Movies and American Society Edited by Steven J. Ross Blackwell Publishers
Contents Series Editor's Preface Preface Acknowledgments Introduction: Why Movies Matter xii xiv xvii I 1 GOING TO THE MOVIES: EARLY AUDIENCES 14 Introduction to the Article 14 From The Making of American Audiences: From Stage to Television, 1750-1990 15 Richard Butsch Introduction to the 31 Barton W. Currie, "The Nickel Madness" 32 Robert O. Bartholomew, Report of Censorship of Motion Pictures and of Investigation of Motion Picture Theatres of Cleveland (1913) 37 "House Fly Panics Pittsburgh Movie Audience" 40 Readings and Screenings 40 2 HEROES AND HEROINES OF THEIR OWN ENTERTAINMENT: PROGRESSIVE-ERA CINEMA 42 Introduction to the Article 42 From The Loud Silents: Origins of the Social Problem Film 43 Kay Sloan
viii CONTENTS Introduction to the 57 W. Stephen Bush, "The Social Uses of the Moving Picture" 58 Los Angeles Socialist Movie Theater 61 Readings and Screenings 63 THE RISE OF HOLLYWOOD: MOVIES, IDEOLOGY, AND AUDIENCES IN THE ROARING TWENTIES 64 Introduction to the Article 64 From Working-Class Hollywood: Silent Film and the Shaping of Class in America 65 Steven J. Ross Introduction to the 89 Lloyd Lewis, "The Deluxe Picture Palace" 89 E. J. Mitchell, "Petting At the Movies" 92 Milton Sills, "The Actor's Part" 92 Readings and Screenings 96 WHO CONTROLS WHAT WE SEE? CENSORSHIP AND THE ATTACK ON HOLLYWOOD "IMMORALITY" 98 Introduction to the Article 98 Hollywood Censored: The Production Code Administration and the Hollywood Film Industry, 1930-1940 99 Gregory D. Black Introduction to the 120 The Power of the Movies and Debates Over Censorship 121 Readings and Screenings 126 CONFRONTING THE GREAT DEPRESSION: RENEWING DEMOCRACY IN HARD TIMES 128 Introduction to the Article 128 From The Big Tomorrow: Hollywood and the Politics of the American Way 129 Lary May
CONTENTS ix Introduction to the Document 158 Upton Sinclair, "The Movies and Political Propaganda" 158 Readings and Screenings 162 6 ALTERNATIVE CINEMAS: MOVIES ON THE MARGINS 164 Introduction to the Article 164 From Hollywood's High Noon: Moviemaking and Society Before Television 165 Thomas Cripps Introduction to the 184 Oscar Micheaux, "The Negro and the Photo-Play" 184 " 'The Symbol of the Unconquered,' New Play" 186 John H. Winge, "Some New American Documentaries: In Defense of Liberty" 187 Readings and Screenings 190 7 SEEING RED: COLD WAR HOLLYWOOD 192 Introduction to the Article 192 From American Cinema/American Culture 193 John Belton Introduction to the 213 FBI Report, "Communist Political Influence and Activities in the Motion Picture Business in Hollywood, California" 213 "The Waldorf Statement," issued by the Association of Motion Picture Producers 217 Readings and Screenings 218 8 EISENHOWER'S AMERICA: PROSPERITY AND PROBLEMS IN THE 1950s 220 Introduction to the Article 220 From American Film and Society Since 1945 221 Leonard Quart and Albert Auster Introduction to the 240
CONTENTS Teen Idol: Hedda Hopper Interviews James Dean 240 Reviews of Rebel Without a Cause 244 Readings and Screenings 247 9 BLACK AND WHITE IN COLOR: RACE AND FILM IN THE 1960s AND 1970s 249 Introduction to the Article 249 From Framing Blackness: The African American Image in Film 250 Ed Guerrero Introduction to the 273 Variety Reports Reactions to Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? 273 Alvin F. Poussaint, "Blaxploitation Movies: Cheap Thrills That Degrade Blacks" 275 Readings and Screenings 278 10 VIETNAM AND THE CRISIS OF AMERICAN POWER: MOVIES, WAR, AND MILITARISM 280 Introduction to the Article 280 From Camera Politico: The Politics and Ideology of Contemporary Hollywood Film 281 Michael Ryan and Douglas Kellner Introduction to the 303 Correspondence Regarding the Making of The Green Berets 303 "Platoon" Marks "End of a Cycle" for Oliver Stone 305 "Reunion: Men of a Real Platoon" 308 Readings and Screenings 311 11 REAGAN'S AMERICA: THE BACKLASH AGAINST WOMEN AND MEN 313 Introduction to the Article 313 From Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women 314 Susan Faludi Introduction to the 336 Equal Rights Amendment, 1972 337
CONTENTS Xi Phyllis Schlafly, "A Backlash Manifesto" 337 A Film That Gives Feminism a Bad Name 340 Readings and Screenings 342 12 HOLLYWOOD GOES GLOBAL: THE INTERNATIONALIZATION OF AMERICAN CINEMA 344 Introduction to the Article 344 Is Hollywood America? The Transnationalization of the American Film Industry 345 Frederick Wasser Introduction to the 359 Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance of the Committee On Energy and Commerce 360 David Puttnam, "Films Without Frontiers" 362 Readings and Screenings 365 Index 367