The Front written by Walter Bernstein and directed by Martin Ritt is a dramatic-comedy which was released in 1976. It attempts to explore McCarthyism in the 1950’s, the work of The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) and the effect backlisting had on Hollywood and the entertainment business. During the ‘red scare’ when there was a fear of communism senator Joseph McCarthy produced a series of investigations in an effort to expose communism. Hollywood was subject to these investigations. If anyone is the entertainment industry was found to be so monist or have had any communistic relations or ties in their past they would be black-listed. This film examines the events of effects of the McCarthyism period through the eyes of an
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The quote from the film ‘To be a spy on the side of freedom is an honor’ said by a member of a HUAC like committee implies that true American patriots are willing to spy on their friends. This brings forward the issue of doing what is best for the country or retaining and keeping safe a person’s individual freedom, which was a large debate amongst the people of America during this era. On the stand Howard is told that he must disclose one name and that he would be allowed go. The ending of the movie shows that even a self-centred character like Howard could see through corruption and evil being done by the HUAC. Howard has second thoughts and discovers unexpected courage when faced with this act of betrayal on the stand. While in the stand he refuses to give the committee a straight answer which brings a comedic element to this famous scene. He tells the committee that he does not ‘recognize the right of this committee to ask me these kind of questions’ and he leaves the room in an abrupt way. Again this shows the audience how the government was looking for people to turn on their friends. It reveals to the public the deception and shameless exploitation of the government’s power for use against public during the time of the black listings in Hollywood and with direct correspondance to ‘The Hollywood Ten’ ; where ‘10 motion-picture producers, directors, and screenwriters who appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee in October 1947, refused to answer questions regarding their possible communist affiliations, and, after spending time in prison for contempt of Congress, were mostly blacklisted by the Hollywood studios.’ (Encylopedia Britannica, 2017) . This film is a excellent depiction and gives a great insight into what actually occurred in American
The quote from the film ‘To be a spy on the side of freedom is an honor’ said by a member of a HUAC like committee implies that true American patriots are willing to spy on their friends. This brings forward the issue of doing what is best for the country or retaining and keeping safe a person’s individual freedom, which was a large debate amongst the people of America during this era. On the stand Howard is told that he must disclose one name and that he would be allowed go. The ending of the movie shows that even a self-centred character like Howard could see through corruption and evil being done by the HUAC. Howard has second thoughts and discovers unexpected courage when faced with this act of betrayal on the stand. While in the stand he refuses to give the committee a straight answer which brings a comedic element to this famous scene. He tells the committee that he does not ‘recognize the right of this committee to ask me these kind of questions’ and he leaves the room in an abrupt way. Again this shows the audience how the government was looking for people to turn on their friends. It reveals to the public the deception and shameless exploitation of the government’s power for use against public during the time of the black listings in Hollywood and with direct correspondance to ‘The Hollywood Ten’ ; where ‘10 motion-picture producers, directors, and screenwriters who appeared before the House Un-American Activities Committee in October 1947, refused to answer questions regarding their possible communist affiliations, and, after spending time in prison for contempt of Congress, were mostly blacklisted by the Hollywood studios.’ (Encylopedia Britannica, 2017) . This film is a excellent depiction and gives a great insight into what actually occurred in American