The GPO Film Unit was a subdivision of the UK

General Post Office The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Established in England in the 17th century, the GPO was a state monopoly covering the dispatch of items from a specific ...

. The unit was established in 1933, taking on responsibilities of the Empire Marketing Board Film Unit. Headed by

John Grierson John Grierson (26 April 1898 – 19 February 1972) was a Scottish documentary maker, often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film. In 1926, Grierson coined the term "documentary" in a review of Robert J. Flaherty's '' ...

, it was set up to produce sponsored documentary films mainly related to the activities of the GPO. Among the films it produced were Harry Watt's and Basil Wright's ''

Night Mail ''Night Mail'' is a 1936 British documentary film directed and produced by Harry Watt and Basil Wright, and produced by the General Post Office (GPO) Film Unit. The 24-minute film documents the nightly postal train operated by the London, ...

'' (1936), featuring music by

Benjamin Britten Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten of Aldeburgh (22 November 1913 – 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was a central figure of 20th-century British music, with a range of works including opera, o ...

and poetry by

W. H. Auden Wystan Hugh Auden (; 21 February 1907 – 29 September 1973) was a British-American poet. Auden's poetry is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with politics, morals, love, and religion, and its variety in tone, ...

, which is the best known. Directors who worked for the unit included Humphrey Jennings,

Alberto Cavalcanti Alberto de Almeida Cavalcanti (February 6, 1897 – August 23, 1982) was a Brazilian-born film director and producer. He was often credited under the single name "Cavalcanti". Early life Cavalcanti was born in Rio de Janeiro, the son of a p ...

, Paul Rotha, Stuart Legg, Harry Watt, Basil Wright and a young

Norman McLaren William Norman McLaren, LL. D. (11 April 1914 – 27 January 1987) was a Scottish-Canadian animator, director and producer known for his work for the National Film Board of Canada (NFB).Rosenthal, Alan. ''The new documentary in action: a caseb ...

. Poet and memoirist Laurie Lee also worked as a scriptwriter in the unit from 1939–1940. In 1940 the GPO Film Unit became the

Crown Film Unit The Crown Film Unit was an organisation within the British Government's Ministry of Information during the Second World War; until 1940, it was the GPO Film Unit. Its remit was to make films for the general public in Britain and abroad. Its outp ...

, under the control of the Ministry of Information. In late 2008 the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

issued a first collection of selected films from the Unit. Titled ''Addressing the Nation'', it comprises fifteen titles from the years 1933 to 1935, including '' Song of Ceylon''. A second volume, ''We Live in Two Worlds'' was released in February 2009, with 22 films covering the period 1936 to 1938, and includes ''

''. A third (and final) volume, ''If War Should Come'', appeared in July 2009 and includes '' London Can Take It!''

Filmography

References

External links

GPO Film Unit
at the

Screenonline Screenonline is a website about the history of British film, television and social history as documented by film and television. The project has been developed by the British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and tele ...

Film production companies of the United Kingdom Propaganda film units State-owned film companies 1933 establishments in the United Kingdom Film Unit Documentary film organizations Propaganda in the United Kingdom {{UK-film-company-stub

Filmography

See also

References

Further reading

External links