This clip is a very iconic scene from Richard Curtis' 2003 rom-com Love Actually, with Hugh Grant starring as the British Prime Minister. His speech is in response to the American President, stating that though Britain may be a small country, it is a Great one too. The speech is thoroughly patriotic, as he proceeds to list the things that make Britain great; he lists things that are known worldwide, like Shakespeare, The Beatles, and David Beckham. This list of things familiar to not only Brits, but recognised on a global scale emphasises to worldwide audiences, not only British audiences, that Britain is responsible for a great deal of great things. The purpose of this speech is not only to show the Prime Minister's defiance against the American President, but also to band the British together by influencing them with a sense of pride for their country and it's accomplishments. The Prime Minister recognises that Britain is often belittled, and therefore emphasises all of the good points of British culture: Disregarding the bad points of British Culture, mind you.
David Cameron delivered a similar speech in response to a Russian official's remark that Britain is but a small island that no one listens to. Not unlike the scenario above, where Hugh Grant's Prime Minister expresses that Britain's relationship with America is founded about America taking exactly what it wants, and forgetting about what really matters... to Britain. Much like the American President's belittling of the Britain in the above speech, the Russian official belittles Britain, causing Prime Minister David Cameron is retaliate with an uplifting, patriotic speech.
Parallel to Hugh Grant's Prime Ministerial speech from Love Actually, Cameron starts by acknowledging that Britain is small. A small island. A small group of islands. But this remark is followed by his stating that Britain has a proud history, and great resilience. The use of words like pride and greatness really hammer in the sense of patriotism that oozes from this speech. Both David Cameron's speech, and Hugh Grant's speech begin by playing the small but mighty card, establishing the patriotic tone of the speech.
Cameron goes on, much like Grant, to list the great things to come from Britain, comedy coming through his reference to very current events, most notably his mention of One Direction.
Cameron's sugar-coating of British history effectively inflicts a sense of patriotism, due to his insistent mention of the positive aspects of Britain, and his brushing aside negative aspects, offering only a shallow truth. Understandable, as the speech certainly wouldn't have been as appealing had Cameron said Britain took slavery off the high seas, even though Britain endorsed slavery and was one of the main forces initiating it to begin with. Certainly that wouldn't have sparked the same feeling of pride and patriotism as Cameron's half-truths.
Cameron goes on, much like Grant, to list the great things to come from Britain, comedy coming through his reference to very current events, most notably his mention of One Direction.
Cameron's sugar-coating of British history effectively inflicts a sense of patriotism, due to his insistent mention of the positive aspects of Britain, and his brushing aside negative aspects, offering only a shallow truth. Understandable, as the speech certainly wouldn't have been as appealing had Cameron said Britain took slavery off the high seas, even though Britain endorsed slavery and was one of the main forces initiating it to begin with. Certainly that wouldn't have sparked the same feeling of pride and patriotism as Cameron's half-truths.
