In one of the short films on this set, conjurer ‘Uncle Bertie’ is asked by Daniel Farson what has changed in the world of children’s parties since he started. He offers the example of no longer having to use the tradesman’s entrance now that the butler opens the door.
So it is with the world of Daniel Farson’s Guide to Britain, Volume 2, in which surviving episodes from the series Out of Step (1957), Keeping in Step (1958), People in Trouble (1958), Success Story (1959), Pursuit of Happiness (1960), Something to Say (1964), and an extract from This Week are showcased.
As in the first volume, Farson comes across as affable and curious about the world around him in the 1950s. He captures the post-war changes that affect town and country. He explores those on the fringes of society and those topics that have begun to impact how the world works.
He is just as comfortable with celebrities (Shirley Bassey, the Cradocks) as he is with the regular person on the street. Unwed mothers, nudism, and spiritual healing all fall within the scope of his programmes. Raine, Lady Lewisham (who later became the stepmother of Diana, Princess of Wales), and her mother, Barbara Cartland, are as otherworldly as the young man in the modern village who despises youth clubs is in tune with the changing times.
The restoration work the BFI has put into these programmes is excellent given their age, with sharp sound, full subtitling, and high definition. As with the first volume, the shows are in black and white, but the content is universally interesting. Farson was a master at teasing out something interesting from those he talks to, with the Bassey interview (1964) being particularly revealing, as is the country doctor, clearly irked by the rise of the NHS and its impact on the respect patients have for GPs.
The feature presentation on this set is Living for Kicks (1960), a 40 minute TV movie focusing on teenagers in Brighton. Northampton and London. As Farson says in his introduction, they have more money than ever and enjoy themselves in a very different way (“boys spend £5 a week, girls spend £3” – that’s around £100 in today’s money). Dancing, records, smoking, and romance are the ways these young people express themselves.
“We know about living before we start”, says one commentator in a coffee club, who is also very frank about sex before marriage andthe decline of religious influence. Elsewhere, the rise of broken relationships clearly impacts on how these teenagers see their future. I find it particularly interesting that Farson sees the ‘teenage marriage’ as a possible solution to the ‘guilt complex’ that may occur between teenagers having sex before marriage.
If you like cultural history, especially the mid-part of the 20th century, then Farson’s approach and manner will work for you. He relishes eccentrics. humours the pretentious, and quietly pushes at outdated attitudes. In life, as a gay man who was closeted by necessity, he possibly had a more open mind than most, and his style reflects that.
You can also enjoy the articles in the accompanying booklet with this set, and the audio commentaries that give our 21st century perspective on what Farson’s documentaries showed us. Taken together, this offers a comprehensive look into the documentary style of a bohemian but dedicated investigative journalist presenter who influenced the likes of Louis Theroux.
Daniel Farson’s Guide to Britain volume 2 is now available from most retailers.