Film and American Society History 221; Section 010 Location: KRB 100 Lecture: Tuesday, 7:00pm - 10:00pm Professor: Gary May Teaching Assistant: Bryn Varley Hollenbeck Course Description This course consists of weekly films, readings, and class discussion. It explores the relationship between American movies and American life from the 1950's to the end of the 20th century. Specifically, we will focus on these topics: The way that movies can be used as a historical document to examine the period in which they were produced; how movies shape American attitudes, especially during times of national crisis like World War II and the Cold War; and how Hollywood's interpretation of the past has become the chief way that Americans learn their history. Required Books Ronald Takaki, Hiroshima: Why America Dropped The Atomic Bomb Richard Fried, Nightmare in Red: The McCarthy Era in Perspective Gary May, Un-American Activities: The Trials of William Remington (paperback edition) Robert Brent Toplin, History By Hollywood: The Use and Abuse of the American Past William Chafe, The Unfinished Journey: America Since World War II Students are required to read the assigned books. Questions on the exams cannot be fully answered without drawing on class readings. Repeating lecture material, even perfectly, will not earn a student a passing grade, without evidence that the reading has been done and incorporated into answers. Course Schedule February 10 - Introduction February 17 - Kill Japs, kill Japs, kill more Japs: The Films of World War II Films of WWII Term Sheet Gung Ho (1943)     Takaki, chapters 5 - 7     Chafe, chapter 1 February 24 - Hollywood and the Cold War, part 1 Hollywood and the Cold War, part 1 Term Sheet The Manchurian Candidate (1962)     Fried, chapters 1 - 4     May, new introduction, chapters 1 - 12     Chafe, chapter 2 March 2 - Hollywood and Cold War, part 2 Hollywood and the Cold War, part 2 Term Sheet The Front (1976)     Fried, chapters 5 - 7     May, chapters 13 - epilogue     Chafe, chapter 3 (section: The Politics of Anti-Communism)         NOTE: Editions of this book differ. This assignment is found in Chapter 4 of the 5th Edition of Chafe. March 9 - Hollywood and Cold War, part 3 Hollywood and the Cold War, part 3 Term Sheet On the Waterfront (1954)     Billingsley Best Witness - Reading One     Navasky article - Reading Two March 16 - Hollywood and the Bomb Hollywood and the Bomb Term Sheet Dr.Strangelove Or How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)     Strangelove Essay Take-home Midterm will be distributed in class. Midterm Assignment Sheet March 23 - Spring Break March 20 - Midterm Exam Due Camelot, part 1 JFK (1991), part 1 April 6 - Camelot, part 2 Camelot Term Sheet JFK (1991), part 2     Chafe, chapter 7     Toplin, chapter 2 April 13 - History Lynched History Lynched Term Sheet Mississippi Burning (1989)     Toplin, chapter 1 (section: Mississippi Burning)     Chafe, chapters 6 - 7 (section: The Year of Promise)     Chafe, chapter 11 (section: From Civil Rights to Black Power - A Paradigm) April 20 - Hollywood and the 60s Hollywood and the 60s Term Sheet The Graduate (1967)     Toplin, pages 129 - 153     Chafe, chapters 11 - 12 April 27 - Hollywood's Watergate, part 1 Hollywood's Watergate Term Sheet All The President's Men (1976)     Toplin, chapter 7     Chafe, chapter 13 (section: The Downfall of the Imperial President) May 4 - Hollywood's Watergate, part 2 Dick (1999) May 11 - Hollywood and Vietnam Hollywood and Vietnam Term Sheet Rambo: First Blood 2 (1985)     Chafe, chapters 9 - 10     Chafe, chapter 12 (section: January and February) May 18 - Greed Is Good: The 1980s 1980s Term Sheet Risky Business (1983)     Chafe, chapter 15 Viewing the Films Students are responsible for all the films listed above. A number of them are available in the Morris Library's Audiovisual Department and a copy will be placed on reserve following the showings. Students should take notes on the films, record the names of key characters and crucial scenes. Such material must be incorporated in the exams. Graded Work Midterm Exam: 45% The midterm exam exam questions will be given out on March 16 in class. It will be due at the beginning of class on March 30. It will be a take-home, open book, open notes exam. It will be essay in form. Please type your answers. No make-ups will be given except for extraordinary reasons which must be documented in writing. Final Exam: 55% Tuesday, May 25, 7pm - 10pm, in KRB 100 Bring two blue books No make-ups will be given except for extraordinary reasons which must be documented in writing. The final exam will consist of two parts: the question below, which you will think about and write an answer to ahead of time, bringing your answer to the exam, and a second essay which will written during the exam. The second question will be NO open book, NO open notes. However, five questions were given out in class on 5/18; three of those questions will appear on the final exam, and students will chose one of the three which appear to answer, during the exam, in a blue book. You may NOT bring any notes, outlines, etc. to the exam with you. Click here to view and print the final exam questions. Your first essay will be collected at the beginning of the exam, so you must bring a second blue book for your second essay, which will be completed during the exam. Final Exam Part I: Please answer the following question before the exam. You will write an essay addressing this question and turn it in during the final exam on May 25. Your answer may be typed (no longer than 5 pages) or hand-written in no more than one blue book. Question: Help Dr. May find some NEW FILMS to show in History 221. What ONE film would you recommend he add? It should illustrate one of the following themes of the course: 1) the use and abuse of history by Hollywood OR 2) a film that reveals something important about the decade in which it was made. You will be evaluated on the choice you make and the case you make for it. The film should be drawn from World War II through the 1980s, the period covered in this course, and your essay must incorporate class readings where relevant. You may not chose any of the films shown in class; any of the films discussed at length in Toplin's History by Hollywood (Bonnie and Clyde, Missing, Norma Rae or Patton); or any foreign films. You MAY choose films which were used as short clips in class. Note: In anticipation of exams, Bryn Hollenbeck will hold office hours from 3:30 until 4:30 on Wednesday, May 19, and from 2 until 4:30 on Tuesday, May 25, in Munroe Hall 128. Students are welcome to come discuss course material at those times. Course Policies Students have the right to expect that their instructors present organized and, hopefully, interesting lectures. Professors have hopes and expectations too. Attendance is mandatory. Students are expected to arrive in class on time, listen attentively, and ask lively questions. Reading, chatting with friends, bolting for the door when a film is being shown, or sleeping is not acceptable behavior, and will be dealt with according to the Student Handbook on Academic Dishonesty and Behavior. Students should obtain a copy and be familiar with its policies on behavior, cheating, and plagiarism because they will be followed in this course.