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name to something that sounds “less Jewish.” She is an assimilated Jew who demonstrates an
intolerance to “those kinds of Jews and how Jews like her are better” (Quart). When informed
about a possible story over anti-Semitism, the successful industrialist says the story will
accomplish nothing and it is best to just ignore it. It is his belief the story will only make it worse
by drawing attention to it. This scene is very important to our thesis and it is covered in more
detail as we progress. In spite of anti-Semitism pervasive role both openly and latently in the
society the movie portrays, there are no Jewish characters to step up and fight it (Quart).

We have two movies filmed during a period of significant Jewish influence in
Hollywood; one which has as its background refugees escaping Nazi Germany and the other one
about anti-Semitism, that are calling out for strong Jewish characters. Neither film has them and
the question to be answered is why.

Anti-Semitism and Assimilation

To understand the why, we need to examine in more detail just who the moguls were and
what they experienced as Jewish immigrants to America. Why did the Jewish moguls, directors
and writers of Hollywood not make Jewish characters more dominant in their films?
Assimilation and anti-Semitism. The moguls’ sensibilities were certainly shaped by their own
need to flee from the pogroms and persecution of Tsarist Russia and Eastern Europe. Even in
America Jews faced anti-Semitic hatred and stereotypes. Much of the Anti-Semitism revolved
around Jewish control of the media and the Leo Frank case is a good example of this. Leo Frank
was a Jewish factory supervisor in Atlanta, Georgia, who was convicted in a controversial case,
of murdering a young girl that he employed, Mary Fagan and sentence to death. There was good
evidence that pointed to another suspect Jim Conley, an African-American janitor. Even in the
South anti-Semitism was more virulent that racism at times (Gould). The flames of Anti-