Another Frank Capra

AnotherFrankCapraoffersanewinterpretationofthegreatHollywooddirectorbeyondthepatrioticsentimentalistorthecynicalopportunistthathehasbeentakenfor.Oftencastasacinematicsimpletonorprimitive,Capra'sexploitationofthestylisticandnarrativeresourcesofcinemawas,infact,extremelyself-consciousandadventurousinwaystypicalofartisticmodernism.Hismodernismisalsoevidentinhisrepeatedandstrongidentificationwithfemalecharacters.Informedbyrecentworkingenretheoryandfeministpsychology,AnotherFrankCaprashowsCapratobea'proto-feminist'directorwhosefeminismhasbeenentirelyneglectedbypreviouscritics.