British Pathe

Retrospective of the work of the Morris Cine. Department.

Reel 1. Title superimposed over a C/U of the pages of a book being turned. A candle is on the table beside the book. "Photographed and produced by: Morris Motors Cine Dept. at Cowley. Morris completes ten years of film presentation."...

Retrospective of the work of the Morris Cine. Department.

Reel 1. Title superimposed over a C/U of the pages of a book being turned. A candle is on the table beside the book. "Photographed and produced by: Morris Motors Cine Dept. at Cowley. Morris completes ten years of film presentation." C/U of sign reading: "Morris Films." Narrator states that the Morris Film Circuit is now as well known as the product it depicts. In the early days it visited the showrooms of a few enthusiastic pioneers with a miniature projector. This was replaced with a full sized silent machine and in 1931 the circuit was the first to present advertising films with sound. C/U of a van with the words: "Morris Sound Film Display Service" painted on the side. Title of the first Morris film: "Shooting a Famous Works." is shown - drawing depict a cameraman standing on a hillside with the Morris factory below him. Intertitle reads: "It is at Cowley Village that swords have been turned into ploughshares, for the Morris Works have been erected on the site of an old Military Academy, the buildings of which are now used as offices. M/S of man in old military uniform emerging through a doorway and saluting a guard on duty. "Mr Morris, Governing Director, is unique among motor car manufacturers - he uses one of his own cars." C/U of Mr Morris at the wheel of his car. M/S of him driving off and waving to a colleague.

This first film was followed by a more ambitious film: "The Toilers' Reward - A concept of Modern Industrialism." This film stressed the value of happy, congenial workers allied to good workmanship to produce good cars. Intertitle reads: "The happiness of a Nation depends solely upon the productive powers of its individual workers." C/U of men in flat caps working outside. Man closest to camera hammers a piece of metal with a wooden mallet (probably shot during 1920s). High angle shot of workers leaving the factory. "Home life is reflective of good or bad wages." M/S of woman walking out of a shop towards the camera looking at a shopping list (probably 1930s.) "British Industry has passed through strife and the turmoil of Strikes in a frantic search for more "equality". What are the true secrets of good wages - of this happiness in the Homes of Workers?" asks an intertitle. Good C/U of a dinner table with large slab of fruit cake, loaf of bread, pot of jam, egg in an eggcup and a pot of tea. Dissolve to M/S of the family sitting at the table. Mother stirs the tea. Father jokes with his daughter.

Workers file past a window where they collect their pay. Most wear flat caps and smoke cigarettes. They all tear open their pay packets as they pass the camera. Title of another film: "The Peril of Spurious Spares - A Moral for Morris Owners." The film illustrates potential problems with buying replacement parts not of genuine Morris Manufacture. M/S of man working on his car engine - the car seems to have broken down. C/U of of the wife sitting in the car with her dog looking furious. She shouts at him: "What else could you expect... had you fitted a genuine Morris valve this would not have happened." (late 20s.) Sound missing for small section of film. 1931 - Morris Films change over to sound. "Morris Behind the Scenes." is the title of next film featured. Woman in an evening gown peeks between two theatrical curtains. She coyly communicates with the audience that she is letting them into a secret by holding a finger to her lips and laughing. She opens the curtains. C/U of a log fire and a wheel turning (?!) L/S of two cars being driven along a rugged country lane in "Lakeland." These are two miners who are demonstrating the Morris car design as the very best. They drive up steep and rocky mountain roads accompanied by a newsreel style commentary. The cars drive away from the camera.

Picturesque Lake District scene of a babbling brook in the foreground and the cars driving in the distance. Another car is featured - a silver sports model which leaves the kerbside and speeds off into the distance. It travels 100 mph and 100 miles per gallon. We see the car being driven on a race track at vast speeds. 1932 - "That delightful film "Scotland Calling" emphasised the call of the open road and portrayed some of the gems of Scottish beauty." High angle panning shot of unidentified Scottish city. Could be Aberdeen. Highland landscape of loch and mountains. Cuts to a shot of several people walking through the factory at Cowley. Voiceover states that: "By now the works at Cowley had become one of the sights of England and most of the visitors of note to this country made a point of seeing how Morris cars were made. Some of the most interesting were the dark potentates from overseas Dominions. Outstanding amongst whom was the Emir of Katsina (sp?)" We see the Emir and colleague walking through the factory in traditional dress with Morris and his wife (?) Outside the factory the Emir is given a picture or brochure. He smiles broadly. Continued.