Paper #2 Assignment – A Theme in Postwar European Cinema

Paper #2 Assignment – A Theme in Postwar European Cinema

  • Length: 1500-2100 words of text (about 5-7 pp.)
  • Format: Follow “Sample Short Paper” on our Handouts page. Use Chicago-style format with footnotes
  • For tips on writing papers for history, see my “Tips for Writing College History Papers” on our Handouts page

Your assignment is to analyze two or three of our films in light of a common theme that sheds some light on the history of postwar Europe. Your paper should focus upon a revealing theme and develop a historical argument about its treatment in a small set of films. For this option, one of your films should be made between 1968 and 2020.

So, for example, you might write about: fathers, mothers, children, freedom, violence, resistance, political convictions, sexuality, consumerism, identities or much, much more. The trick here is to choose two or three films that make for an interesting comparison that illuminates the history we’ve been studying.

You will want to have a strong understanding of your films. You will need to have clear and full answers to the following questions for each of the films: What is the context for the making of the film? Who made it? When and where? Under what conditions? What was happening in this period (in politics, society, culture)? What exactly is depicted in the film? How accurately does the film represent events and experience? How does the film make its appeal? How do the filmmakers make use of the elements of film? Does the film have a message?

With answers to these questions in hand, you can begin to construct an insightful historical argument.

You will need to do a bit of reading in the textbook and outside sources to understand the film and its context. To write a strong paper, you will also need to rewatch the film(s) that you are writing about. 

You are welcome to make use of any materials that are helpful, but please, please, please remember that you need to cite your sources. You should use footnotes to cite: the sources of your information about the film, information about the context (when the film was made), and interpretations of the film that you draw upon. Show your research through your footnotes (otherwise you are stealing).

If you have any questions on citation, see “What is Plagiarism?” on our Handouts page.

Assistance

Please come talk to me about your ideas for the paper! Show me your outline; try out your argument on me. Just sign up for office hours. In addition, I suggest that you make use of the Writing Center, especially in the final stages of revision.

Some Resources

In addition to our textbook and source readings, the outside sources listed for the paper #1 assignment would come in hand here. See the Books on Reserve (listed on our course web site and available at Andrews). Other resources? See the links for historical research on on our Links page.

Criteria of Evaluation

  • Does the paper present an interesting argument (laid out clearly in the introduction and demonstrated all through the paper) about a particular theme in postwar European cinema?
  • Does the paper demonstrate a mastery of the films and their history?
  • Does the paper demonstrate a mastery of historical context?
  • Is it well organized (with a strong structure and well-organized paragraphs)?
  • Is it well written (in clear, precise, direct prose)?
  • Do you cite your sources?
  • Is it free of errors of grammar or spelling or punctuation?
  • Is it formatted correctly?
  • Is it interesting?