This film is part of Free
A Look at the Anglo-French Supersonic Airliner Concorde
‘The Atlantic is just three and a half hours wide’: Concorde opens up a new age of supersonic transport
Overview
This film heralds the new possibilities represented by Concorde, the famous supersonic passenger airliner, in the early 1970s. It begins with footage of the 02 pre-production Concorde at Toulouse in 1972, and then gives ‘potted history’ of aviation, charting mankind’s progress in flying ever faster, and stating that Concorde is the outcome of this evolutionary process. This documentary makes a series of impressive claims for Concorde, the key selling point being that “in one giant step the speed of air travel has doubled”.
The film is generously optimistic that supersonic travel will be successful, claiming that market research shows people will be willing to pay for it. There is some great footage of Concorde taking off, in mid-air, and landing, in which we see the graceful nature of its form. Concorde was the product of an Anglo-French government treaty, and it brought together the manufacturing capabilities of Aerospatiale and the British Aircraft Association. It entered service in 1976 and went on to make regular transatlantic flights to the United States from London and Paris, until 2003 when it was retired. This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
Related
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.