Description
Book Synopsis Widespread law enforcement or formal policing outside of cities appeared in the early 20th century around the same time the early film industry was developing--the two evolved in tandem, intersecting in meaningful ways. Much scholarship has focused on portrayals of the criminal in early American cinema, yet little has been written about depictions of the criminal''s antagonist. This history examines how different on-screen representations shifted public perception of law enforcement--initially seen as a suspicious or intrusive institution, then as a power for the common good.
Trade Review"Law Enforcement in American Cinema
delivers a short but very rewarding title." -
popcultureshelf.comTable of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- I. Early Twentieth-Century Law Enforcement and Cinema
- II. Just the Facts: The Police in Short Early Silent-Era Film
- III. Cops in Silent-Era Feature Film: Traffic in Souls (1913), Easy Street (1917) and Cops (1922)
- IV. Enforcing the Law in the "Talkies"
- V. Shadows of Law Enforcement in Film Noir
- Coda: Law Enforcement in Early Twentieth-Century Film: From a Subject of Suspicion to a Power for the Common Good
- Filmography
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
