Film & Culture edited by: DOROTTYA JÁSZAY, ANDREA VELICH

Eötvös Loránd University | Faculty of Humanities | School of English and American Studies 2016 Film & Culture

Edited by: DOROTTYA JÁSZAY, ANDREA VELICH Layout design by: BENCE LEVENTE BODÓ Proofreader: ANDREA THURMER © AUTHORS 2016, © EDITORS 2016 ISBN 978-963-284-757-3 EÖTVÖS LORÁND TUDOMÁNYEGYETEM

Supported by the Higher Education Restructuring Fund | Allocated to ELTE by the Hungarian Government 2016 FILM & CULTURE 75 87 155 143 110 124 186

Macbeth Culture(s) Through Films:

itchcock’s itchcock’s The Miraculous Life of Henry of The Life Miraculous | | Multiculturalism, History and H Shakespeare on Film: Romeo and Film: Romeo Shakespeare on | The British DocumentaryThe British Film |

| | | John Huston’s Adaptation of James England, my England |

Movement from the mid-1920s to the mid-1940s: mid-1940s: the to mid-1920s the from Movement Context Aesthetic and Social,Its Political, Purcell: On the Cultural Historical Contexts of of Contexts Historical Cultural On the Purcell: Filmthe Identity in Canadian Film: Atom Egoyan’s in Canadian Egoyan’s Atom Film: Identity Ararat Juliet Revisioned Joyce’s “The Dead”: A Literary Approach Approach A Literary “The Dead”: Joyce’s Learning Opportunities Miklós Lojkó Péteri Éva Marcell Gellért Márta Hargitai Dorottya Holló János Kenyeres Zsolt Komáromy 5 19 62 30 44

in the

JamesBond | | Being Film epresentation of Australian Australian of epresentation Utopia andUtopia Dystopia R | | Henry James in the Cinema: When When in Cinema: the Henry James Introduction: Introduction: |

Classroom the Adapters Turn the Screw Screw the Turn Adapters the Aborigines in Australian film Australian in Aborigines on the Screen Screen the on

Cecilia Gall

Ákos Farkas Farkas Ákos Zsolt Czigányik Zsolt Vera Benczik & Natália Pikli& Natália Benczik Vera

Géza KállayGéza |

Contents Table of of Table FILM & CULTURE 210 227 196 169

The

Leap (2006) Romantic | | (1952), The Queen The Quiet Man (1998) and The Private life of Henry VIII Henry of life The Private The English ‘Monarchy Film’ Film’ ‘Monarchy The English Glossary | (1911), | Sequential Arts: Moments From the the From Arts: Moments Sequential | Elizabeth (2010)

Year Colleen BawnColleen (1933) to (1933) Revisited: From Ireland and the Hollywood Film Industry: Hollywood the and Ireland Parallel History of Comics and Film Comics HistoryParallel of

Dorottya Jászay Andrea Velich Velich Andrea

Eszter Szép Szép Eszter Eglantina Remport & Janina Vesztergom & Janina Vesztergom Remport Eglantina The British Documentary Film Movement from the mid-1920s to the mid- 1940s: Its Social, Political, and Aesthetic Context

MIKLÓS LOJKÓ | Film & Culture ► 155 FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 156

- - - leaving no no leaving Public Opinion Republic the den; they have been here been here the den; they have / which has a mouth open towards the light and the light has a mouth open towards which den, / den, reaching all across all across reaching Behold! human beings living in a sort of underground of underground beings living in a sort human Behold! In the aftermath of the war, many civil aftermathIn the servants war, the re of doubt as to the contemporary western social implications: western contemporary as the to doubt drawn together in more ways than ever before. Yet, the key key the Yet, before. than ways ever in more drawn together significant that exponents of the new documentary new film of the exponents significant that stances had led to similar developments. In similar to had led stances developments. growing circumstantial evidence, substantiated from 1937, 1937, from substantiated circumstantialgrowing evidence, traditional the from alienated felt public British general hierarchies of British power and politics. Therefore, it is it Therefore, politics. and power British of hierarchies (1921), the noted American public intellectual Walter Walter intellectual American public noted the (1921), movement, John Grierson, Basil Wright, Edgar Antsey, Edgar Antsey, Basil Wright, Grierson, John movement, mass communication in Britain. mass communication mained impressed by the way wartime propaganda caught caught wartime way propaganda the by mained impressed the imagination of the British public. The nation had been had been The nation public. British the imaginationthe of ited with introducing a new vocabulary of democracy into into vocabulary democracy of a new with introducing ited impetus came via the United States where similar circum where States cameimpetus via United the Arthur Elton, Albetro Cavalvanti and others, can cred be others, and Cavalvanti Albetro Arthur Elton, Lippmann, poignantly quoted Plato’s Plato’s quoted poignantly Lippmann, when Mass-Observation began its work, to show that the show to work, began its Mass-Observation when

- - -

cians,

During the 1920s, partly as a consequence of the intro the of partly as a consequence During 1920s, the

diplomatic events or wars, was, apart from the glamour, wars, glamour, was, the apart or from events diplomatic

duction of universal suffrage and the growing government government suffrage universal growing the and of duction of little real interest to the average cinema goer. The BBC, The BBC, goer. cinema average the to real interest little of

connection has largely been forgotten in our time. Thetime. in fol our forgotten been has largely connection after the war with a ten-year delay in 1928, focusing on the on focusing in1928, delay afterwar the withten-year a

and wide ranging areas of social policy as well as ranging social as areas propa wide and well of policy started to take shape, in addition to total economic and and total economic to started in take addition to shape,

ganda (Buitenhuis). British Pathé Newsreel, relaunched language and very few on-location interviews. There was There interviews. on-location language few very and

lives of celebrities, the royal family and grandiose foreign family foreign grandiose royal and the celebrities, of lives lowing article is intended to revive and underline this link. underline and revive to is intended article lowing

morale. During the Great War, especially from 1917 when when 1917 especially from War, During Great the morale. pay much greater attention to public opinion and public public and opinion public to attention greater much pay

production of socially sensitive documentary films. socially sensitive of This production in its infancy at that time, was also using famously stilted infancyin stilted its that was time, at also using famously

in particular those on the right (Swann 2) felt the need to to need the felt 2) (Swann inparticular right the on those intervention in the lives of everyday people, politi people, everyday of lives in the intervention

financial leverage, the government took control of new new of control took government the financialleverage, David Lloyd George’s ideas of emergency governance had governance emergency of ideas George’s Lloyd David

British filmBritish making linked early with the is inextricably The history of the British film British The the industry historyof artthe of and FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 157 ------e sociale Grierson was essentially a nineteenth century com a nineteenth was essentially Grierson departed on a journey to the left, stopping short, however, however, short, stopping left, the to a journey on departed of becoming a communist (Swann 5–6). Grierson’s early early Grierson’s 5–6). (Swann a communist becoming of Presbyterian background, Scots the including convictions, in United the experience with his formative combined cally at a general audience, instead of the intellectual and and intellectual the of instead audience, cally a general at ocratic process for which so many had fought but which which but many had so fought which for process ocratic complexities of contemporary society made it nearly im nearly it made society contemporary of complexities social elites traditionally targeted in the United Kingdom. in United the targeted traditionally social elites seemed so remote from the perspective of the post-war post-war the of perspective the from remote so seemed sion of democracy at least partly on the fact that th fact the partly least on at democracy of sion life in Britain and elsewhere began to polarise in the 1930s, polarise began to in 1930s, the in Britainlife elsewhere and for reengaging ordinary men and women with dem the women ordinary and men reengaging for munitarian liberal and believed in social, the communal munitarian believed liberal and press and the cinema in the US, both aimed unapologeti aimed both in US, the cinema the and press possible for the public to participate in processes vital to in processes participate to public the for possible ulist inclinations throughout his life,” who, when political political when who, his life,” throughout ulist inclinations States, resulted in a peculiar, virtually in a peculiar, vision resulted missionary, States, the United States. Grierson was impressed by the tabloid tabloid the by was impressed Grierson States. United the the survival of democratic society. Grierson announced announced Grierson society. survivalthe democratic of responsibility of the individual. He was “an elitist with pop elitist was “an He individual. the of responsibility years. Agreeing with Walter Lippmann, he blamed the ero the blamed he Lippmann, with Walter Agreeing years. - - - see see / legs and necks necks and legs /

chained so that they cannot move, and can only only can and move, cannot they that so chained before them. (qtd. in Lippmann vii) in Lippmann them. (qtd. before from their childhood, their from and have The book became influential in Britain beyond expec Britain in influential beyond became The book

ofChicago, Columbia andWisconsin-Madison, acquir

and Moral Philosophy at Glasgow University and went on on went and University Glasgow at Philosophy Moral and ambitious, Scottish-born hopefuls, like John Reith and and Reith like John hopefuls, Scottish-born ambitious,

agencies were among the earliest to utilise modern art utilise modern to earliest the among were agencies head of the BBC in London. Grierson had read English English had read Grierson in London. BBC the of head

Grierson, the future anchor and energising spirit of the the of spirit energising and future anchor the Grierson, ments were incorporated into commercial advertising in advertising commercial into incorporated were ments

parallels with Crawford than Reith, soon to be the iconic iconic the be to than soon Reith, parallels with Crawford to study the Psychology of Propaganda at the universities universities the at Propaganda of Psychology the study to

the advertising magnate William Crawford, went to the the to went magnate William advertising the Crawford, tations. It was partly in the lure of this book that John that this John of was book partly It in lure the tations.

ing a propaganda and public relations expertise that he expertise that he relations public and a propaganda ing in their craft. Many of the modernist pictorial art craft.in pictorial their move modernist the Many of

British documentary film movement, together withother 3). Significantly, Grierson’s activities in the US showed more more showed US in activities the Grierson’s Significantly, 3).

United States in 1924 on a Rockefeller scholarship (Swann (Swann scholarship Rockefeller a on in 1924 States United would later import to the UK. the to Theimport American advertising later would FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 158

- - - ing ing he bat he . The vibrant, Drifters (1929). Drifters was first shown in a private film club club film private in a wasshown first Drifters The American roots of British mass audience cinema cinema mass audience British of The American roots dramatic music underlies the theme that these fishermen fishermen that these theme the underlies dramatic music of the worker and the heroic-victorious dignity of the work work dignity the of heroic-victorious the and worker the of civil servant, who gave Grierson his opportunity first as the Grierson gave civilservant, who ergy is mounting as the sturdy axles, as shafts sturdy the ergy is mounting pistons and of the sea.” sea.” the of are at the forefront of creation, the vanguard of t vanguard the of creation, of forefront the at are said about the Soviet Russian parallels. The glorification Russian parallels. The glorification Soviet the about said between the political message and the population. Among Among population. the and message political the between have recently been studied with care, but little has little been with but care, studied been recently have (herring drifters with floating nets attached to their boats) boats) to their attached nets (herring drifters with floating process itself is evident in Grierson’s in Grierson’s is evident itself process propel the boat to the open sea, and reaches its crescendo crescendo its reaches sea, and open the to boat the propel the fifty-minute long long fifty-minute the the facilitators was Sir Stephen Tallents, a senior British British senior a Tallents, Stephen was Sir facilitators the to work early in the morning. The pace is quickening, en is quickening, The pace inmorning. the early work to tle for a better future. At the beginning of the film we see see beginning we film the the At future. of better a for tle small a of go men village, calm fields the undulating tion tells us “[s]o to the ends of the earth the harvest the of goes ends the to us “[s]o tells tion in high places for his ambitions to create a modern link modern a create to his ambitions for in places high EMB’s film officer (Swann 12–13). He hisdirected first film, 12–13). (Swann filmofficer EMB’s when the rich catch of fish is hauled in. fish is hauled final of The cap catch rich the when - hin

] without a sticking point. (Swann 7) (Swann point. ] without a sticking

sic

dramatic […] In the meanwhile, the old folk worlds, folk the old the meanwhile, […] In dramatic a world where dreams come true, where life is more is more life true, where come dreams where a world so distant that the multitude have lost touch with touch lost have multitude the that distant so [ Grierson arrived back in the UK in 1927, imbued with imbued in UK in the 1927, arrived back Grierson free, more powerful, more pungent, more obviously obviously more pungent, more powerful, more free, them and the imagination of the average people are are people of the average imagination them and the the worlds of established heroes […] and so dead and heroes the worlds of established The modern multitudes … [crave] for participation in in participation for … [crave] multitudes The modern

economic hardship shared by most throughout the twen the throughout most by shared hardship economic

of British Industries (FBI), to promote trade relations wit relations trade promote to (FBI), Industries British of of the Department of Overseas Trade in 1926 by Colonial Colonial by in 1926 Trade Overseas of Department the of

should be mobilized to deal with the perennial problems of of deal withperennial problems the to mobilized be should morale and consensus. He joined the Empire Marketing Marketing Empire the joined He consensus. and morale

Secretary Leo Amery, on a close analogy to the Federation analogy Federation the a close to on Secretary Leo Amery, this inan vision American film magazinefollows: trade as

the conviction that a certain type filmand new could of conviction the ties and into the Great Depression and to build national national build to and Depression Great the into and ties

the British Empire. Grierson acquired powerful supporters supporters powerful acquired Grierson Empire. British the Board, a government department founded as an offspring founded department a government Board, FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 159

- - - ,10). Coal Face SpareTime Enough to Eat? Land of Promise (Wright, 1937), and and 1937), (Wright, , (Wright and Watt, 1936). 1936). Watt, and , (Wright (Jennings, 1942), (Jennings, 1942), (Elton, 1935), Night Mail (Anstey and Elton, 1935). The last The last 1935). Elton, (Anstey and Children at School Listen toBritain Workers and Jobs Workers Another strand of these films directly addressed the the films these addressed of strand directly Another ema to portray the postal train as a social integrator, its its postal the portray train to ema as a social integrator, cluded cluded and the mid-1940s. Previously Cavalcanti had worked had worked Cavalcanti Previously mid-1940s. the and was and familiar 1920s, duringthe L’Herbier Marcel and a Brazilian-born film maker who was played a pivotal role role pivotal a a Brazilian-bornplayed wasfilm who maker and socially across the width and length of the country. the of length and width the sociallyand across such as Basil Wright and Humphrey Jennings, is especially Jennings, Humphrey and as Basilsuch Wright Cavalcanti’s influence as producer, working with directors directors with working producer, as influence Cavalcanti’s (Cavalcanti, 1935), and especially the towering achieve especially towering and the 1935), (Cavalcanti, (Jennings, 1939), (Anstey, 1936), ment of the movement palpable in the experimental use of sound. sound. in use experimental of the palpable pressing need for social reform in Britain. in These social reform for need pressing to thisto type documentary film of Cavalcanti, Alberto from in the British documentary film movement between 1933 1933 between documentary filmmovement in British the Housing Problems with avant-garde French film makers such as Jean Renoir filmJean Renoir as such makers French with avant-garde film of making forms withmodernist ( working class heroes connecting people both physically both physically class connecting people working heroes The latter unapologetically borrowed from Soviet cin Soviet from borrowed unapologetically The latter - - - (Grierson, 1931) and and 1931) (Grierson, (which was not granted general general granted wasnot (which Industrial Britain (Basil Wright, 1934). Strong inspiration came inspiration Strong 1934). (Basil Wright,

Somefilms of the documentary movement exper The parallels with contemporary Soviet film Soviet are The parallels with contemporary

documentaries with staged characters and re-enacted re-enacted and characters with staged documentaries cepted, though it does not fit certain in-between certaintype fit in-between not does it though cepted,

as the “creative treatment of actuality” has long been ac actuality” been of has long treatment as “creative the an interpretation of the modern world’s message than fic message world’s modern the of an interpretation

situations. Some of Eisenstein’s films were exactly that. filmswere Eisenstein’s of Some situations. licence in the UK until 1954), and received high praise praise high received and in UK until the 1954), licence

life and that ordinary people — who are the original are the actors that and ordinarylife people — who from both its sponsors and the press (Grierson, 1929). (Grierson, press the and sponsors its both from

Song of Ceylon techniques. Grierson’s definition of the documentary of the film definition Grierson’s techniques.

tion. These views aligned with Soviet film aligned Dziga with Soviet maker views These tion. in their original environments are better suited to convey convey to suited better are originalin their environments

not superficial. In Grierson’s essay “First Principles of of “First Principles essay Grierson’s In superficial. not imented with formal techniques, such as the Empire asEmpire the such with formal techniques, imented

in London in late 1929 on a double-bill with Eisenstein’s with Eisenstein’s a double-bill on 1929 inlate in London fiction and with Sergei Eisenstein’s well well known filming Eisenstein’s Sergei and with fiction

Documentary” (1932), he argued that film should observe observe argued that film he should Documentary” (1932), Marketing Board’s Board’s Marketing

The Battleship Potemkin Vertov’s dismissal of the “bourgeois excess” of dramatic of dismissal excess” “bourgeois the of Vertov’s FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 160 - tells us: “When these houses were erected, erected, were houses “When these us: tells of me with the same predicament as myself. I am not as myself. of me with the same predicament the and rats. With got mice overrun by bugs, I’ve only lings a week for, and I haven’t the room to swing a cat room the and I haven’t lings a week for, round. I’ve also got five other neighbours alongside other neighbours alongside also got five I’ve round. washing, my missus has to send out everyout to send has missus my washing, of bit little The narrator (northern, non-RP pronunciation) in These two rooms I’m in now I have to pay ten shil to pay have in now I I’m two rooms These comes from a Mr. Norwood. The fact that the witnesses The that witnesses fact the Norwood. a Mr. from comes are named lends their account added authenticity. It is as It authenticity. added account their are named lends anyone could build a factory right outside your front door… door… front your outside right a factory build could anyone sometimes at the end of the street” (Anstey and Elton, (Anstey Elton, and street” the of end the at sometimes manage as well asmanage can as they with And a tap well in yard. the prompts some distance away: some prompts than one way, all the more surprising that all this more is the parallel than way, one if we were watching and listening to exhibits as evidence as evidence exhibits to listening and watching were if we charged, us, emotionally tells in case. a court Norwood not made more widely. Housing Problems Many houses have not got water laid on. People have to to have People laid on. water got not have Many houses 1935). The first testimony from an actual slum dweller actualdweller an from slum The testimony first 1935). yet not looking straight into the camera but possibly at at possibly but camera the into straight looking not yet ------n 11). WW (1971) in which life life in which (1971) Landof Promise,

The Classic Slum is both a propaganda piece and a doc and piece a propaganda is both

Housing Problems

children, their daily battles with rodents and other vermin other and daily with their rodents battles children,

eth century is analysed with unsparing sociological rigour. eth century is analysed rigour. with unsparing sociological examining ( length inat this essay

of these landed with devastating effectiveness among an immensely innovative technique. The voices and sto and The voices technique. innovative an immensely

as the camera shows the pitiful dwellings and occasio and pitiful dwellings the shows ascamera the and studied together with Robert Roberts’s ground break ground Roberts’s with Robert together studied and

ally a close-up of some of the creepy insects blighting the the insects blighting creepy the of some of ally a close-up great British films. One reason for thisfor wasap direct films.reason the British great One

by the movement that made it to the national canon of of canon national the to it that made movement the by lives of the people on screen. The film should be watched watched be The filmshould screen. on people the of lives

proach. Ordinary people talking Ordinary was camera then the to people proach. unknown to most who had not personally seen these places. places. these seen personally had not who unknown most to

umentation project; one of a handful of films produced a handful of filmsproduced of one project; umentation those who had the opportunity to see it and is worth is and worth it see to opportunity had the who those

ries demonstrated the dreadful conditions of the pre- the of dreadful the conditions demonstrated ries in the slums of Salford in the first quarter of the inquarter firstof the the twenti Salford of in slums the

ing sociological study II slums in Britain the full horror of which must have been been have must which in Britain of full slums II the horror

The tenants talk ‘matter-of-factly’ about the deaths of their of deaths the about The talk tenants ‘matter-of-factly’ The book and the film complement each other in more more in other each film the complement and The book FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 161

- - - - dog, kept running about. So I must have dozed off off dozed have must I So about. running kept dog, down again or not… In fact everything In fact or not… again down is house in the on the crook. There’s not a straight thing in it. What thing in it. What not a straight There’s on the crook. awake all night, I let the children lie. And as the baby lie. the children I let all night, awake stairs and you don’t know whether you are coming coming are you whether know don’t and you stairs stairs in case they fall down. (Anstey and Elton, 1935) 1935) fall down. (Anstey and Elton, stairs in case they had a baby very bad. In the morning, instead of get ting up for the children to… for school, they’d been they’d school, to… for the children ting up for the coal cupboard, in fact we’ve got no convenience got no convenience fact we’ve in cupboard, the coal it has been a misery to me… I went to bed early. I it has been a misery to bed early. I went to me… I’ve been here for twenty-four years. And this last one, And this last years. twenty-four for been here I’ve went to sleep for the first time. So I had a little black the first time. So I had a little for to sleep went it was the dog on me head, Thinking with the baby. whatever. You’re frightened to let the children up children the let to frightened You’re whatever. with the shoring up for the passage and the stairs and and the stairs the passage shoring up for with the The following testimony is, perhaps the most discon most the is,perhaps testimony Thefollowing certing. Mrs. Graves who had clearly been inextricably inextricably been had clearly who Mrs. Graves certing. trapped in poverty and the tenement that is bound up up that is bound tenement the and in poverty trapped ing, unlike the others, directly into the camera: camera: the into directly unlikeing, others, the with her economic situation is talking to the viewer, look is talking situation viewer, the to economic with her - -

dirt out of our mouths, and that’s all. You go up the all. You that’s dirt out of our mouths, and out in the yard for to fetch it in… Coming into these these into Coming it in… to fetch for in the yard out everything’s filthy. Dirty filthy walls and the vermin in walls and the vermin Dirty filthy filthy. everything’s every room. There’s the staircase, that you can’t walk can’t you that the staircase, every There’s room. a few seconds.] So I will tell you we’re fed up… What What up… fed we’re seconds.] So I will tell you a few ster in one seven weeks after. (Anstey and Elton, 1935) Elton, and (Anstey after. weeks seven one in ster lost one youngster in one. Then I lost another young another Then I lost in one. youngster one lost up it unless you feel seasick. One leg you want longer longer want you leg One seasick. feel you unless up it to manage. We just clear up in the daytime to keep the to keep up in the daytime just clear to manage. We the walls is wicked. [Crawling bugs are shown here for for here shown bugs are [Crawling the walls is wicked. they are lovely. But here it gets on your nerves it gets on your here But where lovely. they are than the other. And it’s upstairs is coming downstairs, is coming upstairs it’s And than the other. rooms I’ve had no luck since I’ve been in them. First I First them. in been I’ve since luck no had I’ve rooms Another desperate tenant, Mrs. Hill, lit for the cam the Mrs. Hill, tenant, for lit desperate Another washing there is. Every drop of water we have to go we have water of drop Every is. there washing with the hole in the wall, I can’t tell you how we have how we have tell you in the wall, I can’t with the hole where it’s sinking. We went to see the new houses and to see the new houses and went sinking. We it’s where This house is getting on my nerves. We’re shored up in shored nerves. on my This house is getting We’re

eras by a footlight which lends an eerie atmosphere to the the to atmosphere an eerie lends which a footlight eras by interview, has this say: to interview, FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 162

- - - often have to visit dying people in a room where a fam where in a room people dying visit to have often ers, carters, miners stood in sullen little knots at a at knots little sullen in stood miners carters, ers, ed. A local priest spoke to the press of conditions: press to the spoke priest ed. A local separated. (Roberts 33) separated. (Roberts still another household had been forced to hoist the to hoist the had been forced household still another grey flag of poverty. Doors were painted brown and brown painted were Doors poverty. of flag grey playing been damned as have would different gaily know their poverty… Home conditions are terrible. I terrible. are conditions Home poverty… their know hundred slum street corners and talked and wait corners and talked street slum hundred

the activities of childhood and maturity were strictly strictly were of childhood and maturity the activities ily of seven or eight lives. I have seen many instances seen I have lives. eight or seven of ily newspaper across the panes showed all too clearly that that clearly all too showed panes the across newspaper to use a colour daring tenants grained: any roughly A pitiless sun went down each day. Seamen, dock down each day. sun went A pitiless Recalling the industrial action by seamen, firemen and firemen seamen, Recalling by industrial the action No one scorned the clean modest half curtain, but a curtain, half modest the clean scorned one No These men are not hooligans. I live among them and and them among I live hooligans. are not men These ‘baby house,’ a serious indictment in a world where in a world where indictment a serious ‘baby house,’ dockers in June 1911, Roberts’s tone darkens: tone Roberts’s 1911, in June dockers - - - - - y:

and ran out and left the baby. (Anstey and Elton, 1935) Elton, and (Anstey baby. the and left ran out and Mr. Berner’s family, wife and three children appear in appear wife children three and family, Berner’s Mr. Robert Roberts recalls the same atmosphere from the the from recalls Roberts same atmosphere the Robert I looked up. Instead of that, it was a big rat. I screamed screamed rat. I was a big that, it of Instead up. I looked The native sociolect used by the interviewees adds adds interviewees the by used sociolect Thenative

den from the official public gaze, the people who speak who in people the gaze, public official the from den

certain sense, this record of the language of urban pov language the of of thiscertainrecord sense, erty is comparable to the regional dialect collections of of dialect regional the collections to erty is comparable

another layer of significance to this documentary. In a In to documentary. this significance of layer another sleep with a degree of cleanliness and decency in one room. room. in one decency and cleanliness of with a degree sleep

mote steppes.mote Salford of his childhood with enhanced literary sensitivit with enhanced his childhood of Salford

the next cut. They are struggling to live, cook, eat, and and eat, cook, They are strugglingcut. next live, the to to live in.” (Anstey and Elton, 1935) Elton, (Anstey and in.” live to

the folklorists of the same period. Except that, hid while Except same period. the of folklorists the this film live in our midst not in far-flung islands or re or islands far-flung in not thisour in filmmidst live

ing facility in the back yard. Like most interviewees, Mr. Mr. interviewees, most Like yard. facilitying in back the Berner also expresses the hope that the council will that council the pro hope the also expresses Berner

No way to keep food overnight, but they have a wash have they but overnight, food keep to way No vide “every working class man” with “hygienic conditions conditions with class “hygienic man” working “every vide FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 163 - - - - - ying about the world so much as pieces of it. […] Photo as pieces about the world so much graphs furnish evidence. Something we hear about, graphs but doubt, seems proven when we’re shown a pho we’re when but doubt, seems proven picture. (Sontag 4–5) (Sontag picture. tograph of it […] the camera record incriminates […] the camera record of it […] tograph dis may picture The […] justifies record camera the that some a presumption is always tort; but there in the what’s is like or did exist, which thing exists, Photographed images do not seem to be statements statements be to seem do not images Photographed Roland Barthes the French post-structuralist critic critic post-structuralist Barthes French the Roland of which they are part” (Barthes 15). Also in the context of of Also in context the are part” they (Barthes 15). which of func procreational authenticating, the of consideration groups, of defining motives and attitudes, and of of tr and attitudes, and motives defining of groups, linked the visual image with the sociological method. linked visual the method. image with sociological the justified, in their case. in justified, their photography, Susan Sontag (writing well before the age of of age the before well (writing Susan Sontag photography, to link the behaviour of these groups to the social the to totality groups these of linkto behaviour the above the to adds and reiterates digital image) pliable the tion of the visual the of tion image: film), Barthes declares: “it is a matter of studying human studying of is a matter “it Barthes declares: film), Writing about photographs (which he appreciated above above appreciated he (which photographs about Writing ------the the Night Mail shade, dyna shade,

speed,movement, ,

of approaching starvation. One day I watched a man watched I day starvation. One approaching of after a visit inside, give the money to a waiting child. child. waiting a to money the give after inside, a visit (Roberts 96) take off his coat and vest outside a pawn shop and, shop pawn a outside vest takeand coat his off It is these textual vignettes, educational and emo and textual is these educational vignettes, It

documentary. Therefore, many of the images that pass images the many of Therefore, documentary. energy to help our exposition… We could, by the juxtapo the by could, We exposition… our help to energy

of the documentaries, perfectly exemplified in exemplified perfectly documentaries, the of comes alive in the socially motivated films of the docu films of the in socially the alive motivated comes

ate rhythms and tempos, crescendos and diminuendos of of diminuendos and crescendos rhythms tempos, and ate sition of shots, explode ideas in the heads of our audience” audience” our of in heads the ideas explode shots, of sition

(Wright and Watt, 1936) Watt, and (Wright (Grierson 22). Fewer visual peculiar to experiments Fewer 22). (Grierson

mism, the life-giving essentials of the moving picture, picture, moving the of essentials mism, life-giving the motion picture genre were deployed in the straight social in straight the deployed were genre picture motion

main with us as stills — iconic representations of the given given the of main with representations us as stills — iconic mentary In movement. the aesthetic-experimental strand

played a defining role. In Grierson’s words: “We could cre could “We words: Grierson’s In role. a defining played through the film frames of the social documentaries re film social the documentaries of through the frames

theme. A photographic analysis approach, is, therefore, tionally stirring, but ultimately remaining academic, that remaining academic, ultimately stirring,tionally but FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 164 - - - - Life and Labour of the the of Labour and Life (1902–3) examined the lives and occupa and examinedlives the (1902–3) By around 1927, many east-central European and and European many east-central 1927, around By

on a massive state housing development to satisfy to in the development housing state a massive on however, homes, new the of Most urban demand. creased adopt populist-corporatist methods of government and and government of methods populist-corporatist adopt able from those of the left. Except that, having abandoned that, having abandoned Except left. the of those from able out set Union in Soviet the regime Stalin’s 1928, around and writing about living conditions from a radical a leftist from living conditions writingand about street-by-street basis. showed persistent signs of faulty craftsmanship, which craftsmanship, faulty signs of which persistent showed seventeen volumes) survey entitled survey entitled volumes) seventeen ginning of 1933. The solutions to endemic poverty of the the of poverty endemic to The solutions ginning 1933. of led to vocal complaints sustained even by some of the the of some by sustained even complaints vocal to led most dedicated devotees of the Soviet system (Sidney (Sidney system Soviet the of devotees dedicated most perspective. Booth’s massive (the third edition totalling thirdedition (the massive Booth’s perspective. tions of the working class people of London often on a a on often London of class people working the of tions the New Economic Policy first introduced by Lenin, from first introduced Policy Economic New the interwar years offered by the right were often often indistinguish were by the right offered interwar years People ofLondon At the other end of the spectrum, Sidney and Beatrice Beatrice and spectrum, the of Sidney end other the At Mediterranean countries adopted or were compelled to to compelled were or adopted countries Mediterranean National Socialism triumphed in Germany at the be inthe Germany Socialismat National triumphed Webb and Charles Booth were campaigning, researching campaigning, researching were Booth Charles and Webb

- - - g g

By Grierson’s time, local government had the author had the local government time, Grierson’s By

cluded the provision of running water and hygienic toilet toilet running hygienic and of water provision the cluded

chairman (after having been elected to Parliament in 1918), in 1918), Parliament to chairman elected having been (after ards. Other major cities, like Liverpool, adopted similar adopted like Liverpool, cities, major ards. Other

healthy suburban housing development projects, which in which projects, development housing suburban healthy (of appeasement fame) who, (still as a Liberal Unionist) as Unionist) (still a Liberal who, fame) appeasement (of

Committee in his native city, and, as early as 1911 pioneered pioneered and, as as early 1911 city, inhis native Committee Conservatives were then called) measures and drives. drives. and measures called) then were Conservatives future Conservative Prime Minister Neville Chamberlainfuture Conservative far from being an exclusively left-wing agenda. It was the It agenda. left-wing an exclusively being far from facilities, especially for newly built dwellings. Significantly, dwellings. built newly especially for facilities,

for urban reform in Birmingham (Pepper and Richmond). Richmond). and in Birmingham urban (Pepper reform for plan housing estates with modern amenities. This amenities. was with modern estates plan housing

programmes, and the Unhealthy Areas Committee of the the of Areas Committee Unhealthy the and programmes, the city government was allowed to take over property property take to over was allowed city government the

ity to pull down unhealthy slums and build new, open open new, build and slums unhealthy pull down to ity if the private sector failed to live up to the new stand new the to up live to failed sector if private the Act in 1923. These were Conservative (or Unionist as the Unionist (or Conservative were These in 1923. Act As health minister, Chamberlain introduced the Housing Housing the Chamberlain introduced As minister, health Birmingham City Councillor, headed the City Plannin City the headed BirminghamCouncillor, City

British Parliament (1919–21), of which Chamberlain was which of (1919–21), Parliament British was arguably also modelled on his own committee politics politics his own committee on was arguably also modelled FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 165 - - - - The propaganda requirements of the Second World World Second the of requirements Thepropaganda The British Documentary Film movement produced produced DocumentaryThe Film British movement duit of a number of quasi-government institutions, of of institutions, quasi-government of number a of duit documentary film movement. It may be It argued that may the documentary filmmovement. of the inhabitants of the vast, the inhabitants dreary the of of quarters Victorian of re the beyond will towns our suburbs in new take place cent suburbs” (Sharp 40–41). The ‘flight to suburbia’ had suburbia’ to The ‘flight (Sharp 40–41). suburbs” cent something to do with an acquired dislike for town dwell town dislike for with an do acquired to something General Post Office (GPO) Film Unit whose turn it whose it turn was Unit Film (GPO) Office Post General GPO film united served as the UK’s first film school. The school. first film UK’s served as film the GPO united message of the films produced by the unit by had unit the an un films the produced of message film The socialist new edge. radically, if not mistakably, prospect appeared to be that “the much-desired rehousing rehousing much-desired that be “the to appeared prospect unit continued to look for new ways to communicate communicate to ways new for look to continued unit to host the directors, cameramen and producers of the the of producers and cameramen directors, the host to their work across a twenty-year period through the con the through period a twenty-year across work their ing as such. The neither town, nor country suburbia of of suburbia country nor town, The as neither ing such. Britain was born. thus 1933, Sir Stephen Tallents and Grierson moved to the the to moved Grierson and Tallents Stephen Sir 1933, which the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit was one. was one. Film Unit Board Marketing Empire the which with the public under the aegis of the General Post Office. Post General the aegis the of under with public the When the Empire Marketing Board was wound up in in up was wound Board Marketing Empire the When ------Housing Housing as an exemplary project, the hope of Mr. Norwood, Norwood, Mr. of hope the project, as an exemplary

Elton and Anstey’s witnesses firmly believe in a brighter brighter in a firmlybelieve witnesses Anstey’s and Elton

of dwelling-communes or dwelling beehives (Teige). The (Teige). beehives dwelling or dwelling-communes of ernment construction of homes for tenants: through the the through tenants: for homes of construction ernment economic ills in Britain. Neither was there a British New New a British was there ills in Britain. Neither economic cialist or corporatist solutions on offer to the social to the and offer on solutions cialist corporatist or and Beatrice Webb 931–940). These failures of massur of failures These 931–940). Webb Beatrice and

ated in 1934 as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal, did not fit into into fit Deal, not did New as part Roosevelt’s in of 1934 ated and Elton, 1935) was never fully completed, little more was more little fully completed, was never 1935) Elton, and

ban construction, led to the idea, peculiarU.S.S.R., idea, the the to to led ban construction, bianisation of urban dwelling. By the end of the 1930s, the the 1930s, the of end the By urban dwelling. of bianisation

built there than some basic housing. There were no so no were There housing. basic than there some built future, symbolised by healthy social tenant housing in in social housing tenant healthy by symbolised future,

the populist models as it did not aim at state or local gov aim or state at not did as it models populist the tre, a shopping centre and all kinds of amenities” (Anstey all and amenities” kinds of centre a shopping tre,

nificantly increased home ownership in the United States. United in the ownership home nificantly increased insurance of mortgage loans, it made possible and/or sig and/or possible made it loans, mortgage insurance of

Problems Federal Housing Administration in the United States, cre States, in United Administration the Housing Federal

Britain. The reality, however turned out to be different. different. be to turned out however Britain. The reality, Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Graves and Mr. Berner, “with a welfare cen “with a welfare Berner, Mr. and Mrs. Hill, Mrs. Graves

Deal. The British solution came with ‘natural’ the subur Deal.solution The British The Quarry Road Estate in Leeds, introduced in The Quarry in Leeds, introduced Estate Road FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 166 - - 7–9). Addressing theNation Ironically, much as John Grierson and his colleagues his and colleagues Grierson as John much Ironically, documentaries were not the staple of the British cinema cinema British the of staple the not were documentaries ematic genre, in reality these documentary productions documentary in reality productions these genre, ematic out to conquer the attention of the wider public. wider the of attention the conquer to out sitive film making community with whom they could set set could filmthey makingwhom community sitive with going public whose numbers were steadily expanding in expanding steadily were numbers whose public going found the core of a technically mature and socially mature and a technically sen of core the found the maximum public enlightenment and a new art at a new and form enlightenment maximumthe public visual social and experiments exploratory time, same the the 1930s. Yet, when Emericthe Pressburger 1930s. Yet, and Alexander film movement ( Korda arrived on the British scene from the early to mid- to early the from scene British the arrived on Korda 1930s with the new agenda of popular entertainment, they they entertainment, popular of agenda with new the 1930s were preparing to be the prophets of a new, popular cin popular a new, of prophets the be to preparing were were seen only be a few. While they had set out to achieve achieve to out While had set they a few. be only seen were - - he he , Keene, , Charles Downlands Cornish Valley

, Ralph Keene, 1944; 1944; , Ralph Keene, , Ken Annakin, , Ken 1945; Fenlands

de Latour and Humphrey Swingler, 1947) were produced. produced. were 1947) Swingler, Humphrey and Latour de

of Greenpark Productions. Between 1944 and 1947 unique unique 1947 and 1944 Between Productions. Greenpark of ers and directors into life in rural life aegis the into Britain directors and under ers

ethos of its film makers remained unbroken. The new new films The film remained its unbroken. makers of ethos only in charge until 1937 (from 1938 he started working for for started he working 1938 (from in until 1937 charge only others had had imagined for it. Although Grierson was Grierson Although it. had had imagined for others on all the ambitions and expectations that Grierson and and that Grierson expectations and allon ambitions the and social propaganda came of age in Britain age during this came of socialand propaganda

ages of the films made by the members of the documentary of the members films the by the of made ages became part of the new Central Office of Information, the of Information, Office Central new part the became of

Crown Film Unit from 1940, documentary film making 1940, from Film Unit Crown portraits of life in the agricultural regions of Britain (e.g. Britain in agricultural the life (e.g. of portraits of regions

period. Although at the end of the war the Crown Film Unit Film Unit war the Crown the of end the at Although period. the Canadian government) and the unit was renamed t was unit renamed the and Canadian the government)

the sense that it finally had the opportunity to deliver deliver finallyto thatopportunity it sense the had the included a rare foray by some of the movement’s produc movement’s the of some by foray a rare included

Attlee’s Labour Government is hard to dissociate from the from dissociate is hard to Labour Government Attlee’s Britain’s comprehensive social rebirth after the war under social after war the rebirth under comprehensive Britain’s

1944; vibrant social and economic optimism exuded by the im the by exuded optimism socialvibrant economic and

The Grassy Shires War acted for the film unit almost as a dénouement in in film the dénouement unit a as almost for acted War FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 167 - - - - Town London: . Cambridge (Mass): Soviet Communism: A . Harmondsworth: Pen On Photography. On Photography. . Harmondsworth: Pelican Books, 1973. 1973. Books, Pelican . Harmondsworth: 80. 2. (2009): 143–171. Print. 143–171. 2. (2009): 80. . 2 vols. 2nd ed. London: Victor Gollanz Victor London: ed. 2nd . 2 vols. Town Planning Town The Classic Slum: Salford in the First Quar First the in Salford Slum: The Classic The Minimum Dwelling The British Documentary 1926- Film Movement . Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1989. 1989. Press, University Cambridge Cambridge: . ter of the Century guin Books, 1945. Print.guin 1945. Books, berlain’s Unhealthy Areas Committee, 1919–21.” 1919–21.” Areas Committee, Unhealthy berlain’s roes: The Slum Problem in London and Neville Cham Neville and in London Problem The Slum roes: New Civilisation Planning ReviewPlanning 1946 Allen Lane, 1978. 1–24. Print. 1–24. Allen Lane, 1978. Print. Print. Limited, 1937. Print. 1937. Limited, The MIT Press, 2002. Print. 2002. Press, The MIT Swann, Paul. Paul. Swann, Sontag, Susan. “In Plato’s Cave.” Cave.” Susan. Plato’s “In Sontag, Sharp, Thomas. Roberts, Robert. Pepper, Simon and Peter Richmond. “Homes Unfit for He for Unfit “Homes Richmond. Peter and Simon Pepper, Webb, Beatrice and Sidney Webb. Webb. Sidney and Beatrice Webb, Teige, Karel. Teige, - - - - - . Ac Sight and and Sight Image, Mu Image, Nonfiction Film The New Brunswick and New . London: B.T. Batsford Batsford B.T. . London: . British Film Institute. n. d. Film Institute. . British The GPO Film Unit Collection Unit The Film GPO : Public Opinion. Ed. Richard Barsam. New York: E. P. E. P. Ed. Barsam. Richard York: New The Great War of Words: Literature as Literature Words: of War The Great Land of Promise: The British Documen The British Promise: of Land . Accompanying Booklet to the DVD col DVD the to Booklet . Accompanying London: Fontana Press, 1977. 15–31. Print. 15–31. 1977. Press, Fontana London: 3.11 (1934): 101–4. Print. 101–4. (1934): 3.11

ory and Criticism. ory and sic, Text. tary 1930–1950 Movement companying Booklet. Vol. 1. British Film Institute. n.d. n.d. Film Institute. British 1. Vol. Booklet. companying lection entitled Sound Propaganda, 1914–1918 and After Propaganda, 1914–1918 7–9. Print. Dutton, 1976. Print. 1976. Dutton, Ltd., 1989. Print. 1989. Ltd., London: Transaction Publishers, 1998. Print. 1998. Publishers, Transaction London: 10–11. Print.

WORKS CITED: WORKS Grierson, John. “Introduction to a New Art.” Art.” a New to “Introduction John. Grierson,

Addressing the Nation Land of Promise

Buitenhuis, Peter. Barthes, Roland. “The Photographic Message.” Barthes, Roland. “The Message.” Photographic

Lippmann, Walter. Walter. Lippmann, —. “First Principles of Documentary.” Documentary.” of Principles “First —. FILM & CULTURE–LOJKÓ–THE BRITISH

DOCUMENTARY FILM MOVEMENT... 168 - - . Dir. Ralph Keene. Greenpark Produc Greenpark RalphKeene. . Dir. Dir. Arthur Elton. L. F. P., 1935. Film. 1935. P., L. Arthur F. Dir. Elton. Dir. Basil Wright. Ceylon Tea Board, Den Board, Tea Ceylon Basil Wright. Dir. Dir. Humphrey Jennings. General Post Office Office Post General Jennings. Humphrey Dir. . Dir. Basil Wright and Harry Watt. General Harry and General Basil Wright . Dir. Watt. tions, 1944. Film. 1944. tions, ning Films Ltd., 1934. Film. 1934. ning Films Ltd., Post Office Film Unit, 1936. 1936. Film. Unit, Film Office Post Film. 1939. Film Unit, Song of Ceylon. Spare Time. Night Mail Workers andWorkers Jobs. The Grassy Shires The Grassy - - - Dir. Adgar Anstey and Arthur Elton. Anstey Adgar Arthur and Dir. Elton. Dir. Basil Wright. British Commercial Commercial British Basil Wright. Dir. Dir. Robert J. Flaherty. Empire Market Empire Flaherty. J. Robert Dir. Dir. Humpherey Jennings. Crown Film Crown Jennings. Humpherey Dir. Dir. Edgar Anstey. Gas, Light, and Coke Coke and Gas,Light, EdgarAnstey. Dir. . Dir. Ralph Keene. Greenpark Productions, Productions, Greenpark Ralph Keene. . Dir. . Dir. Charles de Latour and Humphrey Swin Humphrey and Latour de Charles . Dir. . Dir. Alberto Cavalcanti. General Post Office Office Post General Alberto Cavalcanti. . Dir. . Dir. Kenneth Cooper Annakin. Greenpark Pro

Dir. John Grierson. Empire Marketing Board Film Board Marketing Empire Grierson. John Dir.

ductions, 1945. Film. 1945. ductions, gler. Greenpark Productions, 1947. Film. 1947. Productions, Greenpark gler. Company,1936.Film. Gas Company, 1937. Film. 1937. Gas Company, ing Board Film Unit, 1931. Film. 1931. Film Unit, Board ing Film Unit, 1935. Film. 1935. Film Unit, British Commercial Gas Association, 1935. Film. 1935. Gas Association, Commercial British Unit, 1942. Film. 1942. Unit, Unit, 1929. Film. 1929. Unit, 1944. Film.1944.

FILMOGRAPHY:

Children at School. Coal Face

Cornish Valley Downlands

Drifters. IndustrialBritain.

Housing Problems.Housing Enoughto Eat?

Listen to Britain. Fenlands