Northumberland - Out of Darkness

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 20th Year

Issue

Issue No.

9

Date Released

May 1967

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1MARILYN
2. 2Northumberland - Out of Darkness
3. 3Yorkshire - NORTH STAR

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 3

Summary

BFI synopsis: After 4 years of total blindness a retired miner sees again.
NCB Commentary - Retired miner Sam Buglass is 81 - his wife ten years younger. He walks with the white stick of a blind man but, praise God, he doesn’t need it any longer.
Today the white stick is just a habit, born out of four years of total blindness. Sam can thank the skills of modern surgery for bringing him once again out of the shadows and into the light.
The Tyne at Newcastle holds long memories for Sam and his wife. Now he can enjoy again the play of light on the water and the patterns of the bridges against the sky.
What’s new in the world today to a man after four years’ sightlessness? The traffic, says Sam - how it’s grown. And the skirts - how they’ve shortened. And the mines themselves - what a change above and below ground.
The Northumberland countryside is Sam’s other great love. And today, when the sugar falls to the ground, it’s no problem to pick it up.
At home, Sam can now enjoy again his old pastimes. And life is easier for Mrs. Buglass too. Today she can rearrange her rooms as she chooses, without fear of Sam’s colliding with unseen furniture.
In the evening of their lives, a fresh world has opened up for the Buglasses.
After 20 years of retirement, a chance to look back with fresh eyes - and to look forward.

Keywords

Mining; Disabled persons

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /13 Scripts for Mining Review, 1960-1963

Credits:

Sponsor

National Coal Board

Production Co.

National Coal Board Film Unit