06Sep

Springtime in an English Village (1944)

posted by Steve Bowbrick

I heard about the BFI’s YouTube channel on the radio this evening and rushed over to have a look. There are dozens of short films and clips from a hundred years or so of British film, including some funky stuff from Germaine Greer and lots of themed material like these London films. I’ve chosen a strange and evocative propaganda film made towards the end of World War 2, in which school children somewhere in the English countryside celebrate May Day. The BFI archivists have provided lots of interesting notes for each video so be prepared to lose an hour or two…

Production Company: Colonial Film Unit
Source: YouTube
1 comment

Comments so far.

  1. Posted by L.E. on Wednesday 27th May

    Hello – I am the daughter of one the girls in the May Queen video.

    Mom said “Stephanie” is the first name of the young girl in the video and she and her sister were evacuees from London. My mom said that their father was a tailor in London and their mother was with the ballet. They have a younger brother that still lives in London. Most of the younger female children in the film remain friends today.

    My mother and Aunt are in the video and both currently reside in the U.S..

    Mom said that none of them ever got to see the film and that there is much that was left out. Those in the film that have heard about it are very excited and would love to have copies of the film.

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