Stanley Kubrick, the 1974 Finance Act, and the crisis of the British film industry: a case study of access, power and privilege in British media and politics

Between 1975 and 1977, filmmaker Stanley Kubrick secretly campaigned to overturn the new tax provisions of Labour government’s 1974 Finance Act. His aim was develop a crisis narrative in which legislation that affected amount earnings foreign residents would pay on UK deemed directly responsible for imminent absolute collapse British film industry. Drawing archival sources from Archive, Harold Wilson papers, The National Archives, article reconstructs Kubrick’s actions during this period reveal how he planted stories press, lobbied MPs, ministers, Chancellor Exchequer, prime minister, manipulated trade union officials, wrote press releases campaign letters under name general secretary ACTT, Alan Sapper. case study widens understanding pertaining industry 1970s exacerbated exploited by powerful wealthy individuals like personal gain. also contributes broader topics access, power, privilege society rich subvert undermine democracy, thereby aggravating structural inequalities, inequalities have only deepened since political interventions machinations.