behp0173-charlotte-jennings-summary

Born 1935, Blackheath. Father working at GPO Film Unit studios. Evacuated with mother and sister Mary Lou to the USA, sponsored by wealthy Great Aunt who sent both children to the Doulton School, which she describes. They lived with the aunt on Park Avenue until her mother got a small flat on Lexington. She remembers a dinner party given by her mother for a rather tall man (Len Lye). They returned to the UK in October 1944: she describes what it was like travelling in a very slow convoy, disembarking at Avonmouth, from where they went to live with her maternal grandmother near Oxford. In 1947 they moved into the top floor of a house in Regent’s Park Road owned by Alan Hutt. She talks about her new school, the South Hampstead High and of how little they saw of her father. She then gives her account of how she understood her father died in a very tragic accident on 24^th September 1950.

She also relates her own ventures into film making with animations, but her real interest remains in painting. She also relates a prophetic story told her by Dillon Barry, the Continuity Girl on Family Portrait , made for the 1951 Festival of Britain, when she told Humphrey Jennings who had just tripped and fallen, to “slow down”. His reply was “I haven’t time!”   

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behp0173-charlotte-jennings-summary(2)

[David Robson writes as follows:]

This was the second of two interview sessions. The first one occurred in 1990; this one was recorded in 1997.

The summary is not in its usual form, because the tribute is so concise that nothing could be gained by highlighting any particular sequence. The brevity is such that it would pay the reader to listen to side 3 in its entirety.

SIDE THREE

It commences with a verbatim report of a tribute to her father, Humphrey Jennings, presented to students of Murdock University, Western Australia in 1997, and covers his life and achievements as a documentary film maker from the date of his birth in 1907 to his tragic and untimely death on a tiny Greek island in 1950 at the age of 43.

Charlotte reveals some interesting glimpses of the GPO Film Unit during the run-up to the 1939 War. The film Spare Time, 1939 is mentioned. His work as a painter in the Surrealist movement is also mentioned.

There is also a reference to him being awarded the OBE after the war, possibly for his total contribution. The award was sent to him by post, eschewing the Palace investiture. The following films are mentioned: Spring Offensive, Words for Battle, Listen to Britain, Fires were Started, Diary for Timothy, Family Portrait, Silent Village, A Defeated People and Cumberland Story.

SIDE FOUR

More on Cumberland Story – the last one he made at Crown. Although fully charged up, it is said that he did not talk about his work at home. But on one occasion he tried to shoot a scene for Family Portrait at home against the family’s wishes; the film is discussed in detail. Several other of the films are also analysed. His relationship with his editor is discussed.

SIDE FIVE

The films that nearly got made, but did not, are discussed. The London Symphony Orchestra and its first fifty years was one such. A number of films about music were being planned at this time but lacked funding. Details of Humphrey’s funeral and the lack of finances and how they affected the family are explained.

SIDE SIX

In conclusion the last words are from Jennings himself in the form of two poems. The first one entitled I See London, and the second, As I Look.

Comment: Many of his colleagues, it was said, considered that the best of his work lay ahead of him. But he surely needed a revolution to bring it about. If his life had encompassed the Falklands War, who knows what realms of poetic imagery might have been achieved arising phoenix-like, as it were, from the ashes of Fires Were Started.

Charlotte Jennings was interviewed by John Legard. David Mather Robson recorded it and wrote the summary.

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