American Film and Society since 1945

Quart and Auster survey many of the "public classics"--fictional films whose critical acclaim, awards, or box office appeal indicate a connection with public consciousness--that were produced in the United States since 1945. They analyze the cultural and social meanings evoked by these films, and how the formal elements of these works helped shape cinema. Their premise is that if Hollywood is the dream factory, then the post-World War II film helps to unravel some of the central concerns and values of American society from 1945 to the present--from The Best Years of Our Lives to Do the Right Thing.