Politics and Politicians in American Film

Films have been a part of U.S. society for a century—a source of great enjoyment for the audience and of great profit to filmmakers. How does a mass entertainment medium deal with some of the great sources of dramatic real-life political and economic conflict—the Great Depression, the Cold War—in a way that attracts an audience without making it angry? How does an industry, which has from its beginnings been the subject of attacks from social, political and religious groups deal with political issues and conflicts? This book is an attempt to examine these questions; it is also an examination of some of the greatest and most interesting American films ever made—westerns, gangster films, comedies, war films, satires, and film biographies—to see what American films say about politics and politicians, and what these films, in turn, say about the audience for which they were produced.

"Gianos enlivens his analyses with dialogue, anecdotes, synopses of plots, profiles, and explanations of how and why situations developed. His flair for reinterpreting films and genres shows...Particularly impressive is [his] comprehensive and revelatory treatment of censorship...an excellent title recommended for all audiences."-Choice, ?Gianos enlivens his analyses with dialogue, anecdotes, synopses of plots, profiles, and explanations of how and why situations developed. His flair for reinterpreting films and genres shows...Particularly impressive is [his] comprehensive and revelatory treatment of censorship...an excellent title recommended for all audiences.?-Choice, ?Gianos presents a detailed and scholarly survey of the early days of the politics of film cencorship to the middle period of the blacklisting of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He identifies with the fine eye of a plotical historian the roles of the House Unamerican Activities Committee, the First Amendment people, the Fifth Amendment people from Hollywood, and the Hollywood 10.?-American Political Science Review, "Gianos presents a detailed and scholarly survey of the early days of the politics of film cencorship to the middle period of the blacklisting of the late 1940s and early 1950s. He identifies with the fine eye of a plotical historian the roles of the House Unamerican Activities Committee, the First Amendment people, the Fifth Amendment people from Hollywood, and the Hollywood 10."-American Political Science Review

PHILLIP L. GIANOS is Professor of Political Science at California State University, Fullerton.