
The Thin Man
A husband and wife detective team takes on the search for a missing inventor and almost get killed for their efforts.
A Night at the Opera
The Marx Brothers take on high society and the opera world to bring two lovers together. A sly business manager and two wacky friends of two opera singers help them achieve success while humiliating their stuffy and…
Angels with Dirty Faces
In New York the boys Rocky Sullivan and Jerry Connelly are best friends and small time thieves. After a robbery Rocky is arrested and sent to a reformatory school where he begins his criminal career. Jerry escapes and…
You Can't Take It with You
Alice the only relatively normal member of the eccentric Sycamore family falls in love with Tony Kirby but his wealthy banker father and snobbish mother strongly disapprove of the match. When the Kirbys are invited to…
My Man Godfrey
Fifth Avenue socialite Irene Bullock needs a "forgotten man" to win a scavenger hunt and no one is more forgotten than Godfrey Park who resides in a dump by the East River. Irene hires Godfrey as a servant for her…
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town
Longfellow Deeds lives in a small town leading a small town kind of life. When a relative dies and leaves Deeds a fortune Longfellow moves to the big city where he becomes an instant target for everyone. Deeds outwits…
Baby Face
A young woman uses her body and her sexuality to help her climb the social ladder but soon begins to wonder if her new status will ever bring her happiness.
Angela's Ashes
Imbued on every page with Frank McCourt's astounding humor and compassion. This is a glorious book that bears all the marks of a classic."When I look back on my childhood I wonder how I managed to survive at all. It…
The 10 stories above are just a sample of the 147 in the catalogue for this entry. For the live 1929–1939 catalogue, use the button above — or browse Jazz Age NYC and all New York stories. On the live map you can also filter by the exact time the stories take place — any year, decade or century, from BCE to the future.
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