Hollywood Renaissance
The Cinema of Democracy in the Era of Ford, Kapra, and Kazan

A study of how films from the late 1930s to the early 60s portrayed the American ideal.

Sam B. Girgus (Author)

9780521625524, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 August 1998

272 pages, 15 b/w illus.
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.4 kg

"Girgus is at his best when offering close readings of key films." Steven J. Ross, The Journal of American History

American film directors from the late 1930s to the early 1960s instigated a renaissance of original artistic works that helped reinvigorate and renew American culture. During a time of unprecedented danger from anti-democratic forces both abroad and at home, the most imaginative and creative films of these directors - John Ford, Frank Capra, Howard Hawks, Fred Zinnemann, Elia Kazan, George Stevens - articulated issues, themes, and realities at the core of the American experience. In this lively and original book, Sam Girgus offers a fresh look at films such as The Searchers, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, It's a Wonderful Life, High Noon, and On the Waterfront. He shows how these films are part of the cultural and historic debate that examines, structures, and questions what modern America means to its people, the world, and history.

1. Ethnics and Roughnecks: The making of the Hollywood renaissance
2. The cinema for democracy: John Ford
3. Gender and American character: Frank Capra
4. Revisioning heroic masculinity: Hawks and Zinnemann
5. An American conscience: Elia Kazan
6. Losing tomorrow: George Stevens
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Films, cinema [APF]