Reconstructing American Historical Cinema

""...This is an excellent book. It serves as an important challenge to traditional readings of classical Hollywood, to traditional understanding of American historiography, and to those theories of 'film and history' that are rapidly becoming traditionalized."--Nicholas Witham, Screening the Past" --

""A scrupulously researched discusson of historical films produced by Hollywood from 1931 to 1942. In treating Westerns, gangster films, Civil War films, and various kinds of biopics, she brings to the discussion a treasure trove of production materials that show how far from thoughtless these films really are. Smyth stakes out new critical territory. Essential." --Choice" --

""Although Hollywood is noted for its formulaic filmmaking, Smyth argues that serious historical treatment is evident in different genres. Her endorsement of certain films as honest reflections of the American past will pique readers' interest."--Library Journal" --

""J.E. Smyth's book is a controversial, innovative, and meticulously researched text that reconfigures time-worn conceptions of what constitutes history on and in cinema."--American Historical Review" --

""Smyth provides a fascinating history of a Hollywood when producers, more than directors, controlled the texture of American film."--Film Quarterly" --

""Smyth provides a rich context for the industry's commitment to American history by examining past production records and scripts."--Choice" --

""Smyth...takes a unique approach, uniting the study of popular and academic historical writing, historical fiction, and screenwriting, to provide a rich context for the movie industry's commitment to American history while investigating the rarely discussed production records and scripts from studio archives." --University of Kentucky News" --