AMERICANA

A type of film usually dealing with small-town America and seeking to convey what is considered a characteristic or typical American way of life. This movie type has changed as much over the years as America’s vision of itself has changed. While ostensibly concerned with transmitting the life and culture of the small town, these films are always reflective of the times more than place. In the ‘40s and ’50s, stories about small-town folk (It’s a Wonderful Life) were, more often than not, depictions of the innocence and purity of the heart of America. In the ’60s, while this vein continued, another emerged...