The History Usherette Presents

The History Usherette's popular blog looks at what British Cinema can tell us about our social history. This is a summary of how trends in cinema from the 1930s to the 1970s show us what was happening to the British people, and what they wanted to see on screen. It is a starting point for the student of 20th Century British Social History who would like to use cinema as a resource - or a reminder of the saturday afternoon matinee for those of a certain age... The chapters are separated out as follows: 1. 1930s - the early talkies and the music hall hangover 2. Wartime - propaganda and escapism 3. Post war- the heyday of our films and screen stars 4. Permissive society - the rise of the 'kitchen sink drama' 5. Television on film- the last desperate gasp Each of the first four chapters is followed by a spotlight feature on a particular aspect of that period. A bibliography and a calendar of births, deaths and releases finishes the book off, while pencil portraits of the stars enhance the text