Lecture
Professor David Peimer
Saturday 2.05.2026
Professor David Peimer
Iconic Movies of the ‘50’s
Saturday 2.05.2026
How to watch
This lecture starts on 2 May at 5:00pm (UK).
Summary
Films mirror society. At times, they help reshape our world. In this presentation we delve into films that achieved the latter: Singin’ in the Rain, Hitchcock’s Vertigo, Rebel Without a Cause, Some Like it Hot, Ben-Hur, Bridge on the River Kwai, Streetcar Names Desire, and Kurosawa’s Rashomon. The ’50s was an era of forward looking change—hopeful, after the horrors of war: first credit card, Rosa Parks, Sputnik, polio vaccine, DNA, Elvis, Chuck Berry, and youth anti-heroes like James Dean and Brando. Plus Marilyn, Dior, Kerouac, the Peanuts cartoon, climbing Everest, Stalin’s death, Playboy, the Suez crisis, McDonald’s, Mao’s Great Leap Forward, Dr. Zhivago, and hula hoops.
Professor David Peimer
David Peimer is a Professor of Literature, Film and Theatre in the UK. He has worked for the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, New York University (Global Division) and was a Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University. Born in South Africa, David has won numerous awards for playwriting and directing. He has most recently directed Dame Janet Suzman in his own play, Joanna’s Story, at London Jewish Book Week. He has published numerous books, including Armed Response: Plays from South Africa and the digital book Theatre in the Camps. He is on the board of the Pinter Centre (London), and has been involved with the Mandela Foundation, Vaclav Havel Foundation and directed a range of plays at Mr Havel’s Prague theatre.