Diary for Timothy, A

Synopsis

Documentary. Jennings’ deeply felt vision of life in Britain during the final year of World War II as lived by four representative characters - an engine driver, a farmer, a miner and an injured fighter pilot. The film takes the form of a diary covering the first year of a baby’s life born 3 September 1944. In one key sequence, London’s Haymarket Theatre is shown advertising a performance of Hamlet. John Gielgud is on stage acting the graveside scene (V i); a uniformed reservist in a canteen discusses the trajectory of the V2 bombs; Gielgud speaks the ‘Alas, poor Yorick’ lines and then there is an explosion close to the canteen; Gielgud continues performing as the reservist and others dig in the rubble for survivors.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Film

Technical information

Black-and-white / Sound

Year of release

1946

Duration

39 mins; 3,481 feet

Credits

Director

Humphrey Jennings

Producer

Basil Wright

Cinematographer

F Gamage

Writer

E M Forster

Music

Richard Addinsell

Contributor

Michael Redgrave

Cast

John Gielgud

Hamlet

Additional Details

Theatre

Theatre Royal, Haymarket

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

Hamlet

Subjects

History

Keywords

Home Front; propaganda; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); World War II

Notes

Notes

The film is contained in The HUMPHREY JENNINGS COLLECTION distributed by Moviemail. Amazon.co.uk distributes the film within the title LISTEN TO BRITAIN AND OTHER FILMS BY HUMPHREY JENNINGS.

General

The Theatre Royal, Haymarket production of Hamlet was part of Gielgud’s repertory season at the theatre for 1944-45.

History

Filmed between Autumn 1944 and April 1945, but not released until 1946.

Reviews

Hodgkinson, A.W. & R.E. Sheratsky, Humphrey Jennings: More Than Just a Maker of Films. Hanover: University Press of New England, 1982. pp. 155-61.

Production Company

Name

Crown Film Unit

Archive

Name

BFI National Archive

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/archive-collections/searching-access-collections/research-viewing-services External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7255 1444

Fax

020 7436 0165

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN

Distributor (Hire)

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email

bookings.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8938 / 8935

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN