The Prendergast File
1964 , The Grand Union Canal (Other)
Cat no. 4088
Spoof Ministry of Public Apathy staff training film.
A civil servant, Prendergast, in the Department of Constructive Delays is asked by his superior in the Ministry of Public Apathy, Clitheroe, to research and prepare an answer to a Parliamentary question on present canal policy for the Minister. Given 7 days to construct the answer, the civil servant becomes interested in the subject of his investigation and produces a report ‘full of recommendations’ and ‘advocating action’. The report does not fit the brief of inaction and is discarded by the Ministry of Public Apathy. The Minister’s reply, according to a ‘time honoured formula’, disparages the state of canals, their potential and the people who make use of them as well as determining that the present policy is to maintain the status quo until a new royal commission is deemed necessary to investigate the problem fully. The film concludes by mulling over the whereabouts of Prendergast, who by all accounts has abandoned his civil service career.
Featured Buildings
The Boat Free House [location unknown] The Globe Inn [location unknown] Palace of Westminster, London BBC Broadcasting House, London
Featured Events
Restoration work on the Stratford upon Avon Canal
Keywords
Spoofs; Training films; Civil servants; Bowler hats; Bureaucracy; Bureaucrats; Canals; Inland waterways; Waterways; Grand Union Canal; Barges; Narrow boats; Locks; Pleasure boats; Brentford electric lock; Parliamentary reply
Intertitles
Ministry of Public Apathy, Staff Training Series
Other Places
Hatton Hill; Aylesbury; Brentford
-
Maker : Denys Gueroult
-
Maker : Geoffrey Hart
-
Maker : Peter Kendrick
-
Maker : Beryl Symons
-
Samuel Prendergast Hugh Symons
Manifestations
The Prendergast File
-
Award:
-
Group 1:
- Note: Awards (data migration 25/06/2021): Amateur Cine World Ten Best Film Competition, Ten Best winner, 1964.
-
Group 1:
-
Genre: Women's Filmmaking / Amateur / TNA Project
-
Locations: The Grand Union Canal (Other)
-
Description Type: monographic
-
Related to: IAC
Copyright restrictions apply.
Please see our terms of use. Films on this website are provided for personal viewing. Should you wish to use the films in any other way please contact eafa@uea.ac.uk
terms of useThe data for this page was generated on 14/12/2024 23:34:12+00:00. Click to regenerate this page .