From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors
Constructing American Boyhood in Postwar Hollywood Films
By Peter W.Y. Lee | Publisher: Rutgers University Press
About the book
After World War II, studies examining youth culture on the silver screen start with James Dean. But the angst that Dean symbolized—anxieties over parents, the “Establishment,” and the expectations of future citizen-soldiers—long predated Rebels without a Cause. Historians have largely overlooked how the Great Depression and World War II impacted and shaped the Cold War, and youth contributed to the national ideologies of family and freedom. From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors explores this gap by connecting facets of boyhood as represented in American film from the 1930s to the postwar years. From the Andy Hardy series to pictures such as The Search, Intruder in the Dust, and The Gunfighter, boy characters addressed larger concerns over the dysfunctional family unit, militarism, the “race question,” and the international scene as the Korean War began. Navigating the political, social, and economic milieus inside and outside of Hollywood, Peter W.Y. Lee demonstrates that continuities from the 1930s influenced the unique postwar moment, coalescing into anticommunism and the Cold War.
Editions of From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors
- Paperback
- ISBN 9781978813465
- EBook
- ISBN 9781978813489
- PDF
- ISBN 9781978813502
Read an Excerpt
After World War II, studies examining youth culture on the silver screen start with James Dean. But the angst that Dean symbolized—anxieties over parents, the “Establishment,” and the expectations of future citizen-soldiers—long predated Rebels without a Cause. Historians have largely overlooked how the Great Depression and World War II impacted and shaped the Cold War, and youth contributed to the national ideologies of family and freedom. From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors explores this gap by connecting facets of boyhood as represented in American film from the 1930s to the postwar years. From the Andy Hardy series to pictures such as The Search, Intruder in the Dust, and The Gunfighter, boy characters addressed larger concerns over the dysfunctional family unit, militarism, the “race question,” and the international scene as the Korean War began. Navigating the political, social, and economic milieus inside and outside of Hollywood, Peter W.Y. Lee demonstrates that continuities from the 1930s influenced the unique postwar moment, coalescing into anticommunism and the Cold War.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors about?
After World War II, studies examining youth culture on the silver screen start with James Dean. But the angst that Dean symbolized—anxieties over parents, the “Establishment,” and the expectations of future citizen-soldiers—long predated Rebels without a Cause. Historians have largely overlooked how the Great Depression and World War II impacted and shaped the Cold War, and youth contributed to the national ideologies of family and freedom. From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors explores this gap by connecting facets of boyhood as represented in American film from the 1930s to the postwar years. From the Andy Hardy series to pictures such as The Search, Intruder in the Dust, and The Gunfighter, boy characters addressed larger concerns over the dysfunctional family unit, militarism, the “race question,” and the international scene as the Korean War began. Navigating the political, social, and economic milieus inside and outside of Hollywood, Peter W.Y. Lee demonstrates that continuities from the 1930s influenced the unique postwar moment, coalescing into anticommunism and the Cold War.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors?
The Arts > Performing arts > Films, cinema > Film history, theory or criticism
Where can I read a sample of From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9781978813465
Who is/are the Author/s of the book From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors?
Peter W.Y. Lee
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors is available as paperback(ISBN 9781978813465) and ebook(ISBN 9781978813489) and pdf(ISBN 9781978813502)
Where can I buy From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors online or support local independent bookshops?
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Where can I buy From Dead Ends to Cold Warriors?