Realism and Tinsel: Cinema and Society in Britain 1939-48 (Cinema and Society)

With themes ranging from passion and romance to murder and psychological disturbance, popular British film in the 1940s found little favour with the critics, but provided thrills and entertainment for millions of people during a time of austerity and danger. Realism and Tinsel looks beyond the established histories of Ealing Comedies and realist classics to excavate a rich but neglected tradition of melodrama, gangster films, morbid thrillers, and costume pictures. Discussing cinema in the context of the major social, economic, and political changes that were taking place, Robert Murphy examines the period's most popular films, including Madonna of the Seven Moons, The Way Ahead, and The Wicked Lady. The picture that emerges challenges the reassuring, cosy view of Britain presented in realist cinema, and throws new light on the British film industry of the time, and on our idea of the war era itself. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 List of Illustrations......Page 10 General Editors' Preface......Page 12 Acknowledgements......Page 14 Introduction......Page 16 1 Britain Alone......Page 18 2 War Culture......Page 30 3 Realism and Tinsel......Page 42 4 The Rank Empire......Page 66 5 Great Expectations......Page 79 6 Passionate Friends?......Page 99 7 Exotic Dreams......Page 118 8 The Spiv Cycle......Page 141 9 Morbid Burrowings......Page 160 10 Nothing to Laugh at at All......Page 180 11 Challenge to Hollywood......Page 204 Conclusion......Page 214 Chronology: Cinema and Society in the Forties......Page 217 Notes......Page 229 Bibliography......Page 243 Index of Film Titles......Page 249 General Index......Page 260

Looking at popular British film in the 1940s, Realism and Tinsel goes beyond the established histories of the Ealing Comedies to excavate a rich tradition of melodrama, morbid thrillers and costume pictures.

First published in 1992. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company