Jade Evans presents: “The most promising young film star of the British studios”: Examining the stardom of Jessie Matthews, 1932–1935

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This presentation examines the stardom of Jessie Matthews between 1932 and 1935, analysing a variety of documents in the Michael Balcon collection at the BFI National Archive. Through close analysis of archival material, I consider the processes used by Michael Balcon to create Jessie Matthews as an exportable British film star and examine the extent to which this supported Balcon’s aim to build a sustainable British film industry. My research draws on film history, star theory and archival research to shed light on a hugely popular star who has received little scholarly attention, examining and discussing documentation that has not been previously written about. In my examination of Matthews’ stardom, I offer an insight into the industrial processes of the 1930s, as well as the gendered aspects of stardom and the labour of the star herself.