Everyone in the creative side of the film business feared the McCarthy hearings, and no one knew when, for no discernible reason, they might suddenly be branded a Communist or Communist sympathizer. Consider these comments spoken by key people of the time. Communist writers can be spotted because they portray bankers and senators as villainous characters. It's also relevant in understanding the McCarthy hearings that studio heads were already upset because they felt that writers and unions were getting too much power. All communist issues aside, many of them seemed only too anxious to point accusing fingers at actors and writers.
Creative people tend to push social boundaries and touch upon controversial issues.
This is one of the things that makes their work popular and thought provoking and creates a love-hate relationship with some of the public. Although films often represent the harbinger of things to come in society, they can also threaten values and beliefs. Many of pastors and priests during this era spoke out against films and tried to forbid their church members from attending motion pictures. There was also the very real encroachment of Communism in various parts of the world. At the same time some people especially when corporate economic interests were at stake didn't want to condemn the Communist movement.