The past is always around us in what passes for modern Britain.
In recent years, particularly in the aftermath of the Brexit vote, it seems more omnipotent and increasingly problematic. From politics to culture and most aspects of public life we are confronted with a selective, sepia-tinged fantasyland version of the collective past. And it reduces the prospect of us believing that we can make a better collective future than the nasty, mean-spirited reality which is - for too many - contemporary Britain.
This predicament comes into full view in the summer of 2017 and in Christopher Nolan’s just released film ‘Dunkirk’. The film has attracted plaudits for its grand scale, alongside its depiction of chaos and confusion. But it has also attracted critical comment for its lack of characters, central story, and context (one of which is the absence of any Germans or overall strategy from either side).
