British and American Film Studies

L395 — Spring 2022

Instructor
Ranu Samantrai
Days and Times
OA: Online All (no designated meeting time) (3 CR)
Course Description

Topic: Men of the Nation

Between 1945 and 2000, England’s global power dramatically diminished.  How did its people adjust to their shrinking place in the world? Film brings history home by exploring how ordinary people are affected by public events. We’ll use our topic, masculinity and the nation, to work through a range of genres including the epic, the thriller, historical drama, and social realism. Our directors--Lean, Richardson, Hudson, Frears, Jordan, and Cattaneo--represent significant moments in British cinema, including the collapse of empire, the New Wave, the heritage industry, Thatcherism, and transnationalism. Coursework includes lectures, quizzes, online discussion, a presentation, and substantial writing.