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Released in 1971 to coincide with the publication of the revised edition of
the Country Code (first issued in 1951), Joe and Petunia - Acceptance of the
Country Code (1971) was designed to raise public awareness about the importance
of preserving Britain's rural beauty.
Stereotypically-drawn northern cartoon characters Yorkshireman Joe and his
rotund partner Petunia, along with the local farmer, comically play out the
historic conflict of interests between town-bred recreationalists and the
farmers and landowners' who have resented relinquishing their land for leisure
use. The postwar Labour government, in keeping with its manifesto to even out
class divisions, was keen to grant the general public more access to open land
and it was hoped that a programme of education in the form of the Country Code
would go some way to appease resistant landowners.
At the time this film was made in the early 1970s, the Country Code was the
target of criticism from organisations such as the Ramblers' Association who
complained that it was one-sided in neglecting to stipulate rules for landowners
as well as for visitors. Joe and Petunia's extravagant behaviour and outrageous
flouting of the Code is at once amusing and offensive - certainly the
purple-faced farmer is incensed by their thoughtless ignorance. This 'sending
up' of working-class 'townees' implicitly reflects the 'them and us' class
antagonism that has historically existed around the rural access debate.
Notwithstanding this, characters who demonstrate total ignorance of the dangers
and problems that their behaviour causes to others have long been a mainstay of
the public information filler.
Acceptance of the Country Code was one in a hugely popular series of four Joe
and Petunia films made by Nicolas Cartoons between 1968 and 1973. Other themes
included safety at the seaside and the danger of worn tyres. Voices were
provided by Wendy Craig as Petunia (replaced by Brigit Forsyth for the last
film), and Peter Hawkins as Joe. The Country Code has undergone two further
revisions, in 1982 and 2004, when it was renamed the 'Countryside Code'. To
launch the 2004 updated version, the Countryside Agency ran a publicity
campaign, this time featuring the animated characters famous from Aardman's
Creature Comforts series.
Katy McGahan
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Complete film (1:01)
