Creating Distraction after Destruction: Representations of the Military in Greek Film

This article discussses representations of the military,viewed by some historians as the major force in twentieth-century Greek politics, in mainstream Greek film from 1952 to 1963. Based on a wide sample of films, it challenges the accepted view that Greek mainstream film of the post-Civil War years did not interact with questions of immediate political interest. Genre film, it is argued, followed generic formulas but still included comments on contemporary events. For example, when read in the context of the well-known Aviators' Trial, The Skies are Ours (1953) acquires a historical specificity otherwise missed. Representations of German officers of the occupation forces during the Second World War are discussed in a comparative framework to demonstrate the degree of acceptance of the armed forces and military values in this time period, as for example in the films Barefoot Batallion (1954) and The Island of the Brave (1959).