This film is part of Free
Away to the West!
Remarkable 1920s travelogue capturing the vivid and varied life and landscape of Cornish towns and Devonshire fishing villages.
Overview
From placid views of sleepy Clovelly to eyebrow-raising outfits at a fancy-dress parade, this remarkable travelogue captures the varied life and landscape of Devon and Cornwall in the 1920s. We see the tumbling waterfall of Luxulyan, holidaymakers on Newquay beach and fishermen grafting at Newlyn. It's an irresistible mix of timeless coastal scenery and long-forgotten local custom.
Wonderful Britain was a follow-up to Harry B. Parkinson's popular series Wonderful London (1924), which painted a complex portrait of the capital through unconventional views. Away to the West! continues this trend, delivering more than the standard picture-postcard approach with several unexpected changes in tone. Most striking are the portrait shots of costumed Clovelly locals, and the silhouetted figures gazing longingly out to sea.
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