The best known members of the Hollywood Ten would probably be Ring Lardner Jnr, Edward Dmytryk and Trumbo. Trumbo has a special place in history because of his justly famous letters which reveal him to be one of the genuinely nicest and liberal of the Ten - Richard Corliss in his book on screenwriters Talking Pictures would praise Trumbo's letters but criticise his screenplays. Trumbo is also the writer with the greatest fall from grace, going from one of the top paid writers in Hollywood to be on the blacklist - but also with the best comeback, winning two Oscars secretly (Roman Holiday and The Brave One) and the first to be credited again with Exodus and Spartacus.
This is an unusual sort of film - part documentary, with the standard talking heads (including Trumbo's kids) and footage from the time (eg the ten being self righteous at the hearings, home movie work) - interspersed with famous actors reading from letters to and from Trumbo: Josh Lucas, Liam Neeson, Brian Dennehy, Donald Sutherland, Nathan Lane, Joan Allen, Paul Giamatti, David Straithairn. It's a little distracting to be honest - the latter piece feels a bit too theatrical for me (the letters have been turned into a play), and you can see the actors Acting.. I felt myself watching and going "wow Josh Lucas has good teethe" instead of concentrating on the content.
It remains interesting and Trumbo is a fascinating, admirable figure. Even he couldn't give up Hollywood money and concentrate on novels, though.
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