Humphrey Jennings
Description
Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt’s famous film, produced at the GPO film unit, is an enduring example of British self-mythology and rousing evidence of the artistic potential of supposed propaganda. A hymn to our capital city’s resilience during the Blitz, structured as a day-in-the-life of stiff-upper-lipped Londoners, its poetic espousal of British fortitude ensured the film was widely exhibited internationally and utilised as a tool to help...
Description
Documentary, public information film, morale booster; propaganda film – all descriptions that apply to Humphrey Jennings and Stewart McAllister's extraordinary war-time film. Using his customary combination of poetry and propaganda, Jennings constructs a collage of the various people and classes of Britain, at home and at work, at war and at peace. The result, while not overtly proselytising, sounded a clear clarion call to internal and international...
Description
Humphrey Jennings was one of the greatest figures in the celebrated British documentary film movement, and he is most remembered for the way his work reflects the concerns and conditions of World War II-time in the United Kingdom. He is undoubtedly of great historical importance, but the ultimate justification for the present gathering of work is that Jennings was a wonderful filmmaker who made uniquely beautiful films. Contained within this one man...