Here's Looking at You: Hollywood, Film, and Politics

Here's Looking at You examines the relationship between Hollywood films and the world of real politics, from the silent era to the dawn of the new millennium. What is discovered contradicts the film industry's patented response that the only messages its films deliver are messages intended for entertainment. While the vast majority of commercial features are designed to attract a mass audience, Hollywood has produced several hundred films that contain political messages. These range from D. W. Griffith's silent classic, The Birth of a Nation, to recent entries like Wag the Dog, Primary Colors, and Bulworth.

Ernest Giglio is Professor of Politics and American Studies and Director of International Studies at Lycoming College, Williamsport, PA.