Both the film and the car industries developed in the early 20th century.
This programme shows rare footage of a Lanchester car going up a flight of steps at Crystal Palace, London. It was shot in 1904, just eight years after the Lumière brothers brought the first moving picture show to Britain.
Later footage shows how film-makers associated cars with sex appeal, sophistication and liberation. Cars were sold as vehicles that could literally take people to places they’d never seen before. Some films act almost as travelogues, showing cars in dramatic landscapes, travelling up hills, through streams and along spectacular coastal scenery. Films by Ford also show the detail, magnitude and might of mass production.
In the 1930s car manufacturers responded to public concerns about the number of deaths on the roads. Companies like Morris promoted the safety features in their cars. However, manufacturers were still keen to use speed as a key selling point.
First broadcast: Friday 14 Jan 2005 on BBC FOUR
Nation On Film in more depth:
OU on the BBC: Nation On Film - About the series
Production team
This BBC/Open University series delves into Britain’s past to look at the country’s history as captured on film over the last 100 years. Read more : OU on the BBC: Nation On Film - About the series
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Film Archives
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A listing of British and Irish film archives Read more : Film Archives
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Production team for David Attenborough, BFI for photo
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'Women's Football' tells the story of how the rise and fall of women’s football was captured on film, part of the BBC/OU's series Nation on... Read more : OU on the BBC: Nation On Film - Women's Football
First and second series of Nation On Film
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Visit bbc.co.uk for full details of the first and second series, and a vast library of film footage for you explore. Read more : First and second series of Nation On Film
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