Event SW18: Sentimentality, Scepticism and Struggle: British strikes and political protest on film

In the second of two events for the Festival of Chichester, both of which are linked to productions at Chichester Festival Theatre, we mark the centenary of the General Strike with a look back at protest in British films.

In May 1926, a time of political, social and economic unrest, Britain experienced its only general strike. With one or two noticeable exceptions, such as My Old Dutch (1934), the General Strike is rarely represented in film.

To mark the centenary, this talk, illustrated by a range of clips, by Emeritus Professor of Cultural History Maggie Andrews, will explore a range of portrayals of strikes and political protest in British films. Whilst I’m All Right Jack (1959) and Carry On at Your Convenience (1971) have taken a satirical approach to industrial disputes, other films such as Comrades (1987) and Peterloo (2018) have been criticised as worthy but tedious. Alternatively, a range of films, including Billy Elliot (2000), Made in Dagenham (2010), Pride (2014) and Suffragette (2015) are uplifting but romanticised and sentimental. We will explore how the most successful films have managed to entertain audiences without sacrificing historical authenticity.

Pride will screen after the talk at 13.00 on July 11, and the new play Atlantis opens at Chichester Festival Theatre on July 18.