Italian Film examines the extraordinary cinematic tradition of Italy, from the silent era to the present. Analyzing film within the framework of Italy's historical, social, political, and cultural evolution during the twentieth century, Marcia Landy traces the construction of a coherent national cinema and its changes over time. Her study traces how social institutions--school, family, the Church--as well as Italian notions of masculinity and femininity are dealt with in cinema and how they are central to the conceptions (and misconceptions) of national identity.

Demonstrating the richness and variety of a national cinema that has traditionally struggled to define itself between the paradigms of Hollywood popular film and European art cinema, this study provides comprehensive coverage of British cinema in general as well as critical discussions of specific films--useful for screenings. Each chapter covers a specific topic and includes detailed descriptions of key films representative of different historical periods.

Demonstrating the richness and variety of a national cinema that has traditionally struggled to define itself between the paradigms of Hollywood popular film and European art cinema, this study provides comprehensive coverage of British cinema in general as well as critical discussions of specific films--useful for screenings. Each chapter covers a specific topic and includes detailed descriptions of key films representative of different historical periods.