This film is the third part of Film Australia's screen history of Australian film production. "The Pictures That Moved" and "The Passionate Industry" took the history up to the end of the twenties. The present film covers the story of the industry in Australia between 1930 and 1940, from the pioneering days of 'talkies' through to the industry's decline with the coming of World War II. The film tells its story through excerpts from many early sound feature films, through newsreel and documentary footage, and through the outstanding film-makers of the period. It shows the rise and fall of the industry against its background of intense economic depression, the growing problems in Europe, and eventually, the war. 1940 was the end of an exciting and productive decade for the Australian film industry .