The Fifties : The Rage Within (1997)
Directed by Tracy Dahlby / Alex Gibney
Genres - Historical Film |
Sub-Genres - Politics & Government, Social History |
Run Time - 60 min. |
Countries - United States |
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Synopsis by Sarah Ing
David Halberstam's The Fifties, Vol. 6: The Rage Within and the Road to the Sixties serves as a catch-all for the Pulitzer prize-winning author's final thoughts. Beginning with the civil unrest that rose in the South, the documentary picks up a number of themes. African-Americans began to fight back, scoring social acceptance with star athletes Willie Mays and Bill Russell. The battle for racial equality was just beginning as another race took off. Americans and Russians compete for dominance in space. Back on Earth, everyone seems to be in a hurry. McDonald's saves the day with the invention of fast food. The growing fascination with youth and speed is encapsulated in a new leader, John F. Kennedy. Finally, America gets itself in hot water with the Cuban Missile Crisis and the entry into Vietnam. The longest volume of the series, this release hits upon the more memorable parts of the '50s while offering glimpses into a turbulent future.
Characteristics
Keywords
Cold-War, decade, desegregation, discrimination, post-war, racial-tension, retrospective, space-race