ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates that a new discursive practice regarding the movies had emerged in the United States by the eve of the Second World War—the "Hollywood brand". The exhibition of American films at Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) during Iris Barry's curatorship may have represented the ultimate embrace of Hollywood by the most elite quarters of modern art. Hollywood, like MoMA, did emphasize America's unique contribution to the medium's development, which helped cement the idea of Hollywood as a national cinema and a new global style. The decision of the Academy to award separate Oscars for best picture and best foreign film, may have been made to ensure that the best studio films would receive public attention. The film industry and powerful cultural institutions tried their best to shape the viewing experience. Exhibitions in museums, universities, and elaborate movie palaces undoubtedly provided the movies with settings that were more appropriate than the storefront nickelodeons for a new art form.
