HIST 4303: Film and History

Topic: World War Two

Professor: Dr. Elizabeth Morrow Clark

Office Hours: T/Th 10am-noon, and by appointment Office: Old Main 405C

Office phone: 806-651-2422

E-mail: eclark@mail.wtamu.edu

Classroom: Old Main 220

Time: TH 3:00pm –5:45pm (some movies may run until 6pm, and some we may start at 2:45 in order to view them in their entirety)

This semester, Film and History will look at World War Two in an international context. We will use films from a variety of countries (brush up on your subtitle reading, folks!) to investigate how film related to the war as it was fought, and as it has been perceived in the decades hereafter. Some films are about personal experiences, some are epics. Some are romances, others are strictly military. All of them have a message. It may be patriotic, anti-war, or spiritual, or all thress. “The internal history of film involves its technology, studios, directors, performers, and most importantly, its narrative structure. The external history of film involves its relationship with the culture that surrounds it, shapes it, and responds to it. Such a historical inquiry of a mass medium like film will reveal many subtle and often unexpected meanings, as Humphrey Bogart discovered in 1942”

"Rick, why did you come to Casablanca?"
"I came for the water."
"But Rick, we're in the middle of a desert!"
"I was misinformed."[1]

Group discussion, a movie journal, and two comparative papers will all factor into the evaluation of this class. The objective of in-class time is to maximize the students’ viewing experience through explanations and watching the film as intended, as an audience. You are expected to already have a working knowledge of World War Two history. Readings will be assigned online and on reserve.

Movie Journal: 30%. You are required to take notes based on the films we watch and to type a two page, double-spaced review of each film prior to the next week’s class, including a reference to how the film relates to the topic. You are expected to bring your journals to class, and they will be checked at random and graded. No credit will be given for reviews that are missing from your journal.

Comparative papers: 25% each. You are required to write two papers comparing three films within a theme – one must be a film we have watched in common, and the other two an additional film, at least one of these two must be from the list of films on the syllabus, and the other must be approved by the professor.

Discussion and attendance: 20%

Week	This Week’s Film and assignments	Recommended/to Review (Items noted with * are on reserve. Other titles must be rented/obtained by student.)
Week 1	q Introduction to Film and History q Film Critique how-to – historical films as artifacts and social critique q Short documentary on WWII Assignment: 3 film reviews. Note: Readings will be posted online at Dr. Clark’s website and will be regularly updated on electronic reserve.
Week 2	NAVAL q Das Boot	Miniseries (German, English subtitles) version of DAS BOOT* Midway
Week 3	HOME FRONT q The Cranes are Flying	Tin Drum*
Week 4	PROPAGANDA/HOLLYWOOD at WAR q Triumph des Willens q Why we Fight: Japan We will watch clips from The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl as well.	Apotheosis of Olympia, Germany, 1938* Sergeant York Foreign Correspondent (Hitchcock) Man Hunt (Fritz Lang) Great Dictator (Charlie Chaplain) Chameleon Cameraman, Germany, 1994 Lover’s Grief over the Yellow River, China, 1999 Day of Freedom, our fighting forces, Germany, 1935 Patton
Week 5-6	RESISTANCE and ESPIONAGE q Casablanca q White Rose COMPARATIVE PAPER #1 DUE March 2	Europa Europa* -- STRONLY recommended Downfall* -- STRONGLY recommended English Patient Enigma, Great Britain, 2001*
Week 7-8	GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR q Stalingrad/Battle Inferno/Dogs, Do You Want to Live Forever, 1956 q Stalingrad, 1995 q Come and See	Enemy at the Gates*
Week 9-10	PRISON CAMP q Stalag 17 q The Great Escape Week 9 is spring break. We may decide to watch Stalag 17 and just some highlights from Great Escape OR, just Great Escape.	Empire of the Sun*
Week 11-12	THE HOLOCAUST q Shop on Main Street q The Pianist	Schindler’s List* Life is Beautiful Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini – Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Italy)
Week 13	WAR IN ASIA q Grave of the Fireflies q Burmese Harp COMPARATIVE PAPER 2 DUE April 13	My Neighbor Totoro Black Rain
Week 14	DOCUMENTARIES q Night and Fog q Danzig 1939 q Hiding and Seeking q Nova, Decoding Nazi Secrets	The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl* Various Holocaust documentaries have been placed on reserve.
Week 15	POSTWAR q The Best Years of our Lives, US, 1946 FINAL: The scheduled final for this class is Tuesday May 9. The class may opt to meet for an additional film that day. ALL JOURNALS are due that day by 3pm. There will be bonus points for turning them in on the last day of class.	My Neighbor Totoro Ashes and Diamonds*

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[1] Selected text and quote from Film & History Class Syllabus, Dr. Steven Schoenherr, University of San Diego. http://history.sandiego.edu/gen/classes/media/syl168film.html