Hollywood Victory: The Movies, Stars, and Stories of World War II

Diving into the expansive and sumptuous vault of the Turner Classic Movies Library, Blauvelt (managing editor, IndieWire) explores Hollywood’s collective response to World War II, from the creation of war films to actors entertaining the troops. A strong theme that emerges is Hollywood’s singular unity of intent and purpose once the United States entered the war. Short chapters, grouped in five sections, chart the progression of the war and Hollywood’s involvement. Topics include the United States’ initial apathy and isolation tendencies; the country’s responses to Hitler and the growing Nazi threat; the response of Jewish film producers; heroic movie stars who joined the armed forces (Jimmy Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Clark Gable among others); fundraising; cinematic depictions of the war; and Black actors’ experiences. The text is adorned with more than 150 beautiful photographs, including a full-page take-your-breath-away black-and-white glamour shot of Veronica Lake, whose management had to change her signature eye-obscuring, peek-a-boo hairstyle because of the rate of industrial accidents among the Rosie-the-Riveters who copied her.