The Roots of Modern Hollywood

Nick Smedley is a historian of American culture who specialises in Hollywood cinema. In his latest book, Smedley analyses how Hollywood’s liberal agenda has fared in the years between the election of Richard Nixon and the second term of Barack Obama. For this work, Smedley obtained exclusive access to four leading film directors, who talk about their ambitions and motivations in four modern masterpieces.Nick Smedley teaches and lectures on cinema in the UK. He is currently researching the last years of Hollywood legend, Preston Sturges, with exclusive access to the private papers of the family estate.

• Introduction Chapter 1: The failure of American liberalism and the cinema of despair: Hollywood in the 1970s Chapter 2: The disappointment of the liberal renaissance: Hollywood in the Clinton era, 1992–2000 Fantasy in the 1990s Exemplar film one: Groundhog Day Exemplar film two: The Truman Show Author’s interview with Peter Weir Introduction to the published screenplay of The Truman Show, by Peter Weir Chapter 3: The rise and fall of the Republicans: Melancholy meditations on America’s destiny, 2000–2012 Film noir for the new millenniumExemplar film three: CollateralAuthor’s interview with Michael MannExemplar film four: Michael Clayton Author’s interview with Tony Gilroy Chapter 4: The enduring appeal of pacifism: Hollywood and American global imperialism, 1978–2010 The pacifist tradition Exemplar film five: In the Valley of Elah Author’s interview with Paul Haggis Chapter 5: The creeping advance of feminism: Hollywood and the changing role of women in America, 1970 to the present The feminist debate Two-faced woman – Julia Roberts as the incarnation of the American woman Exemplar films six and seven: Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich Conclusion