Past and Present: National Identity and the British Historical Film (Cinema and Society)

First and major analysis of the historical film. The author is one of Britain’s leading film historians, author of successful Tauris books. This book is a key contribution to the literature on film genre and national identity. This ground-breaking book takes as its focal point director Ken Loach’s view that ‘The only reason to make films that are a reflection on history is to talk about the present.’ In the first book to take on this major genre in all its complexity, James Chapman argues that historical films say as much about the times in which they are made as about the past they purport to portray. Through in-depth case studies of fourteen key films spanning the 1930s up to the turn of the twenty first century, from “The Private Life of Henry VIII” and “Zulu” to “Chariots of Fire” and “Elizabeth”, Chapman examines the place of historical films in British cinema history and film culture. Looking closely at the issues that they present, from gender, class and ethnicity to militarism and imperialism, he also discusses controversies over historical accuracy, and the ways in which devices such as voice overs, title captions, and visual references to photographs and paintings assert a sense of historical verisimilitude. Exploring throughout the book the dialectical relationship between past and present, Chapman reveals how such films promote British achievements – but also sometimes question them – and how they project images of ‘Britishness’ to audiences both in the UK and internationally. Exploring Throughout The Dialectical Relationship Between Past And Present, Chapman Reveals How Such Films Promote British Achievements - But Also Sometimes Question Them - And How They Project Images Of 'britishness' To Audiences Both In The Uk And Internationally. List Of Illustrations -- General Editor's Introduction -- Acknowledgements -- List Of Abbreviations -- Introduction -- 1. Merrie England : The Private Life Of Henry Viii (1933) -- 2. Age Of Appeasement : The Iron Duke (1934) -- 3. Monarchy And Empire : Victoria The Great (1937) And Sixty Glorious Years (1938) -- 4. Class And Nation : This England (1941) -- 5. Cry God For Larry, England And St George : Henry V (1944) -- 6. The Dunkirk Spirit : Scott Of The Antarctic (1948) -- 7. Hollywood's England : Beau Brummell (1954) -- 8. Nearer, My God, To Thee : A Night To Remember (1958) -- 9. Men Of Harlech : Zulu (1964) -- 10. Decline And Fall : The Charge Of The Light Brigade (1968) -- 11. The Conscience Of The King : Henry Viii And His Six Wives (1972) -- 12. The British Are Coming : Chariots Of Fire (1981) -- 13. Queen And Country : Elizabeth (1998) -- Conclusion -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Filmography -- Index. James Chapman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [365]-376) And Index. Includes Filmography. This groundbreaking book by one of Britain's leading film historians is the first to take on this major genre in all its complexity. It takes to heart Ken Loach's view that "the only reason to make films that are a reflection on history is to talk about the present." With this proposition as his starting point, James Chapman examines the place of historical films in British cinema history and film culture. Through in-depth case studies of fourteen key films, from Henry V and Zulu to Chariots of Fire and Elizabeth, he analyzes the themes they present, including gender, ethnicity, militarism and and imperialism--throughout exploring their dialectical relationship between past and present and how they project images and ideologies of "Britishness" to audiences in the UK and North America. 1. Merrie England: The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) -- 2. Age of appeasement: The Iron Duke (1935) -- 3. Monarchy and empire: Victoria the Great (1937) and Sixty Glorious Years (1938) -- 4. Class and nation: This England (1941) -- 5. Cry God for Larry, England and St. George: Henry V (1944) -- 6. The Dunkirk spirit: Scott of the Antarctic (1948) -- 7. Hollywood's England: Beau Brummel (1954) -- 8. Nearer, my God to Thee: A night to Remember (1958) -- 9. Men of Harlech: Zulu 1964) -- 10. Decline and fall: The Charge of the Light Brigade (1968) -- 11. The conscience of the knig: Henry VIII and his SAix Wives (1972) -- 12. The British are coming: Chariots of Fire (1981) --13. Queen and country: Elizabeth (1998) 00 Conclusion