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Duration 1:00:34

The National Archives goes to the movies

Trace the history of cinema in Britain through the collections of The National Archives. From silent classics and lost masterpieces to the controversial cult films of the 1970s, see how politicians and civil servants grappled with the new medium and how the government influenced film in Britain.
What film made Marie Stopes threaten the Home Office with legal action? Which groundbreaking British cartoon was financed by the CIA and why did Sir Ranulph Fiennes attempt to blow up the set of Dr. Doolittle?

Joseph Pugh is a member of the Education and Outreach team at The National Archives. He has worked for a number of museums and galleries including the National Portrait Gallery and the Petrie Collection and for BBC History. His research interests include comics in the 1950s, how to win a duel and fainting in the 19th century.

Documents and notes.