The "winning" stopped abruptly in 1947. As one of the , Trumbo refused to answer questions from the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) regarding his political affiliations, citing First Amendment protections. That defiance cost him 11 months in federal prison and his livelihood in the film industry.
The Bathtub Radical: Dalton Trumbo and the War for the Word Hollywood has always loved a comeback story, but few are as defiant—or as drenched in soapy bathwater—as that of . While the 2015 biopic starring Bryan Cranston brought his name back to the marquee, the true story of the most famous man on the Hollywood Blacklist is a deeper study of the intersection between personal conviction and the price of one's principles. The Radical and the Rich Guy Trumbo
Trumbo's physical writing process was as legendary as his political one. A notorious night owl, he spent hours in a bathtub, a wooden tray across the porcelain, typing away until dawn with a cigarette in one hand and a scotch in the other. It was in this unconventional office that he wrote some of his most iconic works, including the original story for Roman Holiday . The "winning" stopped abruptly in 1947
Trumbo’s response was characteristically sharp: "The radical fights with the purity of Jesus, but the rich guy wins with the cunning of Satan". He wasn't looking for martyrdom; he was looking to win. Eleven Months and a Lifetime of Exile The Bathtub Radical: Dalton Trumbo and the War