Fred Zinnemann and the Cinema of Resistance

This is a compelling history of the acclaimed director's films of war and resistance. Fred Zinnemann directed some of the most acclaimed and controversial films of the 20th century, yet he has been a shadowy presence in Hollywood history. This book reveals the intellectual passion behind some of the most powerful films ever made about the rise and resistance to fascism and the legacy of the Second World War, from The Seventh Cross and The Search to High Noon, From Here to Eternity, and Julia, Smyth's book is the first to draw upon the director's extensive papers at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and brings Fred Zinnemann's vision, voice, and film practice to life. Fred Zinnemann and the Cinema of Resistance discusses the director's professional and personal relationships with Spencer Tracy. Montgomery Clift, Audrey Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, and Gary Cooper; the critical reaction to his revisionist Western, High Noon; his battles over the censorship of From Here to Eternity and Behold a Pale Horse; and the controversial study of political assassination, The Day of the Jackal. In this intense, richly textured narrative, Smyth enters the mind of one of Hollywood's master directors, redefining our knowledge of his artistic vision and practice.