Heroines Without Heroes : Reconstructing Female and National Identities in European Cinema, 1945-1951

The period from 1945 to 1951 has long been neglected in the study of European film. With the publication of Heroines without Heroes, Ulrike Sieglohr at last rectifies this era's absence in cinematic history and explores the roles gender played during the national identity struggles of the time. Sieglohr compares and contrasts the postwar cinemas of Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain in order to examine how representions of women in this period emerged from specific national contexts. The book further analyzes the appeal of movie stars such as Margaret Lockwood and Ana Mariscal, and the political and social conditions that contributed to their popularity.