Hollywood and World War II

When America was attacked by Japan on December 7, 1941, and entered World War II, Hollywood's propaganda energies were unleashed in films that glorified the Allies, demonized our enemies, and celebrated Americana with a fervor heretofore unknown.

"Hollywood and World War II" will cover the period from 1935-48, with a special emphasis on American involvement in the war, from 1941-45. We will look at the complicated relationship between the studios and the Office of War Information. We will review scenes from such films as "Confessions of a Nazi Spy," "The Best Years of Our Lives," "Hitler's Children" and Alfred Hitchcock's "Lifeboat."

"Hollywood and World War II" will examine how, through the movies it produced, Hollywood helped us to process, celebrate and even mourn the complexities of war.

David Inman
The course will be taught by David Inman, who, as "The Incredible Inman," wrote a nationally syndicated column about movie and TV trivia from 1981-2013. He's also the author of eight books about movies and TV and has written material for Turner Classic Movies hosts Ben Mankiewicz and Dave Karger. Last year, he taught "Appreciating American Movies" at IU Southeast.

If you have questions or would like additional information, contact the Lifelong Learning office at (812) 941-2436 or seartsin@iu.edu. The Lifelong Learning program reserves the right to cancel a class if there is insufficient enrollment, in which case all fees will be refunded.