Elements of change and continuity in the history of London and its cinematic representation - Essay Example

? Elements of change and continuity in the history of London and its cinematic representation The of London has a history and a present, embedded in, and taken ahead by both the elements of continuity and change, as any other great city might have. The founding of the city of London is sometimes attributed to “Brute, a descendant of Aeneas”, who is supposed to have reached London almost a “century after the destruction of Troy” (Norton, 1829, p.4). And it is believed by many that 70 kings ruled London before Julius Caesar came to conquer this city (Norton, 1829, p.4). But Norton (1829, p.9) and Besant (2010, p.5) have contested this proposition and has said that when the Romans arrived, Britain and London were uninhabited forest lands and a small earther fort. Soon after the Romans left, came the Saxons, and Normans to invade and conquer this city (Norton, 1829, p.20-37). Then the British rulers took over (Norton, 1829). Thus it can be seen that one element of continuity regarding this city is that it is a place that flourished through being colonized and also by colonizing. It is a known fact that Britain had colonies all over the world, the riches from where flowed into this capital. The marks of this history is retained by this city. It can be seen in the buildings, in the cultural traditions and also in the system of governance. But once the colonies gained independence one by one, the very socio-economic texture of this nation has been changing. And in the backdrop of the dominance of US Dollar and also in the context of a global economic recession, London is fast being left behind by other cities of the world. This is the major change that has been haunting this city. It was the Normans who introduced the feudal system to Britain (Norton, 1829). And even before and after that, London has been a town of merchandise mainly (Norton, 1829). It was a city of banks as well (Michie and Williamson, 2004, p.12). These two features of the city have remained till date. And from a very early period, the citizens of London had many privileges given to them by the respective rulers, which were not enjoyed by the rest of the Britain's inhabitants (Norton, 1829, p.50-75). Even in the present scenario, Londoners are more well-off that all other British people. And the position of London as one of the most important places of commerce in the world, though dimmed, has not been entirely lost. The history of merchandise has imparted this city a unique system of governance: Formerly every man in London followed a trade: he therefore belonged to a company. And as the commonality, all the men of London together assembled, i.e. all the members of all the companies, elected the Mayor, so to this day the electors of the Lord Mayor are the members of the companies” (Besant, 2010, p.209). Though many people have shifted from trade into other vocations, the power given to the members of the companies remain (Besant, 2010, p.209). Secondly, the presence of West Minster abbey in the heart of London city is yet another mark of constancy. Even after London adopted democracy, the vestiges of monarchy lingered and even in cinematic depictions of London, the monarch and the palace inevitably finds a place (Alfie, 1966, Together, 1956, London, 1994). The twentieth century London evolved as a city completely controlled by the rule of law, in the aftermath of the World War 1 (Michie and Williamson, 2004, p.2). Throughout the twentieth and twenty first century, the city has shown great political stability. In the 1950s, city of London, as a business hub, was under a transformation from the dominance of British currency to the rule of US dollar (Schenk, 2004, p.326). The crisis imparted by this diminishing economic dominance has returned to this city now and again and cost it many developmental pitfalls. And this is why the recent economic recession that affected the United States first had a severe impact on this city as well. 1950s was a decade of the opening up of the economy of the city to such foreign influences. The ordinary citizens of London have been described as “hard-working honest folk, their chief care being to pay their way, avoid bankruptcy and amass a certain sum of money before they die” (Besant, 2001, p.190). This has been an element of continuity in the history of this city. The two deaf and mute dock workers in the film, 'Together' (1956) and the bus conductor in the film, 'Alfie' (1966) personify this average Londoner. But there has been also an other side to this character, shaped by the barbarian violence that marked this people during Catholic-Protestant clashes (Besant, 2010, p.59). But as every civilisation having such a less noble past, this phenomenon could rather be attributed to human nature than the nature of a Londoner. And the change that has come about is that this city has attained relative peace than any moment in the past (Besant, 2010, p.206). And the people of London remain, “a church-going, sermon-loving and orderly people” (Besant, 2010, p.199). This is why the the sounds of the church bells ringing has such a profound impact in the films, 'Alfie' (1966), 'Together' (1956), and 'London' (1994). In 'Alfie' (1966), the bells are heard when Gelda meets the bus conductor and he gives her a wedding ring, and also when stricken by loneliness, Alfie walks to a church. The fear of God and sense of guilt imparted by Christianity has been a common trait of the people of this city through decades and centuries. The films mentioned above have used quite abundantly the visuals of London city, its streets and market places and thus reflect the iconic value that had been attributed to the city of London throughout history (Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966). This is a constant element of continuity in all real experiences as well as the fantasy depictions of this city. Though not being a well-designed city, London has a series of monumental buildings (Besant, 2010). It is these buildings that give this city an aura of the past which engulfs every new visitor to this city. The elevated hope with which Annie, the hitchhiker in the film 'Alfie' (1966) looks forward to reaching London gives a sense of this aura that surrounds London. But there have been contrasting elements as well, that have also co-existed the charm. It is an interplay of these two aspects that gets depicted in the films, 'Alfie' (1966), 'Together' (1956) and 'London' (1994). This is shown through visuals which suggest, city of London, though a magnificent city when seen from outside, is also a city where people suffer all kinds of injustices (Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). The film, 'Alfie' (1966) has been lauded as “a valuable record of the hedonistic Swinging 60s”, a description that indicates the changes that were happening in the London society in that decade (Smith, 2001). This decade was considered as that of a pleasure-seeking generation whom 'Alfie' personifies (Smith, 2001). In the fim, 'London' (1994) also, the rise of materialistic views have been discussed in terms of the city life of London. This carnivalesque quality of this city has remained unchanged up to this time. Besant (2001) has said the only thing that has not changed about the city of London is its urge to look forward, and to press forward” (p.274). The character, Alfie, in the film, 'Alfie', represents the ultimate representation of this passion to move ahead, whatever the consequences, the challenges, though in a negative sense (Alfie, 1966). Similarly, the deaf and mute protagonists of the film, 'Together', try to move forward without complaining despite the harassment they suffer continuously at the hands of the children. In the film, 'London' (1994) also, the city is shown to go back to its routine pleasant composure even after tragic and fearsome events as bombing of public places. It is visualised how the cordoned off area began shrinking day by day as people slowly forgot the incident and went on with their lives. This is a great ability of survival that has kept the Londoners alive even in the aftermath of the destruction caused by wars, fires and economic breakdowns. On the other hand, there is also a continuity element present in the view held by many that London is a failed city (http://www.londonnet.co.uk). The film, 'London' (1994), has a sequence named 'Utopia' which refers to the city of London as a failed Utopia. Here the visuals used have been that of the pollution of the environment in London (London, 1994). The pessimism and cynicism that is expressed in the films, 'Together' (1956), 'Alfie' (1966) and 'London' (1994) has been a constant factor that reflects this sense of failure. In 'Alfie' (1966) also, the life of the people is shown to be surrounded by shabby buildings, and not so beautiful or ideal interiors. Another aspect of continuity in London city life has been the unique nature and character of the design, architecture and the buildings of the city, which allows this city to be identified from any angle of vision. Wright (2006) has observed this fact when he said, “London skyscrapers have more character than most. A New York skyscraper, even if it reaches up twenty stories, will always be one of a mass, but towers in London stand alone” (p.13). This could be the reason why, the three films cited above also have profusely used the visuals of the landmarks of London so as to give a feeling of continuity in history (Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). And the areal views of the city used in the three films which belong to three different decades show that the city has retained its overall identity through the recent decades (Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). Still, the skyscrapers have been taking over this city gradually (Wright, 2006, p.20). This altering face of London is also reflected in its cinematic imageries. For example, in the film, 'Alfie' (1966), in the beginning of the sequence in which Alfie meets Ruby in a hotel room, the first shot is that of a newly erected multi-storey building. In the same line, the ever-flowing Thames river has been almost an obsession with Londoners as well as its story-telling film makers (Weightman, 2004; Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). Especially, in the film, 'London' (1994), the close-ups and wide shots of water impart the film its very character, unfolding in silences and slow-paced music. The viewer is made to feel that the monotonous flow of water represents the pace of the city itself, in terms of conservatism and internal turbulence (London, 1994). In 'Alfie' (1966), the it is the stillness of the water that shows how dull and lonely life is becoming. In 'Together' (1956), the protagonists is drowning in the same water. And in 'London' (1994), the turbulence of the city times is reflected in the close shots of ripples. The public transport system of London with the two-storied buses and the disciplined commuters is yet another image that reflects continuity of city life through decades. This is shown by the 1956 film, 'Together', the 1966 film, Alfie and also in the 1992 film, London without much change. The visual of public transport is used by film makers (Alfie, 1966; Together, 1956; London, 1994) as a device of transition and it can be seen that the constant flow of buses and trains are what give momentum to the city. It is also seen that in the decades, 1950s, 1960s, up to 1990s, the horizontal movement of trains and buses have dominated the city landscape, even so because of the dislike of Londoners towards adopting high rise buildings. When the film, 'Together'(1956) was released, London was rebuilding itself from the ruins of the second World War. The film has showed the changes that the war had brought into the society (Together, 1956). The first few shots of the film, Together, has shown sites destroyed by bombing and the shabby devastated streets around them (Together, 1956). The act of reconstruction had not yet been initiated. And these images remind the viewer how many times London had risen from its ruins like a Phoenix bird. This includes the ancient Norman and Saxon contests, the World wars and the financial meltdowns. In the film, 'Alfie', the interiors and exteriors depicted show the dilapidated state of the city architecture and domestic interiors, suggestin an impact of economic recession. Similarly, the posters with terrorism written on them and the narrator speaking on IRA bombings seen in the film, 'London' (1994), also allude to the violence and fear that underlies the calm of this city. The war, crime and violence can be seen as signs of change to the status quo but they themselves sometimes represents continuity as well. Because, it is this contrast of calm and chaos that has been reigning this city since centuries, that gives London its unchanging attitude (Norton, 1829; Michie and Williamson, 2004). In the realities of London as a city, and in its cinematic representations, what gains predominance is constancy rather than change. This constancy is purposely made the central theme of the film, 'London' (1994) which uses only steady frames in its depiction. By way of this treatment in the film, a feeling of timelessness, a feeling of the absence of change, is imparted to the viewer (London, 1994). And it is curious to note that the rich greenery of London is also something that makes this city a great place to live in and this greenery adds rich hues to the films as well (Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). The presence of nature, being difficult to ignore, has eternally influenced the city life as well as its film versions (Weightman, 2004; Together, 1956; Alfie, 1966; London, 1994). The way the film, 'London' (1994) uses the close-shots of nature to communicate the mood about which the narrator is speaking remind how particular Londoners have been in maintaining the city's parks, and green spaces. The predictability of the politics of this city has been another element of continuity in its history. In the film, 'London' (1994), this is rather admitted by the narrator. In the film, 'Together' (1956), the deaf and mute protagonists symbolize the non-responsive lethargy of the city dwellers in general. The loosening of the social security system and the decline of welfare state has been a change that city of London along with the whole of Britain has witnessed (London, 1994). While the film, 'London' (1994) directly talks about it, the film, 'Alfie' (1966), subtly shows it through the poor helpless girl who hitchhikes into Alfie's life in the hope of finding a job and starting a new life. In the same way, the two deaf and mute characters of the film, 'Together' (1956), gives a glimpse of the working class life, which is deprived of minimum life comforts. Thus all the three films depict the basic socio-economic injustice of poverty that has existed in the city since time immemorial. Another aspect of this problem of London city is delinetaed when the film, 'Alfie' (1966) shows how desparate the single mother are in this city. The dignity and social security that a marriage provides is the ternal objective of life for them. This also represents the conservatism with which the London society looks at sexuality and gender issues. The way in which good woman-bad woman duality is depicted in the film, 'Alfie' (1966) also stands proof to this. All the women whom Alfie makes relationships with belong to either of these two categories. This is indicative of the continuing patriarchal nature of the society of London which gets reflected in its art forms. And this is why in all the three films being discussed here, the protagonists are men. It is the problems that face the men's world that has been discussed in British films so far. And in the society of London also, the notions of gender equality are not well-rooted as in other developed societies like New York or Paris. The film, 'Alfie' (1966), has been termed as a depiction of British male sexuality, which finds its eternal abode in the facelessness of a city like London, and which showcases the “mod fashion,” a youth subculture of that period (Feldman, 2009, p.33). This film has also been presenting the 'playboy' hero, devoted to a 'good time' and sexual pleasure, and resistant to settling down” (Hill, 1986, p.164). This kind of a protagonist, as he represented “the hedonistic Swinging 60s”, symbolizes changes in the society (Smith, 2001). The patriarchal nature of the London society is revealed through this character when he observes that “any bird that knows its place can be quite content” (Alfie, 1966). But all the same, the fate of Alfie in the film shows the continuation of conservatism, which has been prevalent in the British society for long, and to an extent. In this way, this aspect of London city is also indicative of an interplay of change and continuity (Alfie, 1966). Though the inhumanity of Alfie, the protagonist, is unjustifiable, the way abortion is depicted as a crime against humanity in the film stands for the conservatism of the British society then (Alfie, 1966). Also the dualism between the affectionate and dull husband and the sexy womanizer is also a patriarchal notion that has run through the veins of Londoners for long. The increasing number of single mothers in this city stands proof to that a majority of men are a mix of these two and that the city males have not changed considerably. The economic uncertainties that have inflicted the city of London time and again also had their share in the continuity as well as changes that occurred in this place. Michie and Williamson ( 2004) have detailed them as part of real history while the three films discussed above have produced fictional counterparts. For example, in the film 'Together' (1956), the huge income divide between the working class and the bourgeoisie is depicted. In the film, 'Alfie' (1966), the anti-hero make his choices of his lovers from both lower class and upper class and the viewer is compelled to make a comparison between the women of these two groups. In the docu-fiction, 'London', which was released in 1994, there are direct references to the economic crises of London. All these films show, how in London, a city of commerce, the constant economic instabilities have brewed up social instabilities also in the form of rise of individualism, decline of familial values, increasing crime rates, growth of terrorism and political corruption. The lived in culture of the ordinary people is yet another element that resists change. But the popular culture being displaced by an invading (American) culture has been a matter of concern for the British and the Londoners (Hoggart, 1957). The liveliness of the people's culture has always remained vibrant in this city (Norton, 1829; Hoggart, 1957). In a detailed description of this London life, Hoggart (1957) has painted a vivid picture of the change that has been happening in people's culture: Like the cafes I described in an earlier chapter, the milk-bars indicate at once, in the nastiness of their modernistic knickknacks, their glaring showiness, an aesthetic breakdown so complete that, in comparison with them, the lay out of the living rooms in some of the poor rooms from which the customers come seems to speak of a tradition as balanced and civilised as an eighteenth century town house […] the 'nickelodeon' is allowed to blare out so that the noice would be sufficient to fill a good-sized ball room rather than a converted shop in the main street (p.247-8). From the above discusiion, it becomes clear that in any given society, the elements of change and continuity exist only in relation with, and in communication with each other. The complex equations of the life in a society, hence requires an understanding that gives enough space to acknowledge the existence of opposites in the same place and time. As far as London is concerned, there is continuity in that this city and its people have retained a part of its physical past, and cultural habits. The element of change is visible in that the homogenising impact of globalisation has not left this city behind. In the three films depicted above, the life of this city is shown in a way as if there is no cultural aspects to it. This is so partially because of the chaotic periods in which these films have been made and also partially because of the taken for granted attitude of the people of this city towards culture. Londoners believe they are the very culture that represents the essence of Britain and hence they have a tendency to ignore it. It is treated just like air or water, like the atmosphere. This is why in all the three films discussed her, we get only a glimpse of London's cultural life. But the spaces of culture are alluded to through leading images like film posters, political cartoons, notices on the wall, and the bourgoise life. These are images that remind an observer that changes will be even static as long as the basic inequalities in a society lingers. References Alfie, 1966, Film, Dir. Lewis Gilbert, Paramount Pictures, United Kingdom. Besant, Walter., 'London', (Montana: Elibron.com, 2001). Besant, Walter, 'A history of London', (Berlin: BoD- Books on Demand, 2010). Feldman, Christine Jacqueline, '"We are the mods": a transnational history of a youth subculture', (New York: Peter Lang, 2009). John Hill, 'British Society 1956-1963' in Hill, Sex Class and Realism: British Cinema 1956-63 (London: BFI Publishing, 1986). Londonnet, 2007, 'Future London', London, viewed 06 August 2011, . Michie, R.C. and Williamson, Philip, 'The British government and the city of London in the twentieth century', (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004). Norton, George, 'Commentaries on the history, constitution, and chartered franchises of the city of London', (Boston: H.Butterworth, 1829). Hoggart, Richard, 'The full rich life & the newer mass art: sex in shiny pockets', in The Uses of Literacy (London: Penguin, 1957). Smith, Neil, “Alfie (1966)”, BBC, (September 2001) http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/05/02/alfie_1966_review.shtml Weightman, Gavin, 'London's Thames: the river that shaped a city and its history', (New York: St.Martin's Press, 2004). Wright, Herbert, 'London high', (London: frances lincoln ltd, 2006). Read More