Films and British National Identity: From Dickens to Dad's ArmyThis book seeks to examine the ways in which the cinema has defined, mythified and disseminated British national identity during the course of the twentieth century. It takes the form of a series of linked essays which examine chronologically, thematically and by specific case studies of films, stars and genres the complexities and ambiguities in the process of evolution and definition of the national identity. It argues for the creation of a distinctive British national identity both in cinema and the wider culture. But it also assesses the creation of alternative identities both ethnic and regional and examines the interaction of cinema and other cultural forms (music, literature and television). |
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actors Africa American Antarctic audience became Britain British character British cinema British films celebrated Celtic Clive comedy comic culture Dad's Army David death Dickens documentary drama Ealing Ealing Studios embodied Empire England English fight film music Gainsborough George Formby Gracie Gracie Fields heroic Highland Hollywood idea industrial inspired Ireland Irish J. B. Priestley Jeffrey Richards John Lady Lancashire land Leslie Howard lish London Margaret Lockwood melodrama Michael Michael Balcon music-hall myth national character national identity Nazi nineteenth century novel Orwell Passport to Pimlico Paul Robeson played political popular Powell produced Ralph Vaughan Williams Randle role romantic rural Sanders score Scotland Scots Scott Scottish screen script Scrooge seen sexual shot singing social society songs spirit stars story stress Studios symbol tartanry television theme tion tradition Victorian village violence Wales wartime Welsh Whisky Galore Williams's women working-class young