In close-up with Grant

LECTURER Dr Kathrina Glitre and a life-long fan of Cary Grant has won a research grant to analyse the films of the Hollywood icon.

The project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) will focus on casting, acting and performance, areas which are under-researched within film studies.

In a unique approach, the research will combine close analysis of film acting with examination of casting practices and the production context.

Dr Glitre, from the University of the West of England based in Bristol, UK, said: "Cary Grant, indirectly, is the reason I am now a film studies lecturer: I was a huge fan in my teens and it was my love of his films that inspired me to do my MA dissertation on screwball comedy, and then my PhD on Hollywood romantic comedy.

"Cary Grant has been described as 'the best and most important actor in the history of the cinema' and I will explore aspects of Grant's casting and performance across a range of films and genres, including Bringing Up Baby, Only Angels Have Wings, The Talk of the Town, Night and Day, North by Northwest and Charade.

"The research aims to develop a framework for analysing film acting in precise detail, focusing on: physical and close-up performance; the relationships between star and genre; casting against type; and the idea of the star vehicle.

"Combining this kind of close analysis of film acting with consideration of production contexts and casting will enhance our understanding of the relationships between economic and creative factors within the Hollywood studio system.

"Grant is a particularly interesting figure for such analysis: he was one of the earliest Hollywood stars to gain relative independence and control over casting, including setting up his own production companies; but he also worked with celebrated directors such as Alfred Hitchcock and Howard Hawks.

"This distinctive history enables the research to re-evaluate the ways in which the working relationships between actor and director impact on the creative process."

Entitled, Starring Cary Grant: Casting and performance in classical Hollywood film, the research will culminate in a 35,000 word monograph, Starring Cary Grant, for Close-Up (Wallflower Press).

Dr Glitre is also planning to develop a study day or summer school on Cary Grant and film acting for next year.