The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler is a 2013 non-fiction book by Ben Urwand. It was published on September 9, 2013, by Belknap Press, an imprint of Harvard University Press. It is about cooperation between 1930s U.S. filmmakers and Nazi Germany.
.png) First edition cover | |
| Author | Ben Urwand |
|---|---|
| Audio read by | Oliver Wyman[1] |
| Cover artist | Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis Images[2] |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Motion picture industry Nazi Germany |
| Publisher | Belknap Press |
Publication date | September 9, 2013 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 324 |
| ISBN | 978-0-674-72474-7 (hardcover) |
| 791.430973/0943 | |
| LC Class | PN1993.5.G3 U79 2013 |
Summary
editAccording to the book the assistance was done for monetary reasons and because some film industry executives who were Jewish believed that antisemitism would increase if films were too obviously pleading for assistance for Jews.[3] Urwand believes that the studio heads willingly assisted the Nazis.[4] The author argued that the filmmakers feared that German authorities would prohibit American films and put anti-American content in German films if American film companies refused to co-operate, which means American filmmakers would have had no way to have a say in the German market.[5] Edward Helmore of The Observer wrote that "Urwand's interpretation of the relationship is disputed by other scholars of the period."[4] Ofer Ashkenazi of Hebrew University wrote in a review of the book that in addition to "shameless profit-seeking" the American film executives also considered "a logical, albeit not heroic, survival strategy" as this American industry also faced local anti-Semitic sentiment.[6]
Background
editArchival materials were used as part of the book, including letters.[7]
Reception
editPublishers Weekly designated the review with a star and wrote that "Urwand deserves immense credit for this groundbreaking—and truly unique—take on the WWII era."[8] Kirkus Reviews described it as "a keen, unsettling look" at the subject, and that it "keeps the focus on a few films for an elucidating study."[9] Melvin Jules Bukiet wrote in The Washington Post that the work shows "two-dimensional pictures of minorly venal minor men" who are "merely humans" and that "Urwand is too eager to find scandal."[3]
David Denby wrote in The New Yorker that the book's conclusions were flawed, stating: "I'm surprised that Harvard University Press could have published anything as poorly argued as" the book.[10] In response to his critics, Urwand stood by his book's conclusions, stating: "Any claims I make are based on archival materials. Everything in my book is documented."[11]
References
edit- Ashkenazi, Ofer (2016). "Ben Urwand, The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler. Cambridge, Mass.: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2013. 327 pp.". In Lederhendler, Eli; Gabriel N. Finder (eds.). A Club of Their Own: Jewish Humorists and the Contemporary World. pp. 278–279. doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780190646127.003.0020. ISBN 9780190646127.
Notes
edit- ^ The Collaboration (Audiobook) by Ben Urwand. Retrieved November 21, 2019 – via Audible.
- ^ "Markets and the Movie Industry". Harvard Magazine. October 15, 2013. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ a b Bukiet, Melvin Jules. ""The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler," by Ben Urwand". Washington Post. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ a b Helmore, Edward (June 29, 2013). "Hollywood and Hitler: did the studio bosses bow to Nazi wishes?". The Observer. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ Ashkenazi, p. 2/4.
- ^ Ashkenazi, p. 4/4.
- ^ Quinn, Anthony (October 16, 2013). "The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler by Ben Urwand – review". The Guardian. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ "The Collaboration: Hollywood's Pact with Hitler". Publishers Weekly. July 22, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ "THE COLLABORATION". Kirkus Reviews. July 7, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2019. - Review date is July 15, 2013, while online publishing is July 7, 2013.
- ^ Denby, David (September 23, 2013). "How Could Harvard Have Published Ben Urwand's "The Collaboration"?". The New Yorker. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
- ^ Brook, Tom (October 21, 2014). "Did Hollywood studios help the Nazis?". BBC. Retrieved August 28, 2024.