The Auteur of Fatherhood: How Steven Spielberg recast American masculinity.

The article examines Steven Spielberg’s cinematic exploration of fatherhood, focusing on how his films reflect and shape American "dad culture." It traces the evolution of the term "dad" in American society from a Victorian patriarch to a more ironic, fallible figure popularized by mid-20th-century sitcoms, contrasting this with Spielberg’s recurring themes of absent, flawed, or estranged fathers rooted in his own family history. Spielberg’s collaborations with playwright Tony Kushner, including the films Munich, Lincoln, and The Fabelmans, deepen this exploration by portraying complex, morally ambiguous paternal figures that challenge traditional ideals. Ultimately, Spielberg’s work is presented as both a personal reckoning with his father and a cultural construction of fatherhood that resonates across generations.