The great refusal, and the irony behind it

Hollywood owed Adolf Hitler a great deal, as his rise to power put an abrupt end to German Expressionism. It was the zenith of artistic excellence during the silent film era, where the likes of Fritz Lang found prominence. West Coast became their second home months after their departure from Europe. The A-list stars in Hollywood won't do the same thing after Donald Trump's inauguration, as they staged protests all over the nation. It was the Great Refusal, which was unheard of. Would Trump be impeached before seeking reelection? It seemed to be a long shot.

Trump ran an anti-establishment campaign, as it took more than a year before the Republican Party reluctantly endorsed him as its candidate. It won't be everyone in the party, though. (You won't hear a word from George W. Bush.) The celebrities who couldn't get over the election results weren't doing anything good at all, as the billionaire remained a thin-skinned individual who would get back through Twitter. Jack Dorsey might have something to worry about, as Trump's use of Twitter could give it a bad rep. This is something to watch out, but let's go back to the heart of the matter.

Hollywood may be accused of living in its own (liberal) bubble, giving back whenever actors would need to pat themselves on the back. Zoe Saldana may turn out to have a point, as the big names in Hollywood bullied Trump relentlessly during the campaign. They became a bit too arrogant (or as the actress thought). California, one of the handful of states that voted against Trump last November, could be looking at autonomy anytime soon. What about those who refused to cooperate with the Trump administration? They could relocate to Canada, but no one seemed serious about it (unless Ryan is their name). They might be law-abiding citizens (and help Trump), but it would likely end up as a mouth-watering premise of a soon-to-be-titled movie. And Melania Trump may be the unlikely victim of a heist in the sequel of "Ocean's Eight".

Can the cultural elite provide effective resistance? It seems to be remote idea. After all, Hollywood still needs the White House connection, and Trump should know better. ("Celebrity Apprentice" wasn't a case of dumb luck.) Politics and showbiz may be strange bedfellows at first glance, but it can be a case of birds of a same feather. And Hollywood has no answer to the pressing economic issues until an award-winning filmmaker is interested in exploring it. Don't expect Meryl Streep to learn another dialect (and star in it).

“Anything that gives aid and comfort to the adversary is a poor idea,” Joyce Carol Oates tweeted not long ago.

Let's modify the above quote: Art should provide refuge to the audience. This was what musicals did during the 1930s. Screwball comedy did the same thing during the Second World War. Perhaps most Hollywood stars became politically correct during the last ten years or so. A bit too politically correct to the public.