Shadows on the past : studies in the historical fiction film

265 Pages·1994·37.114 MB·English

by  Grindon, Leger

Shadows on the Past
Studies il1 the Historical Fiction Film
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1:-"; T H E S E R I E S Culture and the Moving Image
E DI TE D BY RO B E RT SK L :\R
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Studies ill the Historical Fiaioll Film
LEGER GRINDON
Temple University Press
Philadelphia
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Temple University Press, Philadelphia 19122
Copyright © 1994 by Temple University. All rights reserved
Published in 1994
Printed in the United States of America
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements
of American National Standard for Information Sciences
Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials
ANSI Z39.48-1984 @
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Grindon, Leger, 1949-
Shadows on the past: Studies in the historical fiction film / Leger Grindon.
p. cm.-(Culture and the moving image)
Inclurles bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-56639-181-4 (alk. paper)-ISBN 1-56639-182-2 (pbk.)
1. Historical films-History and criticism. 2. Motion pictures-Political
aspects. I. Title. II. Series.
PN 1995.9. H5G75 1994
791.43'658-dc20 93-33042
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] ] ] ] ] ] To my sisters and brother, Angel, Julie, and Michael
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Contents
Illustrations IX
Acknowledgments XI
1
Analyzing the Historical Fiction Film
2
The Politics of History: La Marseillaise 27
3
Hollywood History and the French Revolution:
From The Bastille to The Black Book 69
4
Risorgimento History and Screen Spectacle:
Visconti's Senso 91
5
The Politics of the Spectacle: The Rise to Power of Louis x/v 123
VII
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viii I Contents
6
Politics and History in Contemporary Hollywood: Reds 179
Coda 223
Notes 227
Index 245
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Illustrations
1. Orphans of the Storm (1921): The spectacle 7
2. Juarez (1939): The great hero 13
3. Gone With the Wind (1939): The romantic couple 14
4. The Birth of a Nation (1915): Ben Cameron and his
sister 18
5. La Marseillaise (1938): Louis XVI 46
6. La Marseillaise: The collective hero 60
7. Advertisement for Reign of Terror (1949) 76
8. Advertisement for The Black Book (1949) 78
9. Reign of Terror: Robespierre's chamber beneath the
bakery 85
10. Senso (1954): Livia and Franz 97
11. Senso: Livia with her husband 119
12. The Rise to Power of Louis XIV (1966): Romance as a vehicle
in the struggle for power 145
13. The Rise to Power of Louis XIV: The spectacle of Fouquet's
arrest 149
14. Advertisement for Reds (1981) 189
15. Reds: Eugene O'Neill, the great leader as artist 191
IX
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