How does ’s body of work help to frame him as a ‘radical’ auteur? 3. The Radical Abstract Nicholas Christopher called Force of Evil one of the most I aimed to establish Polonsky’s as a ‘radical’ auteur “fierce critiques of lassez faire capitalism” even created in (politically and aesthetically) and to explore how that cinema. Polonsky’s films displayed a world in which working- standing as influenced modern reactions to his work in class characters were tempted and almost destroyed as they a critical and academic sense attempted to traverse and become successful in the American capitalist system. This recalled Marx’s theories of alienated labour, as his characters material wealth came at the expense 1. Who is Polonsky? of their spiritual wealth, and often their communities well- being. Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here further suggested that this Abraham Polonsky was Hollywood screenwriter and director, American capitalist system was built on the exploitation of the and former Union teacher, who was blacklisted by the HUAC Native Americans, and a fundamentally racist system. after producing the Marxist-themed Body and Soul (1947, Rossen) and Force of Evil (1948, Polonsky). In the late 60’s he re-emerged with two more directorial projects- the anti-racist Tell Them Willie Boy is Here (1968, Polonsky) and Romance of 4. Polonsky Today a Horsethief (1971, Polonsky). Despite the acclaim of figures such as , according to Caryn James, quoted by Buhle and Wagner, Polonsky remains an “obscure director.” Buhle and Wagner state that this is due to a shift away from, and fear of, politically and aesthetically radical cinema 2. The Auteur in Hollywood following the HUAC blacklist., and a According to Buhle and Wagner’s “A Very general support of the status quo This can be traced to Dangerous Citizen: Abraham Lincoln Polonsky and the pro-Bush reading of The Dark Knight (2008, Christopher Nolan), as seen in the famous Wall Street the Hollywood Left”, Polonsky was a pioneer in Journal article “What Batman and Bush Have in using the genre frameworks of the Hollywood Common.” cinema (, Western, boxing picture) in order to address contemporary political and Bibliography philosophical themes, and to attempt to realise the Buhle, P and Wagner, D, A Very Dangerous Citizen, University of aesthetic style outlined in his ‘Manifesto for an California Press, Berkeley, Los Angeles, London, 2001. Utopian Cinema.’ The “interior meaning” of ’ Klavan, A . (2008). What Bush and Batman Have in Common. ‘Concentric Circle’ auteur theory is established by Available: Polonsky’s attempts to “poeticise” his film-making http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB121694247343482821. Last accessed 11/05/15. style, and the Marxist themes and politics that

emerged as a result of his working-class, New York, Robins, M. (2005). Cinemateque Annotations On Film: Force Of Jewish background, which, according to Buhle and Evil. Senses of Cinema. 36. Available at: Wagner, was a hotbed of socialist activism and http://sensesofcinema.com/2005/cteq/force_of_evil/ Last sympathies. Body and Soul and Force of Evil both Accessed: 12/05/15 deal with characters from this same locale.