I think it's a good read. I question its historical perspective. Pre-code Hollywood had many of the elements that the author suggest didn't start appearing until the 1970s and 1980s. Compare this statement from the essay:
> It wasn't too long ago that killing was dirty work for grown-ups. Once the westerns died, and Vietnam reminded Americans that it's not always easy to spot the villains, movie and TV heroes who killed lots of sumbitches were grim grown-ups
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I think it's a good read. I question its historical perspective. Pre-code Hollywood had many of the elements that the author suggest didn't start appearing until the 1970s and 1980s. Compare this statement from the essay:
> It wasn't too long ago that killing was dirty work for grown-ups. Once the westerns died, and Vietnam reminded Americans that it's not always easy to spot the villains, movie and TV heroes who killed lots of sumbitches were grim grown-ups
with this from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-Code_Hollywood :
> Gangsters in films like The Public Enemy, Little Caesar, and Scarface were seen by many as heroic rather than evil.