In 1952, Elia Kazan testified before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigating alleged communist infiltration of the entertainment industry. The cloud of this cooperation, which assured that the filmmaker would avoid the blacklist, plagued Kazan throughout the remainder of his life and career. This book presents a close analysis of Kazan's cinema following his testimony, examining the political themes they conveyed, in order to gain a better understanding of the filmmaker's consciousness.
The films covered in this volume include Viva Zapata (1952), On the Waterfront (1954), East of Eden (1954), Baby Doll (1956), A Face in the Crowd (1957), Splendor in the Grass (1961), America, America (1963), and The Last Tycoon (1976).

After pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees in history from West Texas State University and the University of New Mexico, Ron Briley taught history and film studies for thirty-nine years at Sandia Prep School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where he also served as assistant head of school and is now faculty emeritus. In addition, he served as an adjunct professor of history at the University of New Mexico-Valencia campus for twenty years, and his teaching has been recognized by the Society for History Education, Golden Apple Foundation of New Mexico, National Council for History Education, American Historical Association, and Organization of American Historians. The recipient of Fulbright grants to study in Japan, the Netherlands, and Yugoslavia, Briley has also served on numerous committees for the Organization of American Historians and American Historical Association. A Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians, he is the author of numerous books, including biographies of Elia Kazan and Woody Guthrie, as well as many scholarly articles and encyclopedia entries on the history of sport, music, and film.