Along the Great Divide

From roughly 1930 to 1960 American culture became preoccupied with questions of artistic taste, usually in terms of brow level (high-, middle-, low-). This found its way into countless Hollywood movies of the time, often as the source of dramatic conflict between the main characters. The book traces this theme through a detailed examination of several films of the time (e.g. 100 MEN AND A GIRL, RHAPSODY IN BLUE and THE BENNY GOODMAN STORY) and how its twists and turns are shaped by the protocols of classic Hollywood storytelling.