With reference to the four key areas to what extent can 'Four Weddings and a Funeral' be considered a British film?

With reference to the four key areas to what extent can ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ be considered a British film?

The media forms and conventions of ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ (FWF) seem to show that it is mainly a British film. If you look at the generic codes and conventions used FWF you can see that they are of a stereotypical British nature and this is linked to the media representation of class, masculinity, sexuality and British-ness. For example if you look at class the upper class are represented as very rich people, with well-spoken accents who live in nice locations. For example the grounds where the wedding is held and the pub where Hugh Grant is staying.

If you look at the cast most are British and this is linked to a British film. They are also very stereotypically British in the film for example there accents and vocabulary e.g. gosh, splendid, dash. Also the subject matter of conversation in the film, they discuss things such as school and rugby. The humour in the film is stereotypically British, that it is the humour is focused around sex.

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You could however say that the above make it more of a US Hollywood-style film because it is not really showing the ‘gritty’ Britain that most British films show. Britain in FWF is represented as a very nice and ‘splendid’ place and Hugh Grant is shown as a very ‘typical’ English male. These things I think appeal to US film because in America the British and Britain are seen through these stereotypes.

Looking at media institutions I would say that in terms of actors and stars Hugh Grant is an institution for British films himself. All he films that ...

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Looking at media institutions I would say that in terms of actors and stars Hugh Grant is an institution for British films himself. All he films that he has stared in since FWF are all in this genre of British romantic comedy. Everyone associates him with being a floppy haired romantic and he has played this role in almost all of his films. I would say that Hugh Grant does help to make this film seem British, but he has become quite a Hollywood star.

The distributor was Grammercy pictures which is a US company which shows a US influence in the film. The production company was Working Title Films and Film Four. Both of these are British production companies which helps to make the film more British.

For media audiences the film was low budget because it was an art-house film. This means that it was designed for smaller audiences but the film proved very popular with audiences. It was very popular with British audiences because of the British-style humour.

Within FWF the British seem to be represented with stereotypes in mind. If you look at class in the film it seems that the upper class are represented as a stereotypically British upper class. For example as I have explained before they are well spoken and use vocabulary such as gosh and dash. Also if you look at the mise-en-scene in the pub (which is a good example of a stereotypical Britain) there are items such as the picture of Queen Elizabeth and the whisky that Hugh Grant drinks. These are all very British ideas.

Masculinity is also represented in FWF. Hugh Grant is not typically masculine, he is very nervous and is not a typically butch male, he is quite thin and has floppy hair. This is a British trait.

If you look at sexuality in the film, sex as an idea plays quite a big part. This is because a lot of British humour is focused around sex. Also the women in the film are shown as quite forward e.g. they openly talk about sex with just about everyone, especially if they are drunk. This could be seen as a British trait.

In conclusion I would say that FWF is a British film for several reasons. The film scores all the points necessary to be classed as a British. The lead actor is British and so are most of the cast and this is what most helps in making the film seem British. The location of the film is also in Britain. However some of the aspects of the film seem Hollywood-like. For example the glamorous locations that the film is set in.

Overall though FWF remains a classic British film.