A Study Of Hollywood In The Anti - Communist Haze (1945-1960)

Since its very beginning, Hollywood has drawn enormous attention from those parties concerned. After the Cold War begins, the anti-communism forces make every effort to take Hollywood into the Cold War anti-communism system. These forces consist of both official ones such as House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and unofficial ones such as American Legion (AL), Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals (MPAPA) and those conservatives both inside and outside Hollywood. It is the official forces that play the leading role in recruiting Hollywood into the Cold War system, and the unofficial forces function as the assistants and cooperators. The hearings held by HUAC reflect the efforts made by the above mentioned various anti-communism forces in Hollywood, and their anti-communism activities bring tremendous evil influence to Hollywood. Under great pressures, Hollywood also makes different consequent reactions. However, Hollywood is not a pure follower of those anti-communism forces. It tries its best to keep away from the prevalent Cold War anti-communism atmosphere. The persecution and interference methods adopted by those anti-communism forces and the complex relationships between Hollywood and the Cold War ideology keep changing through different historical periods. This research studies the following issues:(1) The methods through which the anti-communism forces enlisting Hollywood into Cold War system, their different operational procedures and influences in different periods; (2) The cooperative and detached relationships between Hollywood and Cold War anti-communism atmosphere, its changes and its various functions in different periods; (3) The role played by Hollywood tradition in Cold War Hollywood; (4) The effect from Cold War anti-communism system influencing Hollywood.The whole paper consists of three parts:Introduction, Body, and Conclusion. The Body is composed of four chapters.Chapter one mainly discusses the performances and functions of various parties during the process in which Hollywood is enlisted into Cold War system. This chapter then traces the anti-communism tradition in Hollywood.The anti-communism tradition has long been existing in Hollywood, which offers great enlightening significance in understanding the Cold War Hollywood. Right after the initiation of Cold War, the anti-communism forces cooperate intimately with one another in interfering in Hollywood, which further forms the oppressing and persecuting system targeting at Hollywood. This system produces a Cold War atmosphere of paranoia in Hollywood. Despite the opposing voices in Hollywood, the anti-communism forces finally get the upper hand, and the consequences are the commencement of blacklist, the destruction of Popular Front and the start of producing anti-communism films.Chapter two mainly studies the Hollywood during the most severe period of Cold War. During this period, all the conservative forces are involved in the anti-communism campaign in Hollywood, which then motivate a strong anti-communism tide in Hollywood. Consequently, Hollywood is successfully recruited into the Cold War anti-communism system.With the strengthening of anti-communism atmosphere both domestically and internationally, various anti-communism forces in America once again launch a new attack against Hollywood. HUAC returns back to Hollywood in Spring,1953 and holds new hearings. In comparison with the hearings in 1947, the new ones exert a wider influence and persecution on Hollywood. In these hearings, the former unfriendly witnesses repeatedly betray their previous political position and turn themselves into friendly witnesses. The friendly witnesses recklessly and unashamedly name names. After the hearings of 1951, blacklist system is being officially established. HUAC once again holds hearings in 1953 and 1954. These hearings focus the attention on the whole entertainment field. Besides, FBI also updates its supervision on Hollywood and starts to pay close attention to the film content, which has been frequently turned down by FBI high officials owing to various reasons. What’s more, such executive branches as President Eisenhower and Central Intelligence Agency also commence to interfere in Hollywood. During this period, progressive forces in Hollywood become very weak and nearly silent, and the anti-communism forces have the absolute advantage. Hollywood now witnesses the prosperity of anti-communism film. It seems that the number of anti-communism films in this period is quite similar to that produced previously. However, anti-communism factors influence almost every traditional film genre in Hollywood. These film genres enjoy more popularity and better box office than those anti-communism propagandas, and therefore exert greater influences on the movie-goers.Chapter three emphatically researches Hollywood between middle of 1950s and 1960. The political situation in this period is very complicated. On one hand, anti-communism tendency is still strong, and on the other hand, the tense relationship between USA and former USSR become abated. During this period, HUAC continues its hearings aiming at entertainment field. But the frequency of holding hearings is much lower in comparison with that previously. Meanwhile, less and less friendly witnesses attend the hearings, and more and more unfriendly witnesses begin to take the Fifth Amendment to remain silent in the hearings. Accordingly, the anti-communism films gradually came to an end. In 1960, blacklist system was officially stopped and Hollywood slowly keep itself away from the public interference and persecution of those anti-communism forces.Chapter four further discusses the relationship between Hollywood and Cold War anti-communism system. The aim of HUAC’s holding hearings is to purge the "Un-American" activities in Hollywood. Ironically, HUAC’s activities are actually "Un-American". The "Un-American" activities of HUAC play a certain role in establishing the scary Cold War atmosphere. Meanwhile, they also bring great damage to Hollywood, for example, the damage caused by blacklist, and the damage to social consciousness film. What’s more, during this period, Hollywood keeps on challenging the Cold War ideology. The challenging spirit originates from Second World War, and it is this spirit that drives Hollywood away from the public interference of those anti-communism forces after 1960.In general, HUAC, FBI and those anti-communism organizations and individuals both inside and outside Hollywood form a special anti-communism "triangle", which effectively and efficiently persecutes and interferes in Hollywood and brings great damage to it. At the same time, Hollywood plays a certain role in strengthening and deepening Cold War consciousness. Hollywood tradition also plays critical role, which not only helps us understand the Cold War Hollywood, but also demonstrates its peculiarity. The research concerning Cold War Hollywood offers a certain enlightening significance in understanding the contemporary films and the governmental management and supervision on mass media.