Trumbo

Dalton Trumbo’s story has some classic elements of big-screen drama – political persecution, crusading for equal rights, fighting the system to save a family – yet it’s never been made into a movie before now (except for documentaries).

Perhaps that’s because Trumbo, which was made outside the big-studio system, hits a little too close to home for the establishment, delving into the blacklist scandal that tarnished the end of Hollywood’s Golden Age.

Although several decades have passed since the film industry’s ill-conceived tussle with Communism, this uneven but compelling biopic of the Oscar-winning screenwriter offers both historical perspective and contemporary resonance.

Trumbo (Bryan Cranston) was one of the most successful writers of the 1940s whose socialist political stances turned him into an enemy by association once the Cold War begins. His outspoken eloquence makes him the most vocal member of the blacklisted and later imprisoned Hollywood Ten before emerging without much hope for a job.

Needing to support his wife (Diane Lane) and kids, Trumbo hatches a plan to write scripts using pseudonyms for a low-budget producer (John Goodman) more concerned with quantity than quality. He eventually turns it into a cottage industry of sorts, finding jobs for his ostracized friends willing to sacrifice fame for fortune. Amid the schlock came award-winning works such as Roman Holiday and Spartacus that aroused suspicion.

Cranston (TV’s “Breaking Bad”) is superb in the title role, capturing Trumbo’s voice and mannerisms while also bringing depth and complexity to his performance that transcends mere mimicry.

The script goes behind the headlines and provides some nostalgic amusement with its portrayal of a bygone era in Hollywood. Many famous names are portrayed here on both sides of Trumbo’s cause, including Kirk Douglas, Otto Preminger, John Wayne, gossip columnist Hedda Hopper (Helen Mirren), and blacklisted star Edward G. Robinson (Michael Stuhlbarg).

It’s assembled in straightforward fashion by director Jay Roach (Meet the Parents), who evokes a convincing period re-creation even if some of the details are modified or embellished.

The film remains fairly even-handed with regard to Trumbo’s actions. Does he have the courage to stand by his convictions, or is he a sell-out? Either way, it presents an insightful cautionary tale about political influence and public perception. Before the age of digital projection and surround sound, the movie business was still about the bottom line.

Rated R, 124 minutes.