Shakespeare's Country

Scenic views of the Bard's stomping ground, Stratford-upon-Avon, in this charming early travelogue.

This charming silent film from the Wonderful Britain series indulges in some Shakespearean puns to illustrate the environs of Stratford-upon-Avon ("Here's Bideford - a typical Shakespearean Hamlet"). Picturesque cottages abound in Wilmcote and Shottery, together with some suspiciously well-placed urchins. And of course, there's Anne Hathaway's cottage, "secure against the worst of Tempests".

Wonderful Britain was a follow-up series to the more successful Wonderful London (1924), also directed by Harry B. Parkinson. While its predecessor frequently delivered unconventional views of the city, Shakespeare's Country largely follows the well-trodden tourist path. These early travelogues reveal the root of the genre in straightforward actuality - most of the shots here are a single take of a picturesque scene.