Cecil B. Demille, classical Hollywood, and modern American mass culture

Blanke David

Repository | Book

Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke

2018

328 Pages

ISBN 978-3-319-76985-1

Cecil B. Demille, classical Hollywood, and modern American mass culture

1910–1960

David Blanke

This book uses the long and profitable career of Cecil B. DeMille to track the evolution of Classical Hollywood and its influence on emerging mass commercial culture in the US. DeMille’s success rested on how well his films presumed a broad consensus in the American public—expressed through consumer hedonism, faith, and an “exceptional” national history—which merged seamlessly with the efficient production methods developed by the largest integrated studios. DeMille’s sudden mid-career shift away from spectator perversity to corporate propagandist permanentlytarnished the director’s historical standing among scholars, yet should not overshadow the profound links between his success and the rise and fall of mid-century mass culture.

Publication details

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-76986-8

Full citation:

Blanke, D. (2018). Cecil B. Demille, classical Hollywood, and modern American mass culture: 1910–1960, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke.

Table of Contents

Locating Demille

Blanke David

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