Behind The Mask Of Innocence [Hardcover]

Kevin Brownlow (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 21, 1990

Combining film history and social history, Kevin Brownlow surveys the treatment of contemporary social problems by film directors and producers in the early part of the century. This is the definitive history of silent films, documenting many that have been lost or forgotten.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The silent movies most known by film-goers paint a charming picture of a relaxed, innocent bygone America. Yet documentary filmmaker Brownlow has unearthed hundreds of forgotten silents that realistically delved into social and political issues: police corruption, white slave rackets, racial tensions, slum conditions, strikes, divorce, venereal disease. Many of these silents took a progressive standpoint softened by melodramatic devices; there were also racist films, Red Scare films, prejudiced caricatures of immigrant groups. By the 1920s, conservatism set in, censorship was widespread, the "star system" was in full swing and the socially conscious silents vanished. Brownlow's spellbinding canvas is peopled with the likes of D. W. Griffith, Margaret Sanger, Henry Ford, Upton Sinclair, temperance firebrand Carry Nation. Packed with 250 photographs, this volume caps a trilogy begun with The Parade's Gone By and The War, the West, and the Wilderness.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Brownlow is the preeminent historian of the silent film era, and this volume completes his trilogy, which includes The Parade's Gone By (Univ. of California , 1976) and The War, The West, and the Wilderness ( LJ 11/15/78). The title refers to the popular conception that silent films were strictly escapist entertainment, when in fact hundreds dealt with the social issues of their day. Brownlow organizes his study by subject--Matters of Sex, Prohibition, Crime, Women's Suffrage, and, the best chapter, Foreigners, which deals with the images of immigrant groups. This work's value cannot be underestimated, especially because the au thor has tracked down descriptions of scores of "lost" films and interviewed dozens of participants who have since died. A handsome volume, essential for informed laypersons.
- Thomas Wiener, formerly with "American Film," Washington, D.C.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 579 pages
• Publisher: Knopf; 1st edition (November 21, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0394577477
• ISBN-13: 978-0394577470
• Product Dimensions: 10.1 x 7.3 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,068,556 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another must-have book from Kevin Brownlow!, February 13, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Behind the Mask of Innocence: Sex, Violence, Crime: Films of Social Conscience in the Silent Era (Paperback)

This is a fabulous book, covering some of the more risque elements of the silent film era, as well as covering political issues. Loved Mr. Brownlow's coverage of HYPOCRITES (1915), a Lois Weber film which exists but is unfortunately as yet inaccessible on video. Can't wait for his Mary Pickford coffee table book to come out, hopefully in the next few months!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Lost Picture Shows, July 13, 2009

By 

Acute Observer (By the Shore NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind the Mask of Innocence: Sex, Violence, Crime: Films of Social Conscience in the Silent Era (Paperback)

Kevin Brownlow is a film historian who wrote other books. This tells about the silent films produced in the early 20th century that dealt with the problems of the times. These were: crime, poverty, drugs, alcohol, racial and ethnic prejudices, epidemics, sexual mores, police and government corruption, prison conditions, immigration, and labor struggles. Then the Hays Office began the national censorship of Hollywood films. Many believe that early 20th century American life was serene but the truth was far different as recorded by the silent films and uncensored history. This book attempts to set the record straight from the films of that era (p.xv). That is like reconstructing current society from the films shown on TV and in the theatres. [Does that work for you?] The 600 pages have a wealth of detail on films few have ever seen. Then as now, films were "ripped from the headlines" to meet the interest of their customers.

Films appealed to workers who were often illiterate. Their realistic stories brought condemnation from the wealthy but neither prevented or caused revolution. Movies with a message of education weren't popular but entertainment was. [Still true today?] Progressives sought to control the working class (p.xviii). Can "science and technology" solve the political problems of society? The political repression of the 1920s ended social films (p.xix). Prohibition was part of that (p.xxi). Brownlow wrote about these films because hardly anything has been written about the silent social films (p.xxv). This is a richly detailed book that covers a range of topics usually avoided in academic histories. It will educate you about life in the early 20th century as shown on screen.

Chapter 1 discusses "Censorship": the National Board of Review, State and Municipal Censorship, Will Hays. Films could erode the lower classes' faith in authority (p.4). Censors were composed of wives of the wealthy (p.5). Were there attacks on free speech (p.10)? The US Supreme Court ruled in 1915 that the First Amendment did not apply! This was overturned in 1952, and shows the arbitrary judgment of the Court. Chicago the city with the strictest censorship had the highest crime rate. Firearms were forbidden on the screen (p.12). Chicago banned the 1932 film "Scarface". Will Hays banned "too provocative" scripts and anything political (p.17). The rules were not water-tight (p.20). But it influenced American films (p.23).

Chapter 2 discusses "Matters of Sex" in 67 pages. Many surviving films have been heavily censored (p.26). These topics are more heavily censored today (Social Disease, White Slave films). Chapter 3 warned about drug addiction. Chapter 4 is on "Prohibition". Movie theatres competed with saloons for entertainment (p.123). Chapter 5 is about "Crime" (70 pages). Chapter 6 tells about "Political Corruption", Chapter 7 about "Women's Suffrage". Chapter 8 is on "Prisons". Chapter 9 is on "Poverty". Aren't these topics censored today? Chapter 10 tells about "The Foreigners", the longest chapter with 120 pages. Chapter 11 deals with "Industry" on its 82 pages. The topics are "Child Labor", "Socialism and Populism", "The Red Scare", and "Capital versus Labor". These topics are still censored. There are 44 pages of `Notes' and over 4 pages of a `Selected Bibliography'. This book has the details of history book with the topics of scandal and controversy. Brownlow made two mistakes on page 463. The right to keep and bear arms is part of English Common Law and not a "tragedy". Big Bill Haywood was not convicted of the murder of Governor Steunenberg.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars MR. BROWNLOW DOES IT AGAIN, January 13, 2000

By 

lisa a andrzejewski (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Behind the Mask of Innocence: Sex, Violence, Crime: Films of Social Conscience in the Silent Era (Paperback)

Another awesome achievement by Kevin Brownlow. A fascinating and informative document for everyone who cherishes the silent film era.