Identity Representation in "St. Trinians"

There are several key representations of identity in the Ealing Studios film "St Trinians"The First Area i will write about is the concept of "Britain".

St. Trinians is obviously set in a large stately home, in the countryside, somewhere in England. This could be considered to be the most stereotypical location for a private school in the nation if England. The Headmistress of the school also represents a very stereotypical image of Britain, having a posh accent, wearing clothes associated with the upper class. The makers of the film may have been distrubuting it to a worldwide audience, thus needed to make it obvious that it was a British school and would opporate along the lines of all the famous British private schools.

This makes it clear to the viewer where the film is set and what to expect from the characters. This may be intended to add to satire, as the way the characters behaved is nothing like what you would expect in a traditional British school.

The second representational area is the idea of "Britishness". This is the mindset, the way of thinking, the culture and the philosophy of the British population. One way this is shown is how all the students at the school are simply concerned with making money, and they will do so by selling whatever they can. This can be seen, they turn a chemistry laboritory into a brewery for gin, and also bet on horse racing. There are several ways that this represents "Britishness". Gin is a very traditional British drink, and also goes with the British culture of binge drinking. horce racing is an incredibly traditional British pass time and is a way many British people make money. These combined with a general will to use whatever they can to get the end product is a representation of British entrepaneurship.

Age in another area of identity representation. The film is set in a school, thus age divide are obvious. there are 3 age catagories in the film: children, teenagers and adults. However it challenges stereo typcial view of age. The children are certainly not presented as innocent, playful, excitable or easily entertained. This is shown by their entrepeneurship, and really runnign the show when it comes to creating income. They are the ones with the real power. This does two things. It satirises the age group, representing as businesswomen, out to make a large profit and exploit whoever they can to get it, the people being exploited here as people like Harry, who runs all their errands. It also makes a point that age group only affects you intelligence and personality in a limited way, that it is possible to do many things at any age. The teenagers are largely similar, but are also very interested in having fun, and will commit any crime in order to get what they want. For example, they steal a famous race horce and attack the opposition in a game of hockey. This represents and even more egoistical, money and power desiring, and want to enjoy themselves whilst they do all of this. The adults appear above anything bored. It is only flash Harry who still has drive and will power, as well as the policewomen, before she arrives at St. Trinians. Any adult who arrives their seems to give up and base their life around simply either having fun or avoiding trouble. This is perhaps a stereotypical image of adults, those who no longer have the aspirations of youths and want to preserve what they have left and then enjoy whatever they can.
There are some noticable things within each age group. The Children and youths are both collectivist within themselves. They put their own group above any other thing and will work and drive to get the best benefit to share only with that group. This can be seen for example, with the girls brewing and selling gin, and the elders helping eachother beat up the opposing team in a hockey match. They are exclusive groups, not allowing anyone else into or help the group for a period of time unless it benefits them. The adults do have a weak collective attitude based on mutual benefit, only helping eachother or acting as a group, to retrieve "Arab Boy" when it will save their jobs, and they realised the best way to do this is to act collectively.
St. Trinians attacks patriarchy and matriarchy. It is set in a school for girls, and these girls are just as devious, cunning, playful and intelligent as any man can be. This attacks the myth that women are inferior to men. It tries to create an image that women are just as good as running things as men, but at the same time, shows that it can go as horribly wrong as patriarchy. The school was in chaos, with each age group looking out for their own interests and paying no attention to any form of justice or equality. It was a "dictatorship of women" in which anything in their path was quelled without thought. It this sense it is saying two distinct things. The first is that men and women are equal to each other. It makes a point that each group has no fundamental differences and that each can achieve what the other can. It also makes a point that women can be as cruel, selfish and harmful as men, arguing again that gender differences are unimportant and equality is not not fair, but efficient. It would seemingly make a point that the best way to form a system of organization is to base around justice, equality, fairness and efficiency.
The Final representational area in this film is that of Education. Being set in a school it is hard to ignore it. It does not represent traditional education in a particularly good way. The film is a very stereotypical British private school, complete with ties, blouses, set in a castle where everyone bords. However their is utter chaos in the school. The film may be attempting to make a point of several things, power, tradition, orthodox private school and single sex schools. In short, it saying that each one either fails to create a good educational enviroment, is unfair, or most likely a combination. The authoritarian traditional education in England, involving a lot of pressure and limit to freedom in the film failed to create a suitable learning enviroment and lead to all the students rebelling and doing the opposite of what the system was trying to achieve.

Identity representation in "Passport to Pimlico"

In the Ealing studios film "Passport to Pimlico" many things are represented by the acting, micro techniques, directing, script and many other things. One of the representative ares of the film in representation of Britain. There are many things in the film which try to represent a sometimes stereotypical, sometimes unconventional view of Britain.

One of the examples of representation of Britain the the film is the very first shot in the film. This is a spaning shot showing London streets, the most famous city in England. It starts by showing a fish and chip shop. This is the image of British cuisine, one of the famous British dishes world-wide. This represents the nation in a stereotypical way, as of course fish and chips is not the center of British diet, but is famous worldwide for it. This would show the audience that the film is set in Britain. The compact, large city with traditional British buildings and shops in a never ending sea of buildings would make the viewer think one thing, that it is set in London, and as it is well known for being by far the largest city in the country.

The "declaration of Burgundy" occurs when the adult population if Pimlico meet in a local pub. Pubs are another thing always associated with Ireland and Britain as the center point of the community, and the point for socialising. DNA was even discovered by a group of scientists in a pub, so the idea of a pub had woven its way into British academics. It seems only appropriate that the "state of Burgundy" is founded in a British pub, as it combines the British community, social life and organization into a British point of gathering.

Whilst Britian as a nation itself is represented, the notion of "Britishness" is represented as well, as the British way of thinking. This a much more vague area, as there are some general agreed terms which would describe this, but in the end what "Britishness" is as concept is solely opinion, and thus always debatable.

One example of how a perhaps stereotypical view of Britishness is shown is with the "up and at 'em" and "us vs. them" attitude of the Burgundians against the British government. Bitish people have perhaps felt more secluded being an island, and would often say they are British before European, or not even European at all. Another sentiment, not necessarily to foreigners but opposite groups, like opposing football teams, is a total rejection of them. This is shown in the film. when whilst food and water supplies in Burgundy remain low instead of rejoining Britain they decide to try to find their own way of surviving, and they may do this out of pride. It is certainly not the easiest option, and lines such as "thats the stuff dad" show the admiration some characters have for one another during the film. So this is a representation of British patriotism, that perhaps people would rather die than not be British.

One final representation of Britishness is the representation of British politics, and in particular imperialism. Britain used to have one of the world's largest empires, today known as the British commonwealth. Empire is represented here when Westminster is constantly trying to regain control of the Burgundy. This is representing an old, stereotypical and not widely liked view of Britain as an Expansionalist nation trying to gain as much territory as it can. Here it is not quite the same, but Britain is constantly trying to gain control of the region, against the will of Pimlico.

Age is another concept represented in the Film. One such example of age, and of characteristics with that age group, would be of mischievous of Children, of course in a pleasent, fun, and harmless way. The "Burgundian treasure" was discovered when some children playing with a large rubber tyre were running with it, moving it along the ground and it went down a pit, causing a mini land-slide revealing the treasure. The mischievous playfullness of British children is represented here, in an entirely stereotypical way. The children are young, having fun, not really caring about anything but their personal fulfilment. This is a view that could be used, of course in a different context, in just about any country and still be recognized as a stereotypical view of male children.
Another representation of age in the film is that of older generations. All those who take part in the "administrative role" of Burgundy, that is of it's government, are all at least middle aged. If is often the case that those with more important jobs, such as those in government are best suited of left for those who are older. Again this a view that across the world is shared. You would expect to see the same thing in all films. The director may seem to share the view, and think it is best, as in the film the leaders solve the problems of Burgundy, and end up doing what was best for the people. In this film it is represented entirely in a positive sense.

Gender is another representation in this film. It very clearly represents the stereotypical role of a woman. If you look closely at the film it is obvious that men dominate the higher paid, often considered more importnat jobs. For example, all the women work in small local shops, and none are the owners, thus limiting their individual power and wealth, giving men a clear advantage. the men meanwhile are the shop owners, and only men occupy the positions higher ranked in the job market, such as a banker. The film maker did not seem to satire each position, if anything seemed to give the impression that patriarchy is ok, as when the government of Burgundy is formed it is also dominated by men. this may have been the traditional view of gender differences in the world at the time, and thus been used in the film to give a realistic image of reality.

There are other such examples of traditional views of gender differences. When the town is in dyer need of water it is only men who take up the task of fetching water for the town. The Lord of Burgundy is also a man. The only important or respectable job given to a women is the scholer who helps to clarify the existence of Burgundy. The former may be suggesting that men are stronger, fitter and more capable of task requiring phyisical strength. The task itself required strength and endurance. The later may be suggesting that whilst women are incapable of tasks requiring phyisicla strength it is possible for them to take up jobs that require intelligence, if not in the same amount.

The final cataogry of representation in Passport to Pimlico is Education. It can be said that the film trys to show that education is important, but not necessary. For example several members of the Burgundy government, all well known and respected individuals in the society clearly had jobs that required education, such as banking. however, other influencial members such as the pub owner probably did not recieve a large education. So the film represents education as possible being necessary to gain respect, wealth or individual fulfilment, but that it is possible to recieve all these things without obtaining an education.

Another representation of education is showing that it is possible that most people do not recieve such an education past a certain age. A lot of the characters took to the business of buying and selling more or less whatever they could. You see this when Burgundy becomes a seperate state and all the London traders come to the region to sell whatever they can. This, like the previous point goes to show that an education can perhaps bring greater opportunities but not prevent you from getting a good salary.

Passport To Pimlico and The Bells of St Trinians

Passport To Pimlico and The Bells of St Trinians represent Britian, Britishness, age, gender & education in numerous ways.
Passport to pimlico represents Britishness in several ways, from the obvious (Jellied Eels, Busses, Phoneboxes) to the ironic (The residents say they have the right as British to be Burgundians which is humourous because Burgundy is no longer even Britain.)

Also, they say that as British people they should stay strong which is a representation of Britishness, having a stiff upper lip and standing your ground.

Also, When Bergandy is finally Britain again, it rains, representing Britishness with the rainy weather being a common stereotype of England.


St Trinians represents Britishness with Ms Frittain being played by a male character, drag queens being commen in england and seen as humourous.

key word on britain

Mind Map
Britain=
Locations: fields, london< the underground, routemasters, phone boxes, rain, bombed out areas, landmarks, the government, thames
Britishness=
Clothes: bowler hats, harrington jackets, dr martins, tweed,
Age=
Gender=
Education=

REPRESENTATION IN PASSPORT TO PIMLICO AND TH BELLES OF ST TRINIANS

USING CLIPS AND MICRO EVIDENCE- HOW DO YOU THINK 'PASSPORT TO PIMLICO' AND THE 'BELLES OF ST TRINIANS' REPRESENT BRITAIN, BRITISHNESS, AGE, GENDER AND EDUCATION.

Both films shows elements of representation of Britan, Britishness, age, gender and education. Of course there is variance between the two films and the first comparison is that Passport to Pimlico signifies the more dynamic representation of Brtain and Britishness as St Trinians only divulges a very small fragment of British society. It is therefore harder to identify the elements of representaton.
Firstly, a basic indication that Passport to Pimlico represent Britishness is directed through the cinematography. It is evident that the first scene of the film is shown in the fish shop-a common stereotype that in a sens symbolizes Britain's culture. There is a strong collective identity in the film, as when their land becomes 'Burgundy' there is a strong sense of collectiveness reinforced by the peoples shared desire to pull together.

representation in 'passport to pimlico' and 'the belles of st trinians'

Britain
a common stereotype of britain is that everyone eats fish and chips. passport to pimlico supports this stereotype by having one of the first shots a medium crane shot panning over a fish shop and having the early diegetic sound dialogue of someone ordering fish.


gender
the first scene is of a man opening his fish shop. he is already dressed with an apron on. his wife then comes in but is not yet dressed properly. he greets her with an order that has been made whereas she is more interested in showing him her new hairstyle. this is very stereotypical of a hardworking man focused on his work and a woman being materialistic and worrying about how she looks. the mise-en-scene of what they are wearing and the diegetic sound of their dialogue both help to back these stereotypes up.

Later there are 2 soldiers digging out a bomb down a shaft. they are both men which is very stereotypical that only men can be soldiers.

Representing Britain and Britishness

Passport to Pimlico represents Britain as an independently thinking country, eager to prove a point. Everyone is quite worried about reputation but seem to be 'out for themselves.' For example, when the children set off an unexploded bomb and find treasure, the parents are not angry with them, they are proud and go to court to prove their child was the one who did it, so they can keep the money.

Passport to Pimlico represents britain as having cockney accents.

The Belles of St. Trinians suggests that education is not about the actual learning, but the experience of making friends and coming together to make things better. For example: All the girls come together to sell alcohol, capture a racehorse and fight against the people in power.

The Belles of St. Trinians also suggest that the children and youths are the ones in power over the adults. This is because they can not be controlled and do as they please. They also create plots and work as a team against the rest of the world. For example: At the end of the film, a girl steals a trophy and when given the chance to put it back, they all steal more.
The adults were also pelted with balls of flour which shows the children have no respect for people older than them.

The Belles of St.Trinians represents girls as the stronger sex and the ones in power. For example all the students and teachers are female and ttthhThis is in contrast to Passport to Pimlico where men are seen as the ones in power.

Representation of Britain in Passport to Pimlico and Belles of St Trinians

 Passport to Pimlico:

• Proud to be Burgundians and the society turn against Britain, and the British government. 
• Stereotypical- Cockney accents, traditional 'posh' accent, red buses, black cabs, tea, rain. (Rain came at the end when Burgundy became part of Britain again.)
• First scene is a fish shop fitting in with the stereotypical view of everybody eating fish and chips
• Collective- All stick together, children feeding their parents
• Reputation- very aware of there own reputation
• Money orientated- all want to claim the treasure, try and get their children to hand themselves in for making the whole in the ground where the treasure was found

Belles of St Trinians:

• Out of control- police are not in control of the girls school, nobody has control of the girls
• Stereotypical- Smoking, posh accent, cockney 'geezer'- quite a character
• 
  

How does Passport to Pimlico and The Belles of St. Trinians represent Britain, Britishness, age, gender and education.

A large majority of British films can be identified as British by the stereotypes used. These could be as general as bad weather, or more specific such as a shot of a hackney carriage or jellied eels. For example, in Passport to Pimlico one of the first scenes is shot in a fish shop. The characters in the scene have a jokey conversation about bream that maybe isn't supposed to be all that funny, confirming the general stereotype that Brit's lack a good sense of humour.

However, different films create different perspectives of British life, some may glamourise it, some are more realistic, and others focus on highlighting the negative aspects such as binge-drinking and street crime. In the Belles of St. Trinians, despite the posh accents the characters may have, most of the young girls are shown to be uncouth and quite out of control. Their involvement in the racehorse scandal - horse-racing being another prominent stereotype of Britishness - presents the young girls as conniving and mischievous as oppose to the polite abiding children their parents appear to think of them as.