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BFI Most Wanted: the hunt for Britain's missing films
The Story of the Flag
Directed by Anson Dyer, 1927
Britain's first "full-length animated feature film" by the country's most successful pre-war cartoon filmmaker, Anson Dyer.
Credits
|
Director Production Company Producer Script Animation |
Anson Dyer Nettlefold Productions Archibald Nettlefold Anson Dyer Anson Dyer |
| 3,600 feet, silent, black & white. | |
Why are we so keen to find it?
You could challenge The Story of the Flag's status as the first full-length British animated feature on the basis of its running time: barely 40 minutes. You could also cite the fact that it was more widely seen in six separate parts, due to its producer's lack of confidence in releasing it as a main attraction. However, you would be ignoring the fact that it remained the longest, most ambitious film of its kind in Britain for many years, and is a landmark achievement which is sadly missing from animation history. Also significant was the fact that at this period Anson Dyer seems to have worked almost single-handedly, making the film a monumental effort even as a short feature.
This pioneering work of 'animated documentary' would stand in stark contrast to the concurrent development of cartoons in Hollywood, embodied in the 'Disney style' which would soon dominate the popular industry across the globe. It points to a different use of the animation medium which was relegated from commercial cinemas to the classroom and instruction film.
What's it about?
It is an animated exploration of the evolution of British flags, including those of former colonies, embellished with historical details. Flags known to be included are the Union Jack, the Royal Standard, the Naval Ensigns and the flags of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Contemporary reviews highlight the film's topicality for including the controversial Prinsevlag of the Union of South Africa, which was adopted in 1927 but not hoisted until 1928. It would be interesting to see how Anson Dyer presented this issue to British audiences, with the new flag featuring a much diminished Union Jack as a compromise to the various provinces.
Last seen?
The film was re-released on 16mm in 1935, taking advantage of the growth of smaller gauge safety film equipment in schools and other non-theatrical venues.
What else do we know about it?
Dyer began animating at the relatively late age of 39, having previously designed stained-glass windows for churches. His prolific and successful work on WWI propaganda shorts such as the John Bull's Animated Sketchbook series (c.1915-17) led to backing by Cecil Hepworth in peacetime. The Story of the Flag was made in an otherwise fallow period for Dyer's animation work following Hepworth's bankruptcy. After its completion, Dyer turned to live action cinema with two lively city portraits, A Day in Liverpool (1929) and The Story of the Port of London (1932). Whether this was a result of his disillusionment with animation, or the exhausting effort of completing The Story of the Flag only to see it released in butchered form, is open to speculation. However, his relationship with the producer was clearly not too badly damaged, as Archibald Nettleton gave Dyer the backing to establish his own colour cartoon studio in 1935. And the animator's appetite for the business was not yet exhausted - Dyer's last cartoon was released in June 1951, just before his 75th birthday.
Does anything survive?
Nothing survives of the film but reviews in contemporary film papers and periodicals, and through subsequent references in books about British animation as a lost 'first'. It's unlikely that any script or storyboard was ever written, and posters would have been produced only on a very small scale, if at all. If any film print does survive, it would most likely be from the 1935 16mm re-release rather than the 35mm nitrate release of 1927.
Reviews
From The Bioscope, 1 December 1927:
"Opening with much information of the antiquarian order, light is thrown on the remarkable alterations which have taken place in the Royal Standard of England, largely owing to the dramatic changes, notably on the accession of James I, William III and George I. Naval ensigns and a large number of flags, including those of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, are shown and explained. The film is quite up to date, for the much debated South African flag closes the series. The picture is extremely interesting, but its value and charm would be enhanced with colour."
Jez Stewart, Curator (Non-Fiction), BFI National Archive
You can find more about British films of the late 1920s, including entries on surviving films and video clips for users in UK schools, colleges, universities and public libraries, at BFI Screenonline. You can also view similar titles at the BFI Mediatheques.
