This film is part of Free

In Which We Live Being the Story of a Suit Told by Itself
Wonderfully eccentric 'make do and mend' message from public information genius Richard Massingham.
Overview
This wartime appeal to 'make do and mend' is an eccentric delight. It's largely narrated by a nostalgic pinstripe suit, which reflects on key moments in its 14-year life with its wearer, John. From purchase to job interview to wedding to fatherhood, the suit charts the ups and downs with the not-so-careful John - and the tender repairs of his loyal wife, Mary. The suit's noble sacrifice at the end, cut up for a skirt and trousers for Mary and John's two kids, is oddly affecting.
The offbeat approach is typical of director Richard Massingham, peerless genius of the public information film. Massingham frequently starred in his own films, and his expressive, timeworn face would have been familiar to 1940s filmgoers. Here, though, he limits himself to a single, Hitchcock-style, blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo (he's a patron in the pub scene, sat grinning in round spectacles under a stuffed pike). 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

Green Cross Code - He's Great Green Cross Code - He's Great
Public Information Filler 1976 0 mins
David Prowse (the frame of Darth Vader) appears as the iconic Green Cross Code Man, heaping praise on a young GXC expert.

Coughs and Sneezes Coughs and Sneezes
Public Information Filler 1945 1 mins
One of Richard Massingham’s most famous public information films, which lead to the ubiquitous mantra: "Coughs and Sneezes Spread Diseases".

I Am a Litter Basket I Am a Litter Basket
Public Information Filler 1959 6 mins
A heartfelt cry on behalf of the world's litter-baskets.

Charley's Black Magic Charley's Black Magic
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1949 9 mins
Cartoon propaganda short sweetens the pill of post-war coal prices by promising jam tomorrow

Lonely Water Lonely Water
1973 2 mins
Terrifying public information film presenting the horrific consequences of playing in or near rivers, ponds and other water hazards.

Morecambe and Wise - Be Wise Don't Drink and Drive Morecambe and Wise - Be Wise Don't Drink and Drive
Public Information Filler 1963 1 mins
Ernie tells Eric to ‘be wise’ and not drive home after their Christmas party

Over There Over There
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 4 mins
A jobless woman sells her body to enter the digital world and seemingly thrive, but soon she discovers something unsettling about her new existence.

CHECK PLEASE CHECK PLEASE
Action and Adventure 2024 10 mins
Dinner for two turns deadly as a couple fight over who pays.

Red Lace Red Lace
Thriller 2024 11 mins
A young man enters a mysterious bakery where he must complete a rite of initiation to join a strange community of cake lovers.

Unrecognized Character Detected Unrecognized Character Detected
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2024 9 mins
Two alien organisms engage in a playful conflict across diverse territories, but all may not be as it seems.

REBIRTH REBIRTH
Drama 2023 4 mins Silent
A once vibrant neighbourhood descends into chaos after a tragedy in the community.

Your Voice Only Your Voice Only
Documentary 2023 14 mins
A Sudanese man working in an isolated horse stable in Dahban, Saudi Arabia tries to contact his family after not being able to call them in three months.