Englishness in film: Constructions of English identity and ‘Englishness’ reflected in films about Winston Churchill

Abstract

In a political climate in which British, and particularly English, people voted to leave the EU, it is important that English identity and Englishness are and not only discussed in culture and politics but also in a wider academic context. This thesis proposes to add to the already flourishing academic field of English identity by identifying how Englishness and English identity feature in popular culture, in particular in films about Winston Churchill, since he is so often invoked by politicians on both side of the spectrum regarding the impending Brexit. Furthermore, films are interesting sources because they do not only reflect their makers and the time in which they were made, they also have the power to shape perception. After establishing that Englishness is a deliberate construction, it will be explored thematically within seven case studies (films) between 1972 and 2017: Young Winston (1972), The Gathering Storm (1974), Churchill and the Generals (1979), The Gathering Storm (2002), Into the Storm (2009), Churchill’s Secret (2016) and Churchill (2017).