Women in British Cinema: Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know

This book takes a broad perspective and analyses the ways in which the British film industry has dealt with women and their creativity from 1930 to the present. The first part of the book deals comprehensively with different historical periods in British film culture, showing how the 'agency' of production company, director, distribution company or scriptwriter can bring about new patterns of female stereotyping. The second part looks at the input of women workers into the film process. It assesses the work of women in a variety of roles: directors such as Wendy Toye and Sally Potter, producers such as Betty Box, scriptwriters such as Clemence Dane and Muriel Box, costume designers such as Shirley Russell and Jocelyn Rickards, and editors and art directors. This is a polemical book which is written in a lively and often confrontational manner. It uses fresh archival material and takes energetic issue with those explanatory models of film analysis which impose easy answers onto complex material.

Author: Sue Harper
Publisher: Continnuum-3PL
Published: 06/01/2000
Pages: 272
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.48h x 5.37w x 0.63d
ISBN13: 9780826447333
ISBN10: 0826447333
BISAC Categories:
- Performing Arts | Film | History & Criticism
- Social Science | Women's Studies
- Technology & Engineering | Telecommunications

About the Author
Sue Harper is reader in film history at the University of Portsmouth. Her most recent book is Picturing the Past: The Rise and Fall of the British Costume Film.