Peace and Plenty

A strident protest against "a government for the best people by the best people", made by the Communist Party of Great Britain.

Propelled by anger and wit, this film uses an inventive blend of animation, graphics and stills combined with a cynical voiceover and stirring music. The austerity faced by many is vividly contrasted with the wealth of the few in a bitter attack against the policies of the National government led by Neville Chamberlain.

Director Ivor Montagu was a key figure in the formation of the pioneering Film Society, established in London, 1925. He was determined to screen Soviet films, often banned in the UK, including the groundbreaking Battleship Potemkin (1925). The innovative montage technique of Potemkin may well have inspired Montagu's own filmmaking style.