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Five Towns introduces one region of Britain to the others using a storyline of a London woman visiting her fiancé and his family in his native Potteries: "It's so different up here!" Cue classic imagery of terraced streets, industrial landscapes, and much talk of the neighbourliness, humour and quirky turns of phrase of the people who live and work in them. Professional actors and local people are seamlessly blended: a by now familiar strategy. Different characters supply different parts of the off-screen narration in a generally conversational style. Threaded through all of this is excellent actuality footage of pottery production. Director Terry Bishop began making documentaries at commercial firm Merton Park during the war; his 1949 colonial film Daybreak in Udi would later win the Oscar for best documentary. He was, incidentally, well known as one of the staunchest left-wingers in the business. Yet films such as Five Towns reflect moderate rather than hardline socialism, the 'middle way' that governments of both colours became pledged to. Like all the best propaganda, Five Towns doesn't overdo the spin: it is optimistic that post-war reconstruction can be accomplished, but realistic about how long it might take. Patrick Russell *This film is included in the BFI DVD compilation 'Land of Promise: The British Documentary Movement 1930-1950'.
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1. Meeting the family (1:51)
