Past Present Future

The Great Political Films: The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp


Listen Later

In today’s episode David discusses Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943), a great patriotic anti-war film made in the depths of WWII. Why did Churchill want the film’s production stopped and was he right to suspect it was about him? What does the film say about the politics of nostalgia and the illusions of heroism? And how is Blimp’s moustache like Kane’s Rosebud?

A new bonus episode to accompany this series is out on Saturday: David explores why so many American presidents choose High Noon as their favourite film. Sign up now to PPF+ for just £5 per month or £50 a year and get all our other bonuses plus ad free listening https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus

To get our free fortnightly newsletter with guides, writing and clips exploring the themes of these episodes join our mailing list https://www.ppfideas.com/newsletters

Next time: The Manchurian Candidate


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Past Present FutureBy David Runciman

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

269 ratings


More shows like Past Present Future

View all
The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

The LRB Podcast

290 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,425 Listeners

Arts & Ideas by BBC Radio 4

Arts & Ideas

293 Listeners

Backlisted by Backlisted

Backlisted

590 Listeners

London Review Bookshop Podcast by London Review Bookshop

London Review Bookshop Podcast

128 Listeners

Political Fix by Financial Times

Political Fix

147 Listeners

Politics Weekly UK by The Guardian

Politics Weekly UK

264 Listeners

The Audio Long Read by The Guardian

The Audio Long Read

840 Listeners

The New Statesman: politics and culture by The New Statesman

The New Statesman: politics and culture

151 Listeners

The TLS Podcast by The TLS

The TLS Podcast

186 Listeners

The Prospect Podcast by Prospect Magazine

The Prospect Podcast

21 Listeners

Politics Theory Other by Politics Theory Other

Politics Theory Other

180 Listeners

Ones and Tooze by Foreign  Policy

Ones and Tooze

349 Listeners

Close Readings by London Review of Books

Close Readings

68 Listeners

Origin Story by Podmasters

Origin Story

114 Listeners