Play/Movie Set in Gilded Age England 1912 Echoes In Contemporary Times
As the United States solidifies its position in a new Gilded Age, a classic British play “An Inspector Calls” that became a riveting 2015 film has particular relevance. Written by J.B. Priestly (1894-1984) during the Great Depression, it illustrates the invisible role that social class plays in people’s lives and how we are all connected based on how we treat each other.
Set in 1912 in the home of the Illustrious Birling family, a police inspector interrupts their evening of celebration to inform the family of a young woman’s suicide. One by one he interrogates this well-healed family to piece together the truth of Eva Smith’s unfortunate life and the roles they might have played in it.
Here’s an excerpt of “An Inspector Calls.”
The film, directed by Jason Farries, is a BBC production, and available on Amazon Prime, Britbox and other streaming services. Click.
The movie reminded me of this haunting yet memorable comic strip by New Zealand artist Toby Morris:
