The 1930s were the cinema's age of innocence when, despite the miseries of the Great Depression, or perhaps because of them, the emphasis was on escapism and entertainment. With the coming of the talkies, the Marx Brothers and Laurel & Hardy had supplanted Chaplin as the kings of slapstick comedy. As this stunning collection of poster art confirms, the 30s were also the age of the illustrator, with Al Hirschfield, Hap Hadley and the incomparable Alberto Vargas setting new standards in graphic design. Colour may only just have been making its first appearance on the screens inside the cinemas, but on the hoardings outside the hues were bright and vibrant as never before.