Creating, Exporting and Exhibiting British Film Stardom, 1920-1970

My PhD is a collaborative project with the British Film Institute, and through the Special Collections at the BFI National Archive, I am researching British film stardom between 1920 and 1970. In particular, I am focusing on the ways in which archival objects such as costume designs and photographic material reveal the processes involved in creating and promoting female film stars, both within Britain and internationally. My case studies include: Jessie Matthews, Valerie Hobson, Maureen O'Hara, and Julie Christie, with this project considering each star through a particular object and time period. My research aims to reveal a more diverse image of the British film star through the inclusion of non-English case studies and a consideration of the ways in which these stars shape and promote a particular image of British national identity. Supervisors: Lucy Bolton, Claire Smith (BFI) and Kiera Vaclavik.