Hollywood and the Cold War

While Elia Kazan is widely considered the most important American filmmaker to ever live, his work and that of so many others were compromised by the "Red Scare", a period of anti-communist hysteria in American History. During this time, Hollywood was under the scrutiny of the House Un-American Actives Committee or HUAC, established by Congress in 1938 to identify and isolate subversive Communist Party members in America. Kazan was a complicated man and he lost many friends and made many enemies when he cooperated with HUAC and named the names of eight Communist Party members, some of whom became blacklisted writers who then had to work secretly on their projects. In this sense, Elia Kazan’s career, and those affected by it, exemplifies the fear-mongering characteristic of the “Red Scare” period.

Many disliked Kazan for encouraging the subversive culture that prevented so many talented writers, actors, and directors from working openly during the “Red Scare” period. Those who suffered most for their political affiliations during the period were those who did not possess the courage of those convictions. Had all members of the Hollywood community been more willing to speak openly, as opposed to hiding, the “Red Scare” would not have had nearly the effect upon Hollywood that it did. Films like “The Hunt for Red October” even made light of the “Red Scare” in depicting the defection of Russian sailors. In other words, HUAC today is appreciated for what it was: a creativity-curtailing witch-hunt.

The “Red Scare” period spawned a generation of blacklisted moviemakers who were marginalized for their political leanings. Nevertheless, individual artists have been marginalized since time immemorial; Caravaggio for his homosexuality, Stravinsky for his brazenness and Elvis for his hips. The truly great artists rise above the influence of political squabble, as their less able counterparts crumble under such oppression.