This film is part of Free
Alec Bedser Cricket Home Movies: MCC Tour of Australia 1954
The voyage, the camaraderie, the matches, the sights: the whole experience of a 1950s tour down under is here.
Amateur film 1954 52 mins Silent
Overview
A tour of Australia in the early 50s involved a six-week sea journey, several warm-up matches and much social and sight-seeing activity, as well as the Tests themselves. Alec Bedser's home movies capture the whole experience, including the passage through the Suez Canal, many of the matches, beaches and barbies, trips to the Australian Open Tennis tournament, horse racing, the outback and more.
The MCC tourists played 23 matches in all, including five Test matches (as England), winning the series 3-1 after losing the first Test in Brisbane. Players included Peter May, Denis Compton, Tom Graveney and Trevor Bailey, with Richie Benaud, Neil Harvey and Keith Miller featuring for the Aussies.
Related
Commonwealth Tales
Victory Parade Victory Parade
Documentary 1946 21 mins
Soldiers from the far reaches of the British Empire arrive in London to take part in the official commemoration of the end of war in Europe.
Entertaining Soldiers After the Raid Entertaining Soldiers After the Raid
Non-Fiction 1917 0 mins Silent
Keep calm and carry on - these East End schoolkids dance to lift the spirits of Kiwi troops
Khalapur Carpets Khalapur Carpets
Promotional 1932 12 mins Silent
Indian carpets make their way to Montreal in this promotional film
Canada at War Canada at War
Documentary 1940 18 mins
In 1940 the war still seemed distant to US citizens. But what it was like for the 11 million ‘other Americans’ who were already at war? The March of Time cameras go north of the border to Canada to find out.
Tours in Southern Bengal - In the Sunderbans Tours in Southern Bengal - In the Sunderbans
Amateur film 1935 12 mins Silent
Everyday life and places of interest around the areas of Midnapore and Chittagong, including steamers and Indian boats along the Damodar river.
British News No. 53 British News No. 53
Non-Fiction 1941 15 mins
Indian soldiers in Singapore, while their compatriots are trained in the manufacture of war munitions
New
Fun on the Clothesline Fun on the Clothesline
Comedy 1896 1 mins Silent
A deft music hall act adapted for film, featuring the only known appearance of pioneer filmmaker Robert Paul
Saab: New Delivery Saab: New Delivery
Advert 1985 2 mins
Take a fighter jet, a Top Gun pilot with sunglasses and a brand new SAAB 900 and you have a sure-fire vehicle to launch a Hollywood career.
The Lost Highway The Lost Highway
Promotional 2019 10 mins
A wandering warrior dreams of a new form of expression, in this promo for UNKLE’s album The Road: Part II / Lost Highway Pt. II directed by Warren Du Preez and Nick Thornton Jones.
Colour on the Thames Colour on the Thames
1935 16 mins
A rare glimpse of 1930s London in colour: the Thames has never looked lovelier.
After Eights: Terrace After Eights: Terrace
1965 1 mins Location: York
A world away from zany humour, Richard Lester shows he can also capture the easy opulence of the upper class nibbling After Eight mints.
What's Missing from this Picture? What's Missing from this Picture?
Advert 1946 1 mins Silent
Life is looking up! The war is over and the “Corona” Man can visit his “Corona” families once more, door-to-door.