the auteur theory of politics

[writerspleasure.livejournal.com]

if melvin_udall or that awful writerspleasure or reality_hammer told you that a hollywood movie had been made depicting the u.s. going into fascist dictatorship ... would you believe us?

probably, if you were on the left and it were about bush43.

what if we told you it touted fascist dictatorship, openly and honestly - that it came about as a result of a president getting rid of congress on the basis of a national emergency, for the sake of the people? still in the realm of likelihood?

how about it depicting great things happening in the world due to american dictatorial fascism? obviously an ironic post-modern move, right? a witty commentary on bush and capitalism?

what if we told you it had to do with a president who was anti-government unions and believed in military tribunals? surely not. that's crazy talk, right?

what if we told you that a hyper-wealthy media tycoon had urged the film into creation ... that a united states president-elect contributed rewrites to the script ... and that said president saw the film several times and really enjoyed it ... and his wife expressed appreciation for the president's actions? crazy alternate reality talk, right? dubya and laura and rupert murdoch, cartoonified to caricature, right?

ladies and gentlemen, such a film was made. in 1933.

the president in question was franklin delano roosevelt. the media tycoon backing was william randolph hearst. the title of the movie is gabriel over the white house. i refer you to the well-documented wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabriel_Over_the_White_House . i cannot urge you enough to look at the wiki. one special gem, in terms of how fascism was actually conceived back then: the president's first action? "purging his entire cabinet of "big-business lackeys." but i thought business=fascism!

more from wiki: Newsweek's Jonathan Alter concurred in 2007 that the movie was meant to "prepare the public for a dictatorship,"[13] as well as to be an instructional guide for FDR, who read the script during the campaign. He liked it so much that he took time during the hectic first weeks of his presidency to suggest several script rewrites that were incorporated into the film.[30] "An aroma of fascism clung to the heavily edited release print," according to Leff.[27] Roosevelt saw an advance screening, writing, “I want to send you this line to tell you how pleased I am with the changes you made in ‘Gabriel Over the White House.’ I think it is an intensely interesting picture and should do much to help.”[30] [snip] Gabriel Over the White House is widely acknowledged to be an example of totalitarian propaganda. Tweed, the author of the original novel, was a "liberal champion of government activism"[16] and trusted adviser to David Lloyd George,[17] the Liberal Prime Minister who brought Bismarck's welfare state[18] to the United Kingdom.[19] The decision to buy the story was made by producer Walter Wanger,[16] variously described as "a liberal Democrat"[20] or a "liberal Hollywood mogul."[8] After two weeks of script preparation, Wanger secured the financial backing of media magnate William Randolph Hearst,[21] one of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's staunchest supporters,[22] who had helped him get the Democratic presidential nomination[23] and who enlisted his entire media empire to campaign for him.[24] Hearst intended the film to be a tribute to FDR and an attack on previous Republican administrations.[20] [snip] The American people, [FDR in his inaugural address] added, "have asked for discipline and direction under leadership. They have made me the present instrument of their wishes. In the spirit of the gift I take it."[37] The New York Herald Tribune welcomed FDR's inauguration with the headline "FOR DICTATORSHIP IF NECESSARY."[38] FDR economic adviser Herbert Feis commented, "The outside public seems to believe as if Angel Gabriel had come to earth."[39]

but you know, it can't happen here!

brief clip, for your viewing pleasure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqpZ7ZqJ3Pg