This film discusses the effect on how major American films in Hollywood were influenced by the Eastern European Jewish culture that most of the major movie moguls who controlled the studios shared. Through clips of various films, the filmmakers illustrate the dominant themes like that of the outsider, the outspoken American patriotism, and rooting for the underdog in society.
Writing
Gabler's thesis delivered with archival clip candy.
Production
Rare mogul interviews that feel like stolen confessions.
Editing
Classic film clips woven into argument, not decoration.
Director
Simcha Jacobovici
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Neal Gabler's 1988 book 'An Empire of Their Own' essentially founded this entire field of film scholarship; this documentary is its visual cliff notes.
The moguls' obsession with Christmas movies? Part deliberate assimilation, part business — they invented the holiday blockbuster before the term existed.
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