John Mills and British Cinema

Masculinity, Identity and Nation

Bibliographic Data

ID23497668
AuthorsGill Plain (0000-0002-3387-4850, corresponding author)
Year2006
Publication date2006-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueJohn Mills and British Cinema (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherEdinburgh University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1515/9780748626618
OpenAlexW4241350489
ISBN9780748626618
Open LibraryOL37108738M
LanguageEN
Citations received5

GBS_insertPreviewButtonPopup('ISBN:9780748621088); Although his film career extended from the early days of sound to the British New Wave and beyond, Sir John Mills is nonetheless remembered as the archetypal hero of the Second World War. Regarded as an English 'everyman', his performances crossed the class divide and, in his easy transition from below decks to above, he came to represent a newly democratic masculine ideal. But what was this exemplary masculinity and what became of it in the aftermath of war? John Mills and British Cinema asks how was it possible for an actor to embody national identity and, by exploring the cultural contexts in which Mills and the nation became synonymous, the book offers a new perspective on 40 years of cinema and social change. Through detailed analysis of a wide range of classic British films, John Mills and British Cinema exposes the shifting constructions of 'national' masculinity, arguing that the screen persona of the actor is a fundamental, and often overlooked, dimension of British cinema. Key Features: Provides the first critical examination of the film career of Sir John Mills. Uses contemporary feminist and gender theories to examine the body of the actor as a crucial dimension of the film text. Explores the concept of a 'national cinema' from an innovative new perspective. Provides stimulating new readings of key British films, including Forever England , The Way to the Stars , Great Expectations , Scott of the Antarctic , Hobson's Choice , Ice Cold in Alex , Tunes of Glory , The Family Way and Ryan's Daughter. "

actor's body · Aesthetics · Art · Art history · British cinema · British New Wave · gender theory · Glory · Great Expectations · HERO · Hobson's choice · John Mill · Literature · Masculinity · Media studies · Movie theater · National cinema · National identity · Political science · Politics · postwar social change · Sociology · Cinema and Media Studies · Cinema History and Criticism · Gender Politics and Representation · Gender Studies · History · Law · Political and Economic history of UK and US · South Asian Cinema and Culture · 1939-1945 · Great britain · History and criticism · Masculinity in motion pictures · Motion picture actors and actresses · Motion pictures · Motion pictures and the war · Nationalism in motion pictures · World War · World war, motion pictures and the war