A surge of immigration in the United States in the 1920s coincided with burgeoning developments in entertainment--including cinema. As people from Latin America settled in the U.S. in growing numbers, movie houses sprang up in areas where these populations were concentrated. The advent of talkies in the 1930s propelled the Spanish-speaking movie industry into high gear. As the U.S. entered World War II, films from Mexico dominated the market, creating a culture of Mexican cinema that offered entertainment, a reflection of native values and customs, and a link to the homeland. A study of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema reveals much about the development of Latin American popular culture in the U.S.