Any Man's Kingdom

An attempt to capture the variety of life in Northumberland, and in particular something of the county's heart-warming atmosphere.

No film can present a complete picture of any one of the English counties, and Northumberland in particular presents any director with a dilemma. It offers such a variety of scenery and history, such a rich fullness of life to its residents and visitors that choice of subject matter is more than usually difficult. In making Any Man’s Kingdom the producers have attempted to include aspects of the county which not only illustrate this variety, but which also conjure up something of the heart-warming Northumbrian atmosphere.

At a trial screening it was brought to the unit’s attention after an outburst of conversation mid-film that a sequence showing passengers travelling by train to the town would soon be rendered out of date as the Commission had announced that the local line was soon to be closed. A hurried film crew was organised and the sequence re-shot, this time with passengers travelling to town by bus!