Hollywoodism: Jews, Movies and the American Dream (1998) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language

1998 · 100 mins · English

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Directed by

Simcha Jacobovici, Stuart Samuels

Starring

Abraham Polonsky, R.H. Thomson, J. Hoberman, Edward Dmytryk, A.C. Lyles, Jonathan Rosenbaum

The documentary explores how Hollywood’s early studio heads—Eastern‑European Jews who escaped oppression—infused American cinema with their cultural perspective. Using extensive film clips, it reveals recurring motifs such as the outsider’s experience, outspoken patriotism and a deep‑rooted sympathy for the underdog, showing how those immigrant founders shaped the nation’s most iconic movies.