James Whale: 'A Britisher Who Thinks, Cinematically, Like an American'

This chapter discusses three Great War films directed by James Whale: Hell’s Angels (1930), Journey’s End (also 1930) and Waterloo Bridge (1931). Although Whale, who served in the conflict himself, is best known as an auteur of horror films, these three movies were key contributions to the portrayal of the war in the popular culture of the early 30s. Production histories and audience reaction in the United States and United Kingdom from the standpoint of Historical Reception Studies are included.