Canal Cameo

From the collection of

London’s Screen Archives is a network of over 50 organisations with a collective vision – to preserve and share London’s history on film. The network is managed by Film London and we work with our partners to digitise, preserve, and offer access to their moving image collections.

Canal Cameo

London’s Screen Archives
Harrow
1976-01-01
Sound
10m

What happens when you combine high food prices with female resourcefulness? Fishing!

Created by ‘the ladies' of the Pinner Cine Society, this short amateur film playfully mocks gender roles with a story about a group of housewives who take up the ‘male' sport of angling after being confronted with high prices at the fishmonger's. Shot largely on location in Harrow, the film documents the old town centre, local shops and a visit to Gayton Library.

The film is testament to the skill of the amateurs. It is thoughtfully narrated in rhyming couplets and features some beautifully shot and well edited canal-side scenes. The gentle voiceover matches the subtle humour as the women arrive at the canal with all but the kitchen sink and fishermen look on dumbfounded as the ladies indulge in more female occupations, such as polishing their nails and crocheting, whilst waiting for the fish to bite. This comedy was made by the Pinner Cine Society; set up in 1951 it is now the Harrow Film Makers.

Amateur Auteurs

Ever dreamed of shooting your own movie? These pre-digital cine-enthusiasts did - with all the passion and devotion of the true auteur.

These low- (or no-) budget creations reach beyond simple point-and-shoot, back-garden efforts towards something more ambitious and skilful, revealing their authors' passion for film and their often astonishing ingenuity with limited resources. No desktop editing software or digital special effects for these amateur auteurs. The films include fiction and documentary, competition prizewinners and private labours of love. They may be the work of cine-clubbers or individual enthusiasts. But they all show a devotion to filmmaking that far transcends hobbyism. So look out for the delightful handmade intertitles, table-top special effects and library soundtracks which decorate many of the quirky stories, ultra-local documentaries and painstakingly composed home movies featured here.