American Masters on PBS Tonight to Feature Story Behind Arthur Miller and Elia (Rat Bastard) Kazan's Different Takes on Naming Names

Tonight on many PBS stations at 9:00 Eastern, American Masters will feature a documentary about the two opposite ends of the pole concerning the communist witch hunt in Hollywood in the late 40s and 50s.   The recent film Good Night and Good Luck also covered this sad chapter in American History.

For those who aren't aware, the House of Representatives effectively criminalized holding the political opinion that communism just might have some good ideas to it.   Many Hollywood writers and directors and actors - including some names you would even recognize - either went to jail or were denied the ability to work when they refused to name the names of others who attended meetings at which communist ideals were discussed.  This was despite the fact that being a member of the Communist Party was never and has never been a crime.

When Academy Award-winning filmmaker Elia (Rat Bastard) Kazan was called to testify, he did somethng uniquely different.  He named names, and in so doing caused not only many of his friends to lose their livelihood but also to go jail and even to commit suicide.   Did Elia (Rat Bastard) Kazan feel guilt over this action?  Apparently not.  Instead, he made a movie called On The Waterfront which was basically nothing more than a two hour long justification for ratting out on your friends to save your own sorry ass.  The only problem is that in the movie the Kazan character is ratting out gangster, hoodlums and criminals.  In real life, Elia (Rat Bastard) Kazan ratted out writers and directors and actors.