COI

In the middle of a six-week tour of the Indian sub-continent between January and March 1961, the Queen and Prince Philip visited Pakistan and East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.

Ernie tells Eric to ‘be wise’ and not drive home after their Christmas party.

The Green Cross Code Man teaches kids how to cross the road safely.

A haunting fire prevention film about keeping matches out of the hands of children.

2-6 March 1961 saw the Queen and Prince Philip make their first and only state visit to Iran. Their host was Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (1919-80), the Shah of Iran, who had already made an official visit to Britain in 1959.

Britain and Turkey had not always enjoyed the ‘special’ friendship referred to in the commentary. Their armies were on opposing sides in the First World War and there had been disagreementt over the future of Cyprus in the run up to the settlement of 1960. In the 1960s relations improved and this reciprocal tour (the President of Turkey, Cevdet Sunay, had paid a state visit to the United Kingdom in November 1967) was regarded as a milestone in the bilateral alliance between the two countries. The camera affords the viewer a prime vantage point by which to marvel at the splendour of the pageantry and contemplate every nuance of gesture and sartorial detail. As we linger on the bejewelled Queen waiting patiently at the British Embassy in Ankara to greet her guests we wonder what it might be like to be in her shoes.

The President had been due to visit twice before, but on both occasions the trip had to be cancelled. The first time was in 1963, the same year as the Commonwealth visit by the President of India. The second cancellation occurred in 1965 when a longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the sovereignty of Kashmir boiled over into full-scale war in September of that year. However, as one might expect from a film made for international diplomacy purposes no reference is made to ongoing political problems either at home or abroad. Like the Indian presidential visit of 1963, the film was for screening to domestic audiences (both in the UK and in Pakistan) whose main interest would be in the pomp and ceremony of the visit, and the reception and status afforded to the President by the Queen and royal family.

Modern advice and old-fashioned values combine in this postwar animated health guide from the makers of Animal Farm.

Queen Elizabeth's younger and only sibling, Princess Margaret, went on a 5-week tour of Mauritius and East Africa in September-October 1956.

Reported cases of sexually transmitted disease took a sharp rise during and after World War II, but as this film testifies, sexual license amongst soldiers on the frontline wasn't the sole cause. Back on the home front, for many women, like Joan from No. 19, loneliness or newfound independence acted as an incentive to extramarital promiscuity.

An account of the state visit to Britain by the President of India, Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, in June 1963. In London he accompanied the Queen on a State drive, visited the Commonwealth Institute, attended a Guildhall luncheon and visited the country.

On an English farm, six reckless children play at being a fierce band of Apache warriors, unaware of the many dangers to which they are exposed. (Public information short film produced on behalf of the British Government to warn children living in rural areas about the risks of playing near farm machinery.)

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh undertook an official visit to the region in February 1966, as documented in this film. The destinations on this month long excursion included: British Guiana; Trinidad and Tobago; Grenada; St. Vincent; Barbados; St. Lucia; Dominica; Montserrat; Antigua; St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla; Tortola (Virgin Islands); the Bahamas; Jamaica. This rich and detailed Technicolor travelogue was the only film authorised by the Palace. Strict instructions were given prior to the production being given the green light, most notably that the royals could only be filmed when ‘engaged in a public function’. Unlike the more relaxed footage or interviews you might see with the royals now the film is visually very official in tone.

Impressions of contemporary British arts and fashion. Summary of art through the ages taking in every thing from Mary Quant to the Marat/Sade production. Made for the Montreal "Expo '67" exhibition.

This film is a compilation of footage shot by Associated British Pathe, which covered royal events for its newsreels, and the company would have been ideally placed to use their footage to make short films for the COI. The varied life of the Queen depicted in the film encompasses duties such as making the first telephone trunk call in 1958, from Bristol.

This charming assessment of Britain's bicycle industry illustrates the popularity of cycling both as transport (for business or pleasure) and for sport in the 1950s. Part of BFI collection "On Yer Bike."

A tribute to William Shakespeare devised by Geoffrey Buckland-Smith and made in connection with the quatro-centenary celebrations. Spoken extracts from Shakespeare's works (read by Stephen Murray) blend with visuals of scenes in Britain today which illustrate his references to countryside or childhood, and the sea or to the taverns and trades of London. Includes sequence of Olivier as Henry V and is accompanied by period music on the lute by Desmond Dupré.

A soon-to-be born baby learns about the kinds of schools he will attending in the years following his birth.

A 1973 documentary film from the Central Office of Information about the Liverpool and Bootle Constabulary.

Popular animated character Charley explains the National Insurance Act, which was legislation that made health insurance available to all British citizens.