Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

DOCUMENTARY NEWS LETTER 163 DANISH FILMS T: imark Grows Up. Production: Nordisk Films Ttpagni. Direction: Hagen Hasselbach, Astrid mingJensen, Soren Melson. Photography ne Jensen, Annelise Reenberg, etc. Music: it Fichn. ilth for Denmark. Production: Palladium. ection: Torben Svendsen. Script: Arthur mi. Photography: Erik Olsen. Music: Paul ierbeck. Seventh Age. Production: Palladium. Direc: Torben Svendsen. Script: Carl Dreyer. tography: Karl Andersson. Music: Emil sen. • so long have we in Britain been isolated n any real contact with the rest of Europe, i the extent to which the documentary moveit has progressed in other countries in the t few years has hardly yet been realized, jorts from travellers abroad and an occalal film have given some indication of what is ipening, but, with the exception of Czecho/akia — a cross section of whose films were 1 at the Czech Festival earlier this year— iculties in obtaining foreign films have effecly prevented any serious or detailed study of umentary developments overseas. ltd. from previous page in advisory committee which included Paul ;ha representing FDFU and Basil Wright n ASFP, the first International Festival of cumentary Film. f this reads like a boasting account of achieveits, it is not written with that intention. There lOthing we have done that couldn't have been le elsewhere by dint of hard work and a itinuity of effort. The Edinburgh Film Guild iow the largest film society in the country. It ; 2,300 members and by the careful managers of its finances — provided entirely by the mbers' subscriptions — it has built up over the is a fund from which it has been possible to xhase its own premises which contain offices, •ary, meeting rooms and a charming little atre, with both 35 mm and 16 mm projectors, cned this year, it is hoped that Film House 1 become a real film centre from which the ivities of the Guild will continue to expand i increase. It is the work that has been done it matters but it is difficult to be completely personal and no reference to the Edinburgh m Guild would be complete without some •.ntion of the officials who run it. There is no :ade of honorary office-bearers whose names ght add dubious lustre to the Council. All its smbers have been elected because they have a auine, almost a passionate interest in films — ople like Forsyth Hardy, known to everyone documentary as a sound critic and able negotiat;>Alan Harper of Campbell Harper Films, Til Ramsay Jones of the Central Office of formation; Rhona Inch Morrison, a wellown architect, who was once with the GPO Im Unit; and Frank MacLauchlan, who as an Treasurer has performed wonders with the oild's finances. The fact that most of these ficials have worked together for many years S meant a constancy and continuity of policy lich Im? insured both stability and progress. In the case of Denmark, although since the war there has been an increasing contact between film makers of the two countries, to most people the importance, or even the existence, of the documentary movement there is virtually unknown. These three films — the first examples of Danish work with an English commentary to reach this country — are therefore of exceptional interest. Planned as part of a series dealing with the Danish Social Services, the films cover respectively the fields of Child Welfare, the Hospital Services, and the Care of the Aged. These are fields in which Denmark has every right to be proud of her achievements, and the films have obviously been designed with an eye to overseas distribution. It would be misleading, however, to imply that they are propagandist in outlook. Indeed one of the outstanding features of these films is the restraint and moderation with which the story is told. In places the commentary is frankly critical, and there is no attempt to impress the viewer with glittering accounts of the best — some of the most attractive institutions are, for example, immediately classified as not typical —and in each of the films inadequacies and dissatisfactions are pointed out. This quality of self criticism conveys an impression of honest analysis which carries a real conviction. Of the three tilnis the best undoubtedly is The Seventh Age. It tells tirst of the w.iy in which old age pensions — adjusted to circumstances of environment and resources — are distributed. In Denmark there is no long trek for the aged to a Post Office. The money is delivered; in country districts by the postman; in towns by special messenger. For those who have no homes of their own, various arrangements are made to provide accommodation, cither in flats at a rental they can afford, or in institutions. The film concludes with a picture of life for the aged in a number of different types of institution. For those in this country who know something of the inadequacies of our own provision for the aged, this film will be a revelation. But it is not only for its description of a social svstcm that this film will be remembered. No words can adequately describe the way in which Torben Svendsen, the director, has translated Carl Dreyer's fine script to the screen. The problems of old age are brought vividly to our minds through the eyes of the old people themselves; here by sheer film craft is caught the beauty and tragedy of old age. By turns serene or troubled, pathetic or gay, this film has a deep understanding of human nature. It is a film every detail of which remains in the memory. (Contd. top page 164) •tm ^youiuj Jt> jjj^n GENEVA, AUGUST 27th, 1947 WORLD IS RICH SEEN TODAY BY DELEGATES AND REPRESENTATIVES OF FORTY-EIGHT NATIONS AND EIGHTEEN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS. HIGHLY ENTHUSIASTIC RECEPTION. F.A.O. IS DEEPLY GRATEFUL TO UNITED KINGDOM FOR THIS SUPERB CONTRIBUTION TO INTERNATIONAL UNDERSTANDING . SIR JOHN BOYD ORR . Inquiries to the Central Office of Information length 5 reels i $ytj mAA 5 a Film of Local Government set in the City of Manchester Inquiries to the Manchester Corporation length 7 rerU SHORT FILMS if ma saatfaa • Tin a&n&QQU SjjiJJ'fil/ iluJ33 • uJi a3i5>3 JUT Inquiries to the ( i ntr.il Office of Infom 35M?30&5>a for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution fur the llnti-h Wuterwork* lion Producers: PAUL ROTHA, J. B. HOLMES. JOHN WALES, DUNCAN ROSS FILMS OF FACT LTD 25 CATHERINE STREET, W C 2