The First Attack Ads: Hollywood vs. Upton Sinclair

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When world famous author and socialist Upton Sinclair swept the Democratic primary for governor of California in August 1934--leading a massive grassroots movement--it provoked Hollywood's first all-out plunge into politics. In The First Attack Ads: Hollywood vs. Upton Sinclair, we explore how Sinclair's inspiring End Poverty in California movement was destroyed by powerful business and political forces, with most of the Hollywood moguls lending a hand. This is the first film to focus on the revered MGM producer Irving Thalberg ordering the creation of the first "attack ads" to appear on a screen, a forerunner of today's media-based politics. The film reveals highlights from the three "Thalberg shorts" along with interviews with participants in the EPIC campaign and observers of the crucial impact of those shorts and their influence since. The film shows how the 1934 race marked the rise of "spin doctors," false or manipulated news, and the modern campaign techniques that will continue to dominate political campaigning in 2022 and beyond.