THE NEW BRITAIN [Main Title]

Presents the Britain of the years following the First World War as a kind of terrestrial paradise in the making ("a future that was to be happier day after day") marred by only one mistake ("we forgot Germany") which has led to the renewal of war.

Clips of WW1 film recall Germany's defeat; thereafter the film sets out visually to illustrate the Utopian outlook of the commentary with carefully composed shots showing the most impressive new buildings, hydro-electric schemes, roads, railways, tunnels, bridges, docks, communications technology ("it was for ordinary people that all these things were done") factory conditions ("the new employer and new employee worked together for the common good") housing ("a million people exchanged slum for sun") schooling, social services, recreation, family life: "We had our revolution too, so quietly that we hardly noticed it... We never knew how free we were; and for our children we planned a better world yet." But, throughout, "We had forgotten Germany;" now war has resulted but "Hitler has forgotten something too," the spirit of the British - "simple, unboastful, and unbreakable."

35mm