Communist Controversy over Film Salt of the Earth Essay -- Politics Mc

Communist Contr everywheresy over Film table salt of the Earth brininess of the Earth was released in 1954, during the anti communist McCarthy sequence by a collection of blacklisted individuals, including screenwriter Michael Wilson, producer capital of Minnesota Jarrico, and Hollywood 10 director Herbert J. Biberman. Salt is based on the Empire surface strike of Local 890 in Bayard County, New Mexico that took place from 1950-1952. In some(prenominal) ways, Salt of the Earth resembles the archetypal American dream by presenting the happiness of ordinary, working class Americans over the forces of discrimination, inequality, and injustice. Salt enjoyed widespread acclaim in Europe, and won prestigious awards in Czechoslovakia and France. Yet in the United States, its merchandise encountered violent opposition from agencies such as the Screen Actors Guild, the American confederacy of Labor and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. What particular element of Salt make it seem so threatening and subversive?According to film critic Pauline Kael Salt was nothing more than shrewd propaganda for the urgent argument of the USSR. (Kael, 331-332) She unhesitatingly asserts that Salt is as clear a piece of communist propaganda as we pass on had in many years (Kael 331-332). In short, Kael argues that Salt is fundamentally subversive, threatening and un-American. Yet what does it mean to be subversive in the context of the McCarthy era? The Oxford English Dictionary defines the noun subversive as need to overthrow a regime (OED). Kaels argument seems to be comely to this definition. Does Salt of the Earth intend to overthrow the existing political sight and replace it with a communist form of government?Several scholars have responded to Kaels communist reading of Salt. Lorence... ...d English Dictionary. Accessed 2. June.2003 9. Rosseau, Jean-Jacques. The Social Contract. Liberty, Equality, Fraternity Exploringthe french Revolution. Hunt, Lynn & Censer, Jack. University Park, Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania State University Press (2001) 10. Rosenfelt, Deborah S. Salt of the Earth remark by Deborah Silverton Rosenfeltand Screenplay by Michael Wilson New York The Feminist Press, (1978) 11. Salt of the Earth. Dir. Herbert J. Bibberman. Produced by Paul Jarrico. Screenplay byMichael Wilson. Video recording. Independent Productions Corporation and theInternational Union of Mine. (1954) 12. Wilson, Michael. Salt of the Earth commentary by Deborah Silverton Rosenfelt andScreenplay by Michael Wilson. (The Screenplay) New York The Feminist Press, (1978)