This book looks at aspects of the relationship between British and American cinema covering the period from the First World War until the 1960s. It deals with the ways in which the two industries have sought to intervene in the affairs of the other, and examines how British subject matter drawn from history, literature, drama, biography has had a place in the American film since the earliest days.



The history of the British cinema - its institutions and its films - has been closely intertwined with the history of the American cinema since films were first made and viewed in the late 19th century. In many ways it has been a one-sided relationship with Hollywood exerting a powerful influence on the British film industry, shaping the ways in which it set about constructing a national cinema and effectively defining the notion of cinema during its heyday from the 1920s to the 1950s. In other ways, however, Britain has had an influence on American cinema. Occasionally, British films have made an impact in the American market, and actors and directors such as Cary Grant and Alfred Hitchcock have become integral to the history of the American film. In addition to this, Britain through its literature and history has provided a rich source of subject matter for American films, from Sherlock Holmes films in the 20s, horror films in the 30s, to Arthurian epics in the 50s and Shakespeare adaptations in the 90s.