The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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We Are Responsible, By Law
An imposing modernist Civic Centre takes pride of place in Newcastle upon Tyne life.
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Overview
This fascinating TV documentary looks at the ‘big business’ of local government in Newcastle upon Tyne run from the modernist Civic Centre, one of the high profile architectural projects powered through by infamous council leader T Dan Smith. It’s a vivid illustration of how the council interacts with the lives of real people in the city, from birth to death, perhaps at its most controversial when looking at planning, housing and demolition in the 1960s.
Extraordinary examples of artists’ work and high quality craftsmanship are integrated into the architecture of George Kenyon’s Nordic-influenced Civic Centre, topped by a carillon in the tower incorporating 25 bells. Surfacing from an age of 1950s austerity, the total construction cost Ј4,855,000. The Newcastle public (and rate payers) not surprisingly referred to their new city hall as “wonderland”. Whilst T Dan Smith and fellow councillors were genuine in aspiring to a cultural Geordie revival that reflected a post-industrial future for the city, many decried the costly schemes, suggesting the bells play “(Why Not Take) All of Me” as a signature tune rather than Blaydon Races, the Geordie anthem.
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