This film is part of Free
Quiet Morning
Everyday family life in suburban North London - as seen by folk learning English in the 1950s.
Overview
A typical day in the life of a typical family in a typical North London suburb? That's the implication of this film by director Kay Mander. An English language teaching aid for the Linguaphone Institute, it was presumably distributed abroad and for screenings here in schools and in English as a Second Language classes. It's fascinating on all counts, but can you help us identify all the locations?
A shot of Finchley Road station introduces the suburb inhabited by the Black family, but are their road and the shopping area in the same vicinity? In fact, the film is mostly set indoors, where Mr Black's attempts to spend the morning reading his paper and smoking his pipe are continually thwarted. With its deliberate pace (carefully matching images on the screen to the vocab on the soundtrack), the film feels a bit like a Ladybird 'Peter and Jane' book in film form - albeit with a sense of humour, largely at the hapless Mr Black's expense. This somewhat stereotyped family portrait (amiable but useless males kept afloat by pragmatic domesticated females) is familiar from a billion TV sitcoms made since. Mr Brown is played by Russell Waters, familiar to British viewers for character roles including regular appearances in public information films. Director Mander is celebrated as a successful female filmmaker in the world of British documentary. A few years earlier she'd made several French-language teaching films which is presumably why the Linguaphone Institute hired her to make this film.
Related
Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti Frida Kahlo & Tina Modotti
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1983 30 mins
Immerse yourself in the work of Frida Kahlo and Tina Modotti - icons of the Mexican Renaissance.
Once We Were Four Once We Were Four
Documentary 1942 9 mins
Innocent bunnies face an onslaught of badgers, bombs and birds of prey in this black comedy masquerading as a nature film.
Tunde's Film Tunde's Film
Documentary drama 1974 40 mins Location: Stepney
Tired of being hassled by the police and with no job opportunities, a group of teenage East End lads plan to rob a bank.
So This Is London So This Is London
Documentary 1933 14 mins Silent Location: Westminster
London at its best? This gorgeous lyrical portrait was made by pioneering female director Marion Grierson.
Black to Front Black to Front
Current affairs 1978 27 mins Location: Brixton
World in Action interviews the residents of Haycroft Road, Brixton as a controversial by-election stokes concerns about race and immigration.
Spring on the Farm Spring on the Farm
Documentary 1933 8 mins
The exhilaration of spring in the country – blossom, piglets, ducklings and more delights on the farm.
North London Liberal Jewish Group North London Liberal Jewish Group
Home movie 1956 11 mins Location: Finchley
Rival groups from Ealing and Finchley go head to head in an entertaining and witty amateur film
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.