Night Mail (BFI Film Classics)

By Scott Anthony

Night Mail (1936) is likely one of the best-loved and best-known movies within the canon of British documentary cinema. Bringing jointly the artistic skills of Harry Watt, Basil Wright, WH Auden and Benjamin Britten, the movie gave John Griersona's documentary tuition its first renowned good fortune. Its collectivist politics and its specially modest model of modernism is as redolent of the inter-war age as Agatha Christie, Penguin Books or The Shell publications. however it used to be additionally a company promo, a part of a exposure crusade initiated by means of Clement Attlee to stave off put up place of work part-privatisation and to enhance the morale of postal staff. Scott Anthonya's research presents a full of life appreciation of this brilliant, witty and infrequently simply undeniable eccentric masterpiece. In doing so he uncovers the impressive tales of civic-minded idealism, artistic intrigue and political trickery that underpin this vintage documentary.

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