john grierson 3 GRIERSON 2007 | least one sequence which Grierson was ready to approve exactly as to approve which Grierson was ready least one sequence house in Merrick Square I had begun to learn I had begun to miracles must be that Square house in Merrick honour to his cooking (Grierson loved to cook), Grierson would talk honour to his cooking (Grierson loved to had ended. It was mankind’s journey, not his”. journey, had ended. It was mankind’s behind a movie camera. It didn’t matter to Grierson; he had the behind a movie camera. It didn’t it stood I knew clearly, unforgettably and, indeed, inescapably what and, indeed, inescapably what unforgettably it stood I knew clearly, insisted on bringing the two crates of film stock and manhandling Kent Road or just back to work to try again at that sequence with Kent Road or just back to work to try again HMS Challenger, a Royal Navy survey ship charged with charting the HMS Challenger, less than 24 hours training Labrador Coast; Anstey had been given perfection and Anstey’s desire to serve it surely deserved a miracle? deserved a miracle? serve it surely to desire and Anstey’s perfection man-made. ‘Tell a lie today and make it come true tomorrow’ was a true tomorrow’ and make it come a lie today ‘Tell man-made. very early in our association”. I was offered precept messages, the messages of discovery that for him were all that for him were messages, the messages of discovery that Back in 1932, he had sent Anstey on a years shoot aboard mattered. ”! When he drove to Portsmouth by car to see Anstey off, he to Portsmouth by car to see Anstey off, Drifters”! When he drove the shot that never was. “If we worked late I slept in one of a pair of the shot that never was. “If we worked late was called – Anstey would project his days work on the hand would project was called – Anstey at fluidity editing. “If I had that day assembled worked and demanded was well with his ships company”. the Challenger himself. them on board wrong. “Take this with you” he said, handing him a hastily written this with you” he said, handing “Take wrong. spare bunks, Grierson doing the rounds at lights out to see that all at lights out to see Grierson doing the rounds bunks, spare When Grierson returned in the evening from a day’s administration administration a day’s in the evening from When Grierson returned premises at the ‘joint’ – as the unit’s and tempestuous supervision significance for him of what he did that day. The unexposed film, the significance for him of what he did that day. set of instructions on how to use the camera “this is how we shot set of instructions on how to use the camera even shot it”. Perhaps Grierson knew it too, but his appetite for knew it too, but his it”. Perhaps Grierson even shot cranked 35mm projector. Grierson had an instinct for the shot that Grierson cranked 35mm projector. Over dinner, consumed at break-neck speed which yet did complete speed which yet consumed at break-neck Over dinner, courage to send him and the courage to back him up if things went courage to send him and the courage to film-making was about. One was able to give life”. film-making was about. then, to the pub in the Old remained for tomorrow, of what fiercely A few hours before he died Grierson was busily dictating, still sending A few hours before “By the time the editing moved into the basement of his Southwark into the basement the editing moved “By the time “Forty years later” Anstey recalled, “I am sure he never felt the voyage he never felt “I am sure “Forty years later” Anstey recalled, “It has taken me most of the rest of my life to appreciate the of my life to appreciate “It has taken me most of the rest has a special place in the history of the place in the history has a special

room to him. Having been trained as a scientist to him. room absolute horror, he found himself confronted with he found himself confronted absolute horror, eh?” were the first words that echoed across the that echoed across the first words eh?” were Grierson. “So you want to work in documentary, Grierson. “So you want to work in documentary, A young and very keen man by the name of Edgar A young and very keen man by the name for interview. and appeared Anstey [left] responded To his great delight, equally balanced by a feeling of feeling a by balanced equally delight, great his To grierson

later insisting it was only because of his obstinacy. his fingers – Anstey plunged yet again into the cutting room bins. “I his fingers – Anstey plunged yet again into the cutting knew I was attempting the impossible and that Flaherty had never interview anyone else that afternoon. Grierson offered him the post, interview anyone else that afternoon. Grierson offered international Flaherty and school of film-making (in which both Robert in the neglected world of the everyday, Grierson saw that the film had Grierson saw that world of the everyday, in the neglected Having persuaded Sir Stephen Tallents of the benefits of his vision, of the benefits Stephen Tallents Having persuaded Sir production: University man with writing experience preferred’. University man with writing experience preferred’. production: place in history). medium. In the 1920’s, when economic crisis and political unrest and political unrest when economic crisis the 1920’s, medium. In newspaper ran an advert that simply read newspaper ran an advert that simply read In 1931 The Times for Industrial Britain. While Grierson demanded the one and only (1929). It was to be Grierson’s only ‘personal’ film, it was to only ‘personal’ film, it Grierson’s Drifters (1929). It was to be was brought in he was helping to edit Robert Flaherty’s material in he was helping to edit Robert Flaherty’s was brought the Empire Marketing Board set about turning set about their ideal into the film Marketing Board the Empire were provoking the arts to find their subject-matter and their function and their function their subject-matter the arts to find provoking were shot that would clinch his sequence – snapping at him for it with , and it was to enable Grierson to establish an with Potemkin, and it was to enable shared steal Eisenstein’s thunder at a famous London Film Society premiere premiere thunder at a famous London Film Society steal Eisenstein’s astonished Empire Marketing Board and General Post Office with a and General Post Office Marketing Board astonished Empire an aesthetic potential that could serve society. an aesthetic potential cinema of Vertov and Eisenstein so much so that they had no time to and Eisenstein so much so that cinema of Vertov , his views on mass communication and his interest in the his interest of Drifters, his views on mass communication and group of young men and women whose destiny it was to provide the whose destiny it was to provide of young men and women group Grierson was as demanding as he was certain. Soon after Anstey Grierson was as demanding as he was certain. despite the nerves managed to tell of his presence at that premiere at that premiere presence despite the nerves managed to tell of his Cinema – though less as a film-maker than as an organiser of the than as an though less as a film-maker Cinema –

rierson John G

JOHN – 1972 1898 Anstey spoke of his desire to move into a more creative field and creative to move into a more Anstey spoke of his desire Alberto Cavalcanti were to join as teachers of the original, seminal to join Alberto Cavalcanti were ‘Wanted, Young Man over 22 who has studied films, for editing and Man over 22 who has studied Young ‘Wanted, Grierson’s notes to Anstey based on Drifters experience notes to Anstey based Grierson’s life, and dismissed with contempt whatever was cheap, mercenary, life, and dismissed with contempt whatever was cheap, mercenary, because Trotsky understood art as well as politics”. because Trotsky people from marrying and for years, quirkily, did not admit to his did not admit marrying and for years, quirkily, people from protégés came close to making direct political statements with films political statements came close to making direct protégés “…only one politician, Trotsky, politics. Grierson only admired fastidious about that of others. He did his best to discourage young fastidious about that of others. He did his in Kent, or getting drunk or raising Strawberries friend John Golightly, . Truth transcended . Truth such as Housing Problems or Enough to Eat own marriage. He distrusted the competing demands of domesticity, own marriage. He distrusted the competing demands of domesticity, success in it. He was too busy for a lot of things in yet was a great clear of politics and was unenthusiastic when Anstey and his other clear of politics and was unenthusiastic when deceitful or exclusively personal. Yet whether fishing with his old whether deceitful or exclusively personal. Yet Grierson’s disciplines were absolute and entirely personal. He steered personal. He steered absolute and entirely disciplines were Grierson’s “He was a man whose privacy was never violated and who was “He was a man whose privacy was never

had more authority than anyone I had met, or indeed have met since. I had met, or indeed have met since. authority than anyone had more More than just a film-maker his business, indeed our business, was than More He pointed and that was where you went, if you made a mistake, he was where He pointed and that necessary to gain and retain a channel of communication. His earlier retain necessary to gain and moment which welled up from an experience which must have been moment which welled up from punch of a heavyweight – the time worn phrase suddenly used to moving files (little believing that he had once been a grand master of moving files (little believing that he had make that a lifetimes work. Younger men were now annotating and now annotating men were make that a lifetimes work. Younger patience with bureaucrats wore thin. Amongst so very many other thin. Amongst so very many wore patience with bureaucrats message pad, was all that was needed on the voyage – mine, or his”. needed on the voyage was all that was message pad, failed to report adequately on film the scenes he had witnessed for failed to report found little time to bother with administrative manoeuvres that were that were with administrative manoeuvres found little time to bother the first time the evening before on the underground platforms which on the underground the first time the evening before the slightest effect upon his routine of sleeping. His door slammed to of sleeping. His door slammed upon his routine the slightest effect to what man is but to what he does and does fearlessly against to what man is but to what he does and their game – playing it now like poker or chess). their game – playing it now like poker or things he had been a great civil servant – but he had no desire to civil servant – but he had no desire things he had been a great that deeply mattered to him. It is true that after Canada he more It is true that after Canada he more to him. that deeply mattered telegrams sent between the two men remain – enough to fill a large – enough to fill men remain sent between the two telegrams were thronged with sheltering families”. with thronged were when he was visiting from Canada. The noise of bombs and anti- when he was visiting from would tell you in no uncertain terms and you wouldn’t do it again”. terms and you wouldn’t would tell you in no uncertain speech-making, his conversation all carried an inspiration of the speech-making, his conversation all carried and not open again until morning. His only complaint was that I had aircraft guns, to which he was unaccustomed, appeared to have not to to which he was unaccustomed, appeared guns, aircraft a new and conclusive purpose. His film-making, his writing and a new and conclusive purpose. His film-making, all odds. His medium was oratory in all its forms; the appropriately forms; the appropriately all odds. His medium was oratory in all its and is, to bear witness to man; to bear passionate witness not simply and is, to bear witness to man; to bear passionate and few ever found reason to question his judgement in the things to and few ever found reason album. Grierson had been only 32 when Anstey first met him. “He 32 when Anstey first had been only album. Grierson constantly analysed and distilled. emotive word, the scholarly reference – often delivered with the – often delivered the scholarly reference emotive word, easily, and more often, lost interest in the things that didn’t matter. He matter. things that didn’t in the often, lost interest and more easily, Once away at sea Grierson was never out of communication. The never out of communication. at sea Grierson was Once away dramatic camera angle, the collision of one image with another, the image with another, dramatic camera angle, the collision of one Absolutely sure about everything he said and did, he remained so, he said and did, he remained about everything Absolutely sure | GRIERSON 2007 “During the blitz he stayed for a short time in my flat in Belsize Park “During the blitz he stayed for a short time 4

JOHN grierson JOHN grierson 5 Grierson 2007 | left: Grierson and Anstey at one of the many film festivals they attended in the 60s indulgence on the part of the powers that be.” indulgence on the part of the powers that is still moving in many ways. Grierson wrote that “The story of the is still moving in many ways. Grierson wrote Matthew XVI, 24. “Whosoever will come after me, let him take up his Matthew XVI, 24. “Whosoever will come Maybe you lose, though never altogether, to the bureaucrats and to the bureaucrats Maybe you lose, though never altogether, Steve Foxon feature film and against the unrest in factual television production, in factual television production, and against the unrest film feature to the factual film: and they will only be overcome where you where overcome to the factual film: and they will only be the documentary throughout the world. Under the shadow of the the documentary throughout One of many telegrams to Anstey whilst on board HMS Challenger One of many telegrams to Anstey whilst on board a sermon to a small Highland congregation. He preached from from He preached a sermon to a small Highland congregation. a scar or two, we got by. Maybe you win, more or less for keeps… or less Maybe you win, more a scar or two, we got by. association with the practitioners of today, many who did not meet association with the practitioners of today, Once, whilst as a student at Glasgow University, he delivered he delivered Once, whilst as a student at Glasgow University, follow me”. and cross opposition. The fact is that there are many real sources of opposition sources many real are opposition. The fact is that there imaginative of a measure establish a most manifest need, and secure documentary movement is, in part, the story of how, not without of how, documentary movement is, in part, the story Grierson come nearer to knowing and understanding the impact of Grierson come nearer challenges than ever; yet the movement documentary faces greater Adapted from the unpublished papers of Edgar Anstey (1907-1987) E.M.B and later G.P.O film unit they left behind them many notable film unit they E.M.B and later G.P.O By the end of the 1930’s Grierson had carried his conception of a Grierson had carried his conception By the end of the 1930’s In his 73 years John Grierson touched many lives, often deeply and Grierson touched many lives, often deeply In his 73 years John . Grierson was ready to take his ideas to the people of the world, to take Mail. Grierson was ready forefront of industrial documentary – always remaining friends and a remaining of industrial documentary – always forefront there were imagination enough to see the real growing points in each growing imagination enough to see the real were there to the end that a better future for mankind could be fashioned if only to the end that a better future with imaginative people who benefited from it (or thought they did) he it (or thought they from people who benefited with imaginative society and culture. society and culture. social use of film more widely into Government widely practice in Britain social use of film more seldom superficially. When he did it through personal contact (in he did it through When seldom superficially. and Anstey was destined for a long and credit worthy career at the worthy career for a long and credit and Anstey was destined and solidly into industry. In both Grierson and Anstey’s time at the time In both Grierson and Anstey’s and solidly into industry. and life found a lot of time for him”. and life found value of the Grierson Trust grows. Through its work, events and its Through grows. value of the Grierson Trust veritable force in the film business. veritable force Grierson passed away on 19 February, 1972, radiating confidence Grierson passed away on 19 February, Industrial Britain, Granton Trawler, Coal Face and Night Trawler, films such as Industrial Britain, Granton didn’t miss many of the highpoints in life. He had a lot of time for life, He had a lot of time the highpoints in life. miss many of didn’t As the direct descendents of Grierson’s presence move on, the presence descendents of Grierson’s As the direct Anstey’s case) his influence remained strong, needing no recharging. needing no remained strong, his influence case) Anstey’s