Hollywood's White House: The American Presidency in Film and History [Hardcover]

Peter C. Rollins (Editor), John E. O'Connor (Editor), Richard Shenkman (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 2003

In addition to the real White House where America's first family lives and works, there is Hollywood's White House. For many Americans, the chief executives of this imaginary 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are more vivid and memorable than their real-life counterparts.

The popularity of film and television portrayals of the presidency poses challenges for teachers and historians. What does the language used by The West Wing’s President Bartlet reveal about his civic character and about the political views of his creator Aaron Sorkin? Were John and Abigail Adams the political equals sketched in The Adams Chronicles, or did the PBS series more accurately reflect the influence of the women's movement of the 1970s? Has Saturday Night Live given us license to laugh at our leaders? What message is Hollywood trying to convey in Independence Day and Air Force One? While these films entertain, do they also instruct?

The contributors to Hollywood’s White House examine the historical accuracy of these presidential depictions, illuminate their influence, and uncover how they reflect the concerns of their times and the social and political visions of the filmmakers. The volume, which includes a comprehensive filmography and a bibliography, is ideal for historians and film enthusiasts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An engaging collection on a subject that needs more treatment in scholarship. This book should excite considerable interest." -- Robert Brent Toplin

"Timely and well-documented. The book presents vivid interpretations of our national institution." -- Robert Fyne

About the Author

Peter C. Rollins, Regents Professor of English at Oklahoma State University, is the editor of the journal Film & History and the author and editor of many books, including Television Histories: Shaping Collective Memory in the Media Age.

John E. O’Connor, professor in the Federated Department of History of New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University, is the founding editor of Film & History and co-editor of Hollywood’s Indian: The Portrayal of the Native American in Film.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 441 pages
• Publisher: University Press of Kentucky; Pbk. Ed edition (June 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813122708
• ISBN-13: 978-0813122700
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,665,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American Mirror, December 18, 2003

By 

Henry - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hollywood's White House: The American Presidency in Film and History (Hardcover)

Films in one way or another are a mirror for their culture in which they're made. They show who we are, who we want to be, what we're afraid we are. We do the same thing with our citizen kings: the presidents of the United States. This superb book looks at how Hollywood has looked at our presidents and thus how Hollywood has looked at us. Anyone interested in film or history will find this a fascinating look at America.