This authoritative collection of introductory and specialized readings explores the rich and innovative history of this period in American cinema. Spanning an essential range of subjects from the early 1900s Nickelodeon to the decline of the studio system in the 1960s, it combines a broad historical context with careful readings of individual films. Charts the rise of film in early twentieth-century America from its origins to 1960, exploring mainstream trends and developments, along with topics often relegated to the margins of standard film histories - Covers diverse issues ranging from silent film and its iconic figures such as Charlie Chaplin, to the coming of sound and the rise of film genres, studio moguls, and, later, the Production Code and Cold War Blacklist - Designed with both students and scholars in mind: each section opens with an historical overview and includes chapters that provide close, careful readings of individual films clustered around specific topics - Accessibly structured by historical period, offering valuable cultural, social, and political contexts - Contains careful, close analysis of key filmmakers and films from the era including D.W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Erich von Stroheim, Cecil B. DeMille,  Don Juan , The Jazz Singer , I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, Scarface, Red Dust, Glorifying the American Girl, Meet Me in St. Louis, Citizen Kane, Bambi, Frank Capra's Why We Fight series, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Rebel Without a Cause, Force of Evil, and selected American avant-garde and underground films, among many others. - Additional online resources such as sample syllabi, which include suggested readings and filmographies for both general specialized courses, will be available online. - May be used alongside American Film History: Selected Readings, 1960 to the Present , to provide an authoritative study of American cinema through the new millennium “Out of all the film books I've read this year - and there have been many judging from the sheer amount of book reviews I've posted here in 2015 alone - American Film History: Selected Readings, Origins to 1960 is the clear stand-out amongst them. It's an invaluable tool for those of us who strive to learn more and more about the film industry and classic film every day and I definitely won't be letting this book out of my site for a good long while (I may even stipulate being buried with it in my Last Will & Testament).” ( Stardustclassicfilmblog , 17 December 2015) “Combining compelling personal perspective with rigorous, grounded research, these essays offer smart, sharp insights on American film and capture vividly its multiple resonances across politics, culture, aesthetics.” Dana Polan, Cinema Studies, New York University “The editors have performed an excellent service to the academic community, gathering together an impressive array of scholarly pieces dealing comprehensively with American film, and its production and reception, from the early days to the present.” Brian Neve, University of Bath This authoritative collection of introductory and specialized readings takes students and scholars through the rich, varied, and innovative history of early American film, from its inception in the late-1890s, through the decline of the studio system in the 1960s. Accessibly structured by historical period to provide cultural, social, political, and technological contexts, this volume includes coverage of a range of essential subjects, from silent film and iconic figures such as Charlie Chaplin to the coming of sound; from the rise of film genres and studio moguls to the early contributions of women, African-Americans, and avant-garde filmmakers; from the enforcement of the Production Code to the Cold War Hollywood Blacklist. Written by established film scholars, American Film History: Selected Readings, Origins to 1960 balances its coverage of the vital trends and developments in mainstream film with topics often relegated to the margins of standard film histories. Key filmmakers and films covered include D.W. Griffith, Charles Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Erich von Stroheim, Cecil B. DeMille, Don Juan , The Jazz Singer , I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang, Scarface, Red Dust, Glorifying the American Girl, Meet Me in St. Louis, Citizen Kane, Bambi, Frank Capra’s Why We Fight series, The Strange Love of Martha Ivers, Rebel Without a Cause, Force of Evil, and selected American avant-garde and underground films, among many others. It is designed with both the student and scholar in mind: each section opens with an historical overview and provides close, careful readings of individual films clustered around specific topics. Additional online resources available such as sample syllabi, which include suggested readings and filmographies for both general and specialized courses. This authoritative collection of introductory and specialized readings takes students and scholars through the rich, va