Spinsters, Widows and Chars

Establishes the cultural and historical contexts for representations of female ageing in British film since the 1930s.

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Establishes the cultural and historical contexts for representations of female ageing in British film since the 1930s

Examines issues around ageing femininities using a range of case studies of films and actresses, both known and forgotten
Establishes the case for the importance of the character actress at the heart of the history of British cinema
Provides an overlooked historical context for considering ageing femininities in contemporary film

Actresses like Maggie Smith, Cicely Courtneidge and Sybil Thorndike have established the enduring appeal of the ageing actress in British film. Historicising and contextualising this archetypal figure, this book establishes a taxonomy of female ageing in British cinema, from the 1930s to the present day.

Arguing that the prevalence of various iterations of the character actress is essential in understanding the nature of British cinema, specifically in how it has developed to define itself against Hollywood, employing archetypes which draw on well-established mythologies regarding ageing femininities. The book centres on the analysis of a broad range of films, such as Blithe Spirit (1945), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1968) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), as well as the work of selected actresses, considering them within the context of the broader historical factors which impacted on ageing femininities, including the Second World War, the post-war settlement, the Welfare State, and the implications for the women's movement as a whole.