This book investigates the complex interplay between Cold War anxieties, the burgeoning discourse of lesbian identity, and the representation of these themes within Hollywood cinema of the era. Robert J. Corber, drawing on extensive archival research and critical theory, argues that Hollywood films, even those not explicitly about lesbianism, often encoded anxieties about national identity and political subversion through their portrayals of gender and sexuality. The analysis focuses on how the perceived threat of communism mirrored societal fears surrounding non-normative sexualities, particularly lesbianism, and how these fears were visually and narratively constructed within the cinematic landscape.

The book is recognized for its rigorous academic approach, synthesizing film studies with historical and cultural analysis to illuminate a specific niche of Cold War cinema. Scholars have noted its detailed examination of how Hollywood narratives reflected and shaped societal anxieties regarding both political subversion and non-normative sexualities. The work is considered a significant contribution to understanding the intersection of national identity, Cold War politics, and the representation of lesbianism within American film.