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The film opens with a soldier (Bill Rowbottom) on a train travelling to Coventry where he is met by his girl friend Betty. The pair walk through the city including visiting the bomb damaged Coventry Cathedral. The commentary talks about the blitz of 1940 and the loss of 1252 lives. After their tour of the city they return to his parents' house and the family group talk about their hopes for the future (and eating spam). Meanwhile another passenger from the train (an engineer) is staying at a hostel that has been constructed for war workers who lost their homes in the bombing. He looks around the communal centre (watching residents dancing the hokey cokey). We then see women working in a factory and builders assembling a pre fabricated house. Next the soldier joins a pub discussion about the future of Coventry and the use of pre fabricated factory built houses. There are views of slum housing and 1930s suburban developments and models of the proposed new buildings for Coventry. The film ends with views of a model of the proposed city redevelopment and the soldier leaving Coventry by train waved off by his girl friend.
Made with the guidance of the City Council of Coventry.
A Donald Taylor Production
Direction: John Eldridge
Photography: Jo Jago
Script: Dylan Thomas
Editor: Oswald
Recordist: Red Law
Assistants: Fanya Fisher and Dennis Shand
Cast:
Bill Rowbotham
Ben Williams
Betty Mallet
Connie Mason
Charles Rolfe
Middleton Woods
Commentator: James McKechnie
A Gryphon Film in association with Verity Films Ltd
The actor Bill Rowbotham later became better known under his stage name Bill Owen.