This film is part of Free
The Mail Goes Through
Witness the no-so-great train robbery in this post-war cartoon, produced "in glorious monochrome"
Overview
As master criminals go, the moustache twiddling Percy Vere may want to consider a change of career. As Fred and young Ernie pilot the Royal Mail's gold train to safety, Percy and his sidekick Bill attempt to pull off the robbery of the century with remarkable tenacity. The cartoon is filled with subtle gags and puns rather than slapstick Looney Tunes humour, but is let down by the dialogue-free soundtrack, which is sadly a little underdeveloped. Still, there are of a number of accomplished moving perspective shots - evidence of Wright’s architectural training.
The animation here is perhaps not as slick as American cartoons of the period, but it's remarkably proficient for a relative outsider to the industry. Lance White was a pseudonym for the architectural artist Lawrence Wright - a man whose restless energy led him to teach himself animation in his spare time between work life and a passion for gliding. His first cartoons were produced on the amateur 9.5mm film gauge and were (unsurprisingly) about architecture and aviation, but his 1940 wartime cartoon Adolf's Busy Day marked a more professional effort. Wright would later write a number of books including histories of the bed and the bathroom, but this appears to be his last animated film.
Related
Vote for Froglet Vote for Froglet
Children's 1974 7 mins
As the general election is held in the UK, it's polling day for the Clangers on a small blue planet far away.
Max Beeza and the City in the Sky Max Beeza and the City in the Sky
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1977 24 mins
As sublime as it is silly, this ambitious animated short mixes a vision of a dystopian, tower block Britain with anarchic vaudeville humour
Superted Superted
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1975 9 mins
Don’t tell the Spotty man but Superted has a new friend. A stop motion predecessor of the superhero teddy idea
The United Kingdom The United Kingdom
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1994 5 mins
What does it mean to be British? You might not have a much clearer idea after watching this animated portrait, but you will certainly be entertained
Bunty the Bouncing Bassoon Bunty the Bouncing Bassoon
Animation & Artists Moving Image 1963 6 mins
Warning! If you step into the Merry Music Shop then this singalong cartoon is an animated earworm in waiting!
Animated Britain (trailer) Animated Britain (trailer)
Promotional 2018 1 mins
Discover an animated portrait of Britain, brought to life frame by painstaking frame, with our free-to-view BFI Player archive collection - available as part of Animation 2018, a year-long celebration of animation
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.
Edgar Wright on The Running Man Edgar Wright on The Running Man
Inside Film 2025 28 mins
The director talks to Mark Kermode about putting Stephen King's dystopian life-or-death gameshow thriller through its paces.
Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Richard Linklater Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 69 mins
Richard Linklater discusses his remarkable and wide-ranging body of work, including Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague.
Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Daniel Day-Lewis Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 73 mins
Daniel Day-Lewis, the ultimate actor’s actor discusses his career in conversation with Mark Kermode.