How does contemporary representation compare to previous time periods?

How Does Contemporary Representation Compare To Previous Time Periods?
It is clear from comparing contemporary representations of black people living in Britain to the presentations in previous time periods that the ways in which black Britons have been presented have dramatically changed. The film Sapphire, which was made in 1959 around the time where immigration from countries such as India and the West Indies became far more prominent in everyday life, gives the audience a real idea of what it was like for black people living in Britain at the time. The character which the film is centralised around, Sapphire Robbins, is unbeknowst to the audience of mixed race, though despite having one black parent she appears to be white and for many years of her life has been able to get away with being called white. Her secret is soon found out however and the film is all about the characters of Robert Hazard and Phil Leoroyd trying to solve the mystery surrounding her murder at the beginning of the film. The fact that the film concludes with Sapphire's murderer being Patsy Harris who claims to have committed the murder as she did not want shame to be brought upon her family by her brother marrying someone of mixed race gives a real indication of how black people living in Britain were presented at this time. It is clear from characters such as Patsy, David Harris' father and mother, Sapphire's landlady and even Superintendent Hazard's Inspector Leoroyd that there was a lot of prejudice against black people living in the country around the end of the 1950s. The way that Sapphire's brother Dr Robbins is looked down upon by a number of the listed characters and the shock and almost distaste of David Harris' family at the news that Sapphire was infact part black gives a real impression of black people living in Britain at the time to be treated almost like second class citizens, they weren't welcome in the homes of white people and for a number of people having a black person in their home was brought with much disgust and prejudice, as clearly seen by the Harris family with the arrival of Robert Hazard along with Dr Robbins into their home, with his presense in their home clearly bringing discomfort and prejudice to the family members. The prejudice felt by a number of white people towards black people in Britain is seen to be creating major social tensions between the two races in 'Sapphire', and this particular film gives the audience a real insight into how to be black and living in Britain in the 1950s only brought prejudice and problems with a number of people, particuarly those of an older generation. The film portrays prejudice to be less of a problem with the youth of the film, a possible sign that things were changing and as the generations went on the more people became accepting of black people and other races living in Britain.

It is clear that presentations of black Britons in the 1950s portrayed a very bleak picture of life for black people living in the country during this time period, with hostilities towards people of the West Indies moving to Britain causing serious social tensions between black and white people. This view is also portrayed in the 1961 film 'Flame In The Streets'. In this particular film, the prejudice towards white women who had married or were in relationships with black men is a clear example of the prejudices at the time being presented. The families involved see it as almost shame being brought upon their families, with the character of Kathy's parents trying their best to advise her against marrying Peter Lincoln. The mother in particular sees it as life ruining for her daughter to be in love and wanting to marry Peter, and goes into a state of hysterics at learning the news that her daugher wants to marry him. She is seen to become hysterical at her daughters decision, and even when Kathy's father gives consent for the marriage to happen she is still indignant of accepting this man into her family and to allow her daughter to marry him. The strong social tensions that were caused by the immigration of a number of people from the West Indies around this time in history are portrayed through the fight between white 'teddy boys' and a number of local black men having a large fight near the bonfire celebrations, ultimately presenting the violent social tensions between the two races and the hostilities that a number of white people had towards black people around this time.

It is clear from looking at films such as 'Sapphire' and 'Flame In The Streets' which were made in the late 1950s/early 1960s that during these years that there was a large amount of social tension caused by the immigration of West Indians into Britain, with a number of white people having prejudice and major hostilities towards those who were now living in this country. However, from looking at more contemporary films presenting black Britons, it is clear to see that the presentation of black people living in Britain has changed dramatically. A clear example of this is the film 'Adulthood'. Made in 2008, this film portrays young black people living in Britain today as being a culture in itself. Unlike 'Sapphire' and 'Flame In The Streets' which both presented tensions and racism from white people towards black people, 'Adulthood' portrays the tension amongst this particular group of young adults being black towards black. There is no apparent tension between the white and black characters of the film, with certain characters such as Dabs who is white hanging out with a group of black friends, and even trying to act and talk like the other black characters in the film do. This is a clear indicator of the social situation in modern day Britian. The previous tensions between white and black people are no longer as apparent today as they were 40 or 50 years ago, but instead a lot of tension amongst black teenagers on the streets of London nowadays is instead almost black on black. It is clear from 'Adulthood' that the contemportary presentations of black Britons is a lot different than to the presentations of black people in 'Sapphire' and 'Flame In The Streets'. The hostilities towards black people from white people in the 1950s and 1960s which continued into the 1970s and 1980s have been replaced by being a black youth almost becoming a culture, with even white teenagers wanting to act and be black to fit in with their friends as portrayed in 'Adulthood'. As the social situation for black Britons has changed over the past few decades, so have the presentations of black Britons in contemporary films.

Easter Work - Contextualising 'Sapphire' (1959)

Britain Between 1948 and 1962:

• In the 1950s, a large number of West Indians arrived in Britain.
• A number of Asian people also arrived in the country during the 1950s.
• Migration of a number of people from Pakistan migrating to Britain also took place in the early 1940s into the 1950s and through into the 1960s.
• A number of Pakistani people migrated over to Britian due to partition in their country which occurred in 1947.
• Estimated in 1951 that there were around 5000 Pakistantis living in Britain, this number had increased to 24,900 10 years later in 1961.
• For the first time, the 1950s saw young people gaining a significant disposable income.
• Youth culture also became more distinct during this decade; started with the 'teddy boys' in the 1950s and went on to the mods and rockers of the 1960s.
• For a long time after 1948 unemployment in Britain remained very low. The late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s were a long period of prosperity.
• Hardship in Britain since 1948 has been greatly improved - by the time the 1950s came round absolute poverty had almost disappeared from the country.
• The quality of households also greatly improved during this time. Central heating became more common in British homes during the 1960s and PVC was first used in homes in the 1940s.
• Food rationing still existed for several years after WWII - tea rationing lasted until 1952, sweet rationing until 1953 and meat and cheese rationing until 1954.

How Was The Social Landscape Changing?

• Large numbers of migrants from West Indian and Asian countries began to migrate to Britain in order to fill jobs that British people were not filling.
• Distinct youth culture began to evolve - 'teddy boys' were a common occurrence on the streets of Britain.
• Racial attacks occurred in Notting Hill in London in August 1958 - hostilities between white and black people were prominent.
• Food rationing comes to an end in July 1954, the pressure on food supplies had now disappeared.
  

How Did The Changing Social Landscape Lead to 'Racialisation' of British Politics?

• Racialisation of British politics could have been caused by the fact that a number of West Indian and Asian people were migrating to the UK in the 1950s.
• Migration into the UK from such parts of the world began in the late 1940s and peaked in the early 1960s.
• Concerns from white British people that the influx of immigrants from the West Indies in particular would mean that unemployment for white people would be more common, would be harder for them to find jobs.
• A plee for controlled immigration was taken to the colonial office by the mayor of Lambeth, one of the most popular places for West Indian immigrants to settle once in Britain.
• Stated there was a housing crisis in this area; 10,000 were on the waiting list for housing in Lambeth and due to the already lareg influx of immigrants the area no longer had enough housing for these people.
• Hostilities between white and black people became apparent in the riot that took place in Notting Hill in August 1958.
• Hostilities were on both sides; white people in Notting Hill claimed they had been intimidated and threatened by some black people, while black people claimed they had had their houses vandalised and had been attacked by certain white people.
• In the 1960s, more than 12,000 Kenyan and Asian refugees arrived in Britain due to ongoing violence in their home country of Africa; despite being commonwealth citizens and therefore were freely allowed to enter Britian. However, politician Jim Callahan drafted a Commonwealth Immigration Bill, and the bill became law almost immediately. This meant that the free entry commonwealth immigrants had been promised was no longer available.
• A number of Labour MP's saw this as a 'betrayal' by Harold Wilson who was Prime Minister at the time and had been 'panicked' by the number of immigrants arriving in Britain.
• Outsider Conservative MP Enoch Powell claimed the country to be 'mad' to allow such a high number of immigrants into the country in what is now known as 'The River's of Blood' speech.
• Three days later over 1000 dock workers who were usually Labour supporters marched to Westminster in support of the speech he gave, and Powell received over 43,000 letters of support from members of the public.

How Were Black People Presented in This Film?

• In the film 'Sapphire', the black people being presented were seen as being inferior to white people; this is done particuarly by the older characters of the film, including Sapphire's landlady, David's sister and parents and the detectives assistant.
• The white characters in the film are shocked by the fact that Sapphire's brother is black and is a doctor, giving the impression that the stereotypical view of black people in the 1950s when the film was made was that black people were uneducated and didn't have professional employment.
• The fact that Sapphire is a black woman who can get away with being known as a white person due to her being mixed race gives the impression that a number of people in the same situation as her would choose to be seen as white rather than black, possibly for an easier life with less prejudice.
• Black people are presented to have prejudice towards them by some white people - this is evident in the scene where Sapphire's old dance partner is running from the police and runs into a gang of white people who beat him up and chase him through the streets.
• Could be seen to be presented as not trusted and sneaky - this can be seen to be evident in the scenes where the detective and his assistant are talking to a small gang of black men about the whereabouts of Sapphire's former dance partner and in another scene where they are at the club where Sapphire used to dance.
• The lifestyle of black people could be seen to be presented as being flambouyant, wild and fun - this can be seen to be portrayed by the quick cuts between shots of the dancers in the dance club and the music that is playing.

How Does The Film Put Across a Sense of Collective Identity of Black British People?

• Collective identity of Black British people living in Britain at the time is mainly portrayed in the dance club scene; all of the people there are black or are of mixed race, and are dancing to Caribbean music.
• Another portrayal of collective identity of British black people is the gang scene where the detective goes to question them about the whereabouts of Sapphire's former dance partner; all of the members are black and share similar views on things and also share the same sense of humour.
• Gives the impression that due to the prejudice that was directed at black people in the time that 'Sapphire' is set, the majority of black people tended to stick together in their own groups and didn't mix as much with white people as there is today.
• This gives the audience the indication of collective identity as the film presents groups of black people who are in the same situation as each other, therefore they know they can trust each other and because of this they stick together and look out for each other.

Notes on Pressure (1975)

How Does The Theme of Collective Identity Come Across in Pressure?

• In the film Pressure, made in 1975, it is mainly the use of the mise en scene that represents to the audience how the main character of Tony and his family and friends react to their experience of racism living in Britain in the 1970s.
• In this particular film, there are four main aspects of the characters lives that represent to the audience the changing values of Tony and how he deals with the racism seen experienced by him in the film.
  

Food - Cultural Signifier:

• In the breakfast scene, Tony is seen to be eating what appears to be a fry up, a typical British breakfast, while his brother is seen eating an avocado, breakfast more typical of a Caribbean lifestyle.
• As well as the obvious difference in the foods the brothers are eating, there is also a difference in how these two characters are eating their meals. Tony is portrayed as eating 'properly' with a knife and fork, while his older brother Colin is eating his meal with his hands.
• Tony is also presented as having a love for the traditional British food of fish & chips, even in one scene of the film rejecting his mother's offer of rice and peas for dinner and instead opting to go out and buy fish & chips for himself.
• Another scene in the film also sees Tony out with a group of his friends, all of whom are going to buy some patties, a traditional Jamaican meal. However, Tony once again chooses to not join his friends in this and instead chooses to have chips again.
  

Physical Environment:

• The films setting of London is portrayed as being a harsh environment for black people to live in at the time the film is set in the 1970s.
• Tony is presented as being accepted by the younger generation of white people and is not seen to be 'alienated' when he is with this particular crowd of people. He fits in, and his group of friends clearly accept him for who he is.
• However, he appears to be more alienated and vulernable to the people around him in scenes where he is walking through the streets on his own.
• In ways, when Tony is walking through the streets on his own wearing the style of clothes that white people would be wearing at the time, he looks as though he doesn't know who he is and where he belongs in Britain.
• The flat where Tony lives with his older brother and his parents is your standard middle class lifestyle flat, with his father owning his own shop thats below where they live.
• Their home environment is typical of the conditions that middle class black people would have lived in in the 1970s, though despite this fact, a number of Tony's West Indian friends are basically homeless and are squatting in unused houses which are in extremely poor conditions.
  

Hair & Fashion:

• As Tony's identity as a black person living in Britain becomes more apparent to him throughout the film, his style and fashion change with him.
• At the beginning of the film, he is seen wearing clothes typically worn by white kids living in Britain at the time.
• In comparison to other black people in the film he stands out in terms of his image, and the major difference in his appearance and that of other black people in the film represents him to the audience as being 'different' due to him being born in Britain.
• As the film goes on and Tony is seen discovering his identity as a black person in Britain, the way his hair is styled and the clothes which he wears evolve into the style that is basically the same as the other black characters in the film.
• A key point in the film which presents this is when Tony goes to the first black power meeting. While the audience originally sees him wearing typically British style of clothes for the time, it is from this scene onwards that we see him wearing clothes more similar to that of other black people at the meeting.
  

Language:

• Language plays a large role in how Tony is presented to the audience as a black teenager living in 1970s Britain.
• Tony speaks in what could be described as being typical British speech. His accent is typical of a London accent, and throughout the film it is clear to the audience that he has picked up a cockney accent through being born and raised in the London area.
• The fact that all of the other black characters in the film have a Caribbean accent portrays to the audience how Tony through being born and growing up in Britain has almost lost part of his culture, he doesn't have that link with the Caribbean that his family and friends who are originally from the West Indies have.

Notes on Black History in Britain...

Britain in the 1970s...

• Population in the 1970s was around 54 million.
• There were a number of major strikes that took place in this decade, including: postal strikes, miner strikes and dustmen strikes.
• In February 1972, a three day working week was imposed in order to save electricity.
• Water supplies reached a critical low after a long drought spell in the summer of 1976.
• The Queen's Silver Jubilee was celebrated all round the country in 1977.
• Technology was rapidly increasing, with 91% of families in Britain having a TV by 1971.
• The first domestic microwave, VHS video recorder and Sony Walkman also became available to the public during the 1970s.
• The currency rate of money in Britain also went under dramatic changes.
• The 1970s were also the era of global travel, with the first Pan Am Boeing 747 jetplane landing in Heathrow airport in 1970.

Britain in the 1980s...

• Population of Britain in 1981 was just over 56 million, a 2 million increase in ten years.
• In 1982, over 50% of households in Britain how had a telephone.
• 1988, the first digital mobile phone was invented, although they were expensive and large.
• In 1982, Argentina invaded the Falklands and Britain became involved in the Falklands War.
• The fan heater, kettle, hair dryer, toaster, microwave and phone all became more accessibly to homes in Britain during the 1980s.
• Seat belts were made compulsory for the front seats of cars in 1983.
• Microsoft computer software was invented in 1985, and the World Wide Web was first thought of in 1989.

Racial Tensions in Britain in the 1970s...

• Groups known as the 'Skinheads' or 'Skins' in the 1970s were linked with far-right political views and racism, despite being known for listening to reggae music and using black slang in their language.
• Young Afro-Caribbean Londoners took up what is known as the 'Rasta' lifestyle, adopted from the Rastafarians from the Caribbean. The lifestyle that this group of people adopted was due to them wanting to establish an identity as black people living in London at the time, a new identity away from previous generations who stuck with the stereotype of them being 'West Indian Immigrants'.
• This particular group though experienced a number of racial tensions in the 1970s, with members of these group being made to feel that London was like a place of exile and a place where only conflict that was caused by racial tensions took place.
• The National Front was a political party and was set up in 1967, and by the year 1973 had around 17,000 members. The party had a large number of activists between 1976 and 1977, with a number of these members creating race wars and committing a number of racist attacks.
• There were a reported 31 murders of black people in racist attacks between 1976 and 1981.
• One of the victims was 17 year old Sikh teenager, Gurdip Singh Chaggar, who was stabbed to death in a brutal attack by 5 white youths on 4th June 1976. Despite his murderers being found, they were never convicted of their crime, and the police dismissed the murder as having nothing to do with a racial discrimination.
• Open racism in Britain reached breaking point in the Southall Riots on 23rd April 1979. A mass fight broke out after thousands of protestors gathered to protest against a campain meeting by the National Front.
• The cause for this mass protest was due to the fact this campaign meeting was taking place in Southall Town Hall, an area which at the time was one of the countries largest areas of Asian communities.
• 40 people, including 21 police were injured in the fight that broke out, with a further 300 being arrested. There was also one death, a 33 year old teacher originally from New Zealand died after receiving severe head injuries which were reportedly from a police baton.

Why was the film 'Pressure' made?

• 'Pressure' could have been made in order to get across to the audience the treatment of black people in the UK during the 1970s when the film was set.
• The film gives the audience a clear view of what life for many black people living in Britain was like, for both older and younger generations.
• The film shows how older generations of white people were less tolerant of black people living in Britain at the time, while younger generations are presented as being more tolerant and more accepting of who they are as people and not about the colour of their skin.
• 'Pressure' also gives the audience a real insight into how a number of black people fought to gain the same rights and opportunities as white people that the government at the time were denying them.
• The film represents a different view of Black Britain as it is representing the situation that was taking place in the 1970s from the point of view of a group of black people, giving a more realistic representation possibly to give the audience a real idea of what it was like for a number of black people living in Britain during this time.