Film
The Open Road + live piano accompaniment
- Director
- Claude Friese-Greene
- Certificate
- U
- Running Time
- 65 mins
In the summer of 1924 pioneer cinematographer Claude Friese-Greene (son of Bristol-born William Friese-Greene) set out from Cornwall with the aim of recording life on the road between Land’s End and John O’Groats with a unique colour film technique. Originally Friese-Greene’s The Open Road was intended to be shown weekly in cinemas. The 26 short episodes combine to form a unique social document of life in Britain between the wars.
Now fully restored, The Open Road takes us on a journey that encompasses Plymouth, a hunt on Exmoor, the docks of Cardiff, the pleasure beach at Blackpool and more. In Scotland, he records shipbuilding on the Clyde, the banks of Loch Lomond and the castles of Stirling and Edinburgh before concluding on the busy streets of London.
This Cinema Rediscovered screening is presented with an introduction by BFI National Archive silent film curator Bryony Dixon and live music by Neil Brand.
Our newsletters emailed directly to you
