This film is part of Free
Excellent if somewhat jerky aerial shots of London taken from a helicopter and featuring close-ups of Waterloo, the docks and Tower Bridge.
Amateur film 1963 3 mins Silent
A helicopter swoops over the River Thames, allowing a camera to snatch jerky film of Waterloo – note the station, with the recently completed Shell building in the foreground – then over Docklands, probably London Dock and St Katharine Dock – and on to Tower Bridge. Also shows a large factory. This is a rush from Joan Littlewood’s film detailing London’s leisure life.
Digitisation supported by the London Topographical Society.
Travelogue 2006 65 mins Location: Land's End
Startling colour photography of 1920s Britain imbues Claude Friese-Greene’s 1920s road trip around Britain.
Documentary 1962 10 mins Silent Location: Lambeth
A colourful round up of the 1962 Lambeth Festival with fun for all, from a carnival parade to a beauty contest judged by radio’s Alan Freeman.
Non-Fiction 1924 13 mins Silent Location: London
The Thames was alive with vessels of all shapes and sizes, testimony to the success of London as a busy Port, handling cargo and passenger ferries from around the world.
Amateur film 1933 8 mins Silent Location: Tower Hamlets
Whistle stop tour of the Thames' iconic locations, followed by crowds, eels and strongmen in the East End.
1931 5 mins Silent Location: Bermondsey
Scenes of thronging street life and market trading along Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey Street and Southwark Park Road.
Amateur film 1937 6 mins Silent Location: Westminster
The streets of Westminster and Camberwell are festooned with bunting and banners in preparation for the Coronation of George VI in this remarkable colour film from A E Ford.
Amateur film 1951 6 mins Location: Westminster
A film-noir unpacking the various self-reflexive thoughts one might fall victim to after committing the ultimate sin, with a twist ending.
Amateur film 1947 3 mins Silent Location: Westminster
Inhabit the unique perspective of an amateur filmmaker in the crowd at the wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, 1947.
Documentary 1945 2 mins Silent Location: Westminster
This nostalgic and charming window into VJ Day celebrations has its eye on all, from the soldiers and civilians to the local wildlife.
Amateur film 1948 8 mins Silent Location: Westminster
Members of the Leeds Branch of Jewish Ex-servicemen and women Association travel to London for the annual Remembrance Service.
Amateur film 1939 3 mins Silent Location: Westminster
Atmospheric film capturing the mood of the capital ahead of the war. From ARP adverts to the building of bombshelters, London prepares for war.
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.
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.
1935 16 mins
A rare glimpse of 1930s London in colour: the Thames has never looked lovelier.
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.
Advert 1962 0 mins Location: Rhyl
Cinema advertisement for Marine Lake & Ocean Beach, Rhyl, a popular destination for crowds set on a day's fun on free rides.
Advert 1942 7 mins Silent Location: Blaenau Ffestiniog
Who could deny these advertising claims: "Attractive hair is the ambition of every woman", and "Your family will enjoy Lincoln potatoes"?
Do you recognise a place, building or location in this film?
Help us populate the Britain on Film map by spotting and plotting the street or location you know. This is a BFI project and anyone can help.
Go to our Britain on Film crowdsourcing site and contribute to our mapping mission – to identify locations within our archive films.
Add a location
