The scientist as artist: a study of The Man in the White Suit and some related British film comedies of the postwar period (1945-1970)

Abstract

The Man in the White Suit is perhaps the major representation of a scientist in mainstream British films of the postwar period. The film was immensely popular at the time of its release in 1951 and continues to be influential today. This paper, which is part of an ongoing study of the image of scientists presented by the cinema during this period, analyzes The Man in the White Suit by comparing it with another film of the period, The Horse's Mouth, which presents an image of an artist, and two related film comedies. Many similarities can be seen between the characters of the scientists and the artists presented in these films. The reason for this, and the origin of the artist stereotype in the Romantic period of the early nineteenth century, are discussed. It is concluded that the stereotype of the artist is used as a model for the scientist because of the lack of familiarity with the nature of scientific creativity; artists and scientists may be treated similarly because both are seen as existing outside of the British class system. The question of whether the apparent innocence of the scientist in these films is seen as admirable or reprehensible is also discussed.