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Moguls, Mensches and Nudnicks: Jews and American Cinema

Presented by Gershman Y at Gershman Y

February 3, 2010

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Jewish Americans have had an enduring, substantive, and complex influence on the nation's cinema, both behind the scenes and on screen. It began with a small group of Eastern European immigrants (with names like Zukor and Mayer) and first-generation Americans (with names like Warner and Cohn) who took the movies from being dismissed as a fad and a petty amusement to being hailed as a major art form and a mighty industry. The course starts by discussing some of the ways in which the Jewish identity of the industry?s early, prominent moguls was a key ingredient in Hollywood's formation and success in the first half of the 20th century. It continues by considering the work of filmmakers and actors from Jewish backgrounds, and by looking at such films as The Jazz Singer (1927) and Annie Hall (1977) to get a cinematic nosh of their lasting contributions to the art form. 4 Wednesdays: February 3, 10, 17, 24 Taught by Andrew J. Douglas, Ph.D. Director of Education, Bryn Mawr Film Institute.