Summary: Second World War Ministry of Information newsreel trailer advocating fuel economy.
Description: Inside the stage set of a family living room, the father brings coal for the fire, the son plays with the radio, one daughter prepares to do the ironing, another daughter lays the table for a meal and the mother enters the room carrying a steaming saucepan. After a puff of smoke, a magician wearing a cap and hat and carrying a wand appears. The magician announces "I am the Fuel Demon and I have come to warn that this waste must stop!" He continues "too much coal on the fire means not enough in the furnaces" (shot of a blazing fire in the hearth and a reverse action shot showing smoke moving back in to an industrial chimney), "all that wasted heat from the gas stove means not enough to mould the guns" (two pans boiling on the stove and flames subsiding in a furnace), "waste means want". The magician continues "Go easy on the gas, economise on the electric light, consume less coal - when in doubt go without!" The magician disappears in another puff of smoke. After he has gone the bemused family look around the room. The mother smells burning and notices the unattended iron which has burnt a hole in the garment on the ironing board. On the ironing board is visiting card left by the magician "Demon Fuel representing The Ministry of Fuel and Power SW1".
Production Details: Ministry of Fuel and Power (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Paul Rotha Productions (Production company)
Cooper, Budge (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 130ft; Running time: 1 min 30 secs
