This film is part of Free

The Merry Month of May

A spirited satire on the coronation of George VI made by members of the Film and Photograph League.

1937 15 mins Silent

Overview

The coronation of King George VI coincided with London busmen striking for a seven and a half hour working day. Footage of patriotic fervour is juxtaposed with scenes of military destruction, newspaper headlines about strikes and shots of urban poverty. The Workers’ Film and Photograph League was established in 1934 with the manifesto that “the time has come for workers to produce films and photos of their own.” This ambitious production survives sadly incomplete.