An important analysis filling many gaps.

The Hollywood Blacklist is a story which has long been perpetuated by the film industry into popular culture, but RED STAR OVER HOLLYWOOD: THE FILM COLONY'S LONG ROMANCE WITH THE LEFT takes a different approach then most, documenting the large number of movie stars who did join the Communist Party and as a result had an impact on filmmaking trends. Material from the papers of Dalton Trumbo and other Hollywood insiders examine the concurrent growth of Communism through the 1930s and war years and the growing numbers of film greats who joined, experienced inner party disagreements, and influenced the industry as a whole. It's the first book to examine the discussion groups and members who helped define and promote Hollywood radicalism and makes for an important analysis filling many gaps.

Exceptional and Educational

Over the years I have read many books on the Red Scare in Hollywood and could never quite understand the attraction to communism. This book does the best job of describing the issues, the attraction to communism and documentation of actual plans by the communist party concerning their intent to influence films. In reading many past books, the authors never quite expressed WHY they were communists. In fact, many of the books never mentioned whether they were incorrectly persecuted or whether they actually were members of communist party. This book provides documentation and reasoning by none other than Dalton Trumbo, one of the leading communists in Hollywood and the screenwriter partially responsible for breaking the blacklist. And in the end, he disavowed his former communist party and their teachings.

Is it a witch-hunt if the witches are real?

While George Clooney was simultaneously thumping his chest and patting his back for how he and his "community" are proudly out of touch with mainstream America, I was engaged in the rather more edifying exercise of reading this great new book by Ronald and Allis Radosh. For readers with an interest in the context of the culture-clash between the "Hollywood elite" and the poor benighted people who buy movie tickets and DVDs, this book is an excellent resource.