“Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?”
Successful Hollywood movie screenwriter Dalton Trumbo refuses to answer.
He is sentenced to 11 months at a federal penitentiary for contempt by the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947. Even more damaging, he is put on “The Blacklist” that covertly forbids movie producers from hiring him.
Trumbo (Byran Cranston) fights the battle to break “the list” by ghost writing. He starts working for Frank King (John Goodman). King’s movies are crap (his own words), but they make money. Trumbo writes an Oscar-winning movie for King which also receives an Academy Award for the screenplay. That award is mysteriously accepted in absentia.
While the obvious theme of the movie, “Trumbo” is about the First Amendment, the underlying theme is about the lore of writing. Trumbo’s genius takes him into his personal Writer’s Zone to the detriment of his relationships with family and friends.
Justifiably, Cranston has been nominated for a Golden Globe award. Helen Mirren as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper is also on the Globe list for best supporting actress. Each should easily make the Oscar nominations.
Those that love Hollywood backlot intrigues of the late 1940’s are sure to enjoy this show. Lookalike actors playing Kirk Douglas, Edward G. Robinson, John Wayne, and Otto Preminger are spectacular.
Ironically, the only fault in the show is in John McNamara’s repetitious screenplay which should be trimmed by at least 15 minutes.
Great intensive acting makes this show well worth seeing. Currently, “Trumbo” is playing at the Rialto Theater in The Villages.
Villager Jack Petro reviews movies for Villages-News.com