Empire in History and Myth
David Ciarlo
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: None
This series presents two films of high adventure set in the British Empire. Both are engaging and entertaining stories in their own right. At the same time, both films portray a clear vision of Europeans' role in the world, and so present the opportunity to explore discrepancies between the tidy mythologies of imperialism and its far messier history.
Screenings will be followed by a discussion led by member of the History Faculty.
Contact: David Ciarlo, E51-285, 253-4126, ciarlo@mit.edu
Sponsor: History
Khartoum (1966)
David Ciarlo
Khartoum (1966, dir. Basil Dearden, with Lawrence Olivier and Charlton Heston)
Depicts the siege of Khartoum in 1884, and the epic confrontation between an Islamic holy warrior (The Mahdi) and an icon of Victorian heroism, General Gordon. (Historical accuracy takes second place to dramatic license.)
Mon Jan 23, 07-10:00pm, 56-114
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
David Ciarlo
The Man Who Would Be King (1975, dir. John Huston, with Sean Connery and Michael Caine)
This film—a "modern masterpiece"—is both a lively adventure film and a vicious satire of British imperialism. It follows the misadventures of two roguish British soldiers as they travel to Kafiristan (Afghanistan) where they hope to trick the locals into making them kings.
Wed Jan 25, 07-10:00pm, 56-114
Latest update: 16-Nov-2005
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