London's Contrasts

Part of Wonderful London, the BFI National Archive’s programme of restored London travelogues, filmed in the capital in the 1920s.

Comparisons are made between West End and East, old and new. We start with Hyde Park and the East End, followed by the areas around St. Paul's, the Admiralty and shops (newly opened Selfridges, an old Merchant's house, Liberty and the Parisian department store Galleries Lafayette). We see Soho's Berwick Street and Caledonian Markets, and the picturesque 'fishing village' under Hammersmith bridge.

Based on a successful magazine, the film series Wonderful London captures the life of the capital in the 1920s. These simple travelogues contrast different aspects of city life; East End and West End, poor and rich, natives and immigrants, looking beyond the stereotypes to show surprising views of the city. These six restorations by the BFI National Archive reintroduce the films' original colours, with new piano accompaniments by John Sweeney