People learn imitating previous work. Until 1930, the main reference for acting was silent movies or theater. A different medium where you need to overcompensat

People learn imitating previous work. Until 1930, the main reference for acting was silent movies or theater. A different medium where you need to overcompensate with body movement what you can't express with the voice. Some silent film stars were still struggling to adapt in 40's probably. On the other hand, stereotypes and racist jokes were still part of many films in those years. Actors in roles of bad guys or soldier enemies were expected to act weird, clumsy and unable to talk correctly. The social rules about what was acceptable clothing or hair were also much more strict than today also, so many common gestures related with hats or clothes feel a little stiff today.