This film is part of Free

River Thames - Yesterday

A nostalgic pre-war voyage down the mighty Thames, shot by Technicolor maestro Jack Cardiff.

Documentary 1939 9 mins Silent

Overview

Shot by legendary cinematographer Jack Cardiff, this Technicolor travelogue takes a gentle journey down the Thames, from its bucolic upper reaches to the landmarks of Westminster and the warehouses and wharfs of the working port beyond - now almost vanished after years of war, neglect and redevelopment. A whimsical commentary by Scottish poet Ruthven Todd is intoned by Welsh actor Lyn Harding.

This was one of a series of travelogues Cardiff shot for American production company World Window - including three in India - before working on public information films during the war and graduating to major features such as Black Narcissus (1947).