Episode Five: Warriors & Peacemakers (1941-1950)
Monday Nov. 29 at 8 pm & 11 pm ET
Wednesday Dec. 1 at 10 pm ET
Monday Dec. 6 at 7 pm ET

When the U.S. entered World War II, movies became a powerful means of promoting patriotism, not only through overt propaganda but through films that rallied support while also entertaining. Some directors of the era, including Howard Hawks and Raoul Walsh, were as hard-bitten as their subject matter, while such filmmakers as Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges added an edge of humor and Orson Welles created his masterpiece, Citizen Kane (1941). Many male stars served in uniform while John Wayne seemed to be winning the war almost single-handedly onscreen. Directors such as George Stevens, John Ford and John Huston saw combat first-hand and created powerful documentaries, as did  Frank Capra. When the war finally ended, producer Samuel Goldwyn and director William Wyler summed up the country's uncertain optimism with The Best Years of Our Lives (1946). A darker tone was conveyed by the shadowy world of film noir and the examination of such topics as anti-Semitism (Gentleman's Agreement, 1947) and racism (Home of the Brave, 1949). The business environment was also changing. Actress Olivia de Havilland challenged the studio contract system and won, and in 1948 the Hollywood moguls had to face the breakup of the old monopoly that allowed control of both film production and theaters. As the decade came to a close, a formidable new competitor loomed on the horizon.