Description
Object description
British civilian film producer, director and writer with Empire Marketing Board Film Unit, GPO Film Unit, Realist Film Unit, Film Centre and Crown Film Unit in GB and Canada, 1929-1946
Content description
REEL 1: Story of formation of Realist Film Unit, 1937; reason for name of unit; role as producer with Realist Film Unit; story of formation of Film Centre by John Grierson; attitude to accepting commissions from Conservative government; discussion of films 'Housing Problems', 'The Smoke Menace' and 'The League at Work'; commissioned to write report for ILO.
REEL 2 Continues: attitude to making films about war; reason for transfer from Realist Film Unit to Film Centre; discussion of films 'Men of Africa' and 'Rape of Czechoslovakia'; closure of cinemas on outbreak of war, 9/1939; registered as ambulance driver; Film Centre re-opened; attitude of government to Film Centre; story of American Rockefeller commission.
REEL 3 Continues: question of Grierson returning to GB; influence of Grierson on Film Centre; relations with government during war; various memories of working with Jack Beddington and Sidney Bernstein.
REEL 4 Continues: role of Film Centre; story of producing films with ICI; origination of ideas and sponsorship of various films.
REEL 5 Continues: discussion of film 'This Was Japan', 1945; story of four-week visit to see Grierson in Canada, 1942; opinion of films made by National Film Board of Canada; effect of visit on attitude to film making; organisation of film units; discussion of film 'Goodbye Yesterday';
REEL 6 Continues: reaction to 'Goodbye Yesterday'; discussion of film 'Lift Up Your Head, Comrade' including contribution of Arthur Koestler, 1942; memories of Dylan Thomas; story of being appointed head of Crown Film Unit at Pinewood Studios, 1/1945.
REEL 7 Continues: attitude to role in charge of studio and nature of work; problem with film union ACTT; story of visits to Germany and Holland after VE Day, 1945; discussion of Humphrey Jennings film 'Diary for Timothy'; discussion of film 'Children on Trial'; reason for leaving Crown Film Unit, 1/1946.
REEL 8 Continues: memories of John Mortimer; return of Grierson from Canada; appointed adviser for films division of Ministry of Information; audience surveys; distribution of films; opinion of Ministry of Information instructional wartime films.