Summary: Second World War British Ministry of Information newsreel trailer, for screening in Scotland only, encouraging civilians to help farmers with the summer fruit picking, the autumn grain harvest and the early winter potato crop.
Description: The film opens with of a farmer driving along a street in a small Scottish town in a pony trap. The commentary (with an English accent) notes that Farmer Grant looks worried and that he has not got all his forms filled in as yet. Farmer Grant stops his trap at the side of the pavement and calls school children, men and women over to listen to him speak. The commentary continues (a different voice with a Scottish accent) as if Farmer Grant was speaking "This year we Scottish farmers and fruit growers will need more help than ever from you townsfolk for the harvests". The commentary then describes the work; late July and early August soft fruit picking (brief shots of children picking fruit, probably raspberries), mid August and September harvesting grain (brief shot of workers in a field loading sheaths of grain on to a horse-drawn cart) and October and November lifting the potato crop (brief shot of rotatory potato harvester at work in a field). The commentary continues noting that some 80,000 people are needed for the work, travel within Scotland is paid for, board and lodging is arranged at farms and hostels and it is a fine healthy job which will do everyone "a world of good" especially the children who will be well looked after. The commentary appeals direct to the audience "don't forget it means a bit of extra money - you'll come won't you!" The film ends with the caption FULL DETAILS ABOUT HARVEST HELP CAN BE OBTAINED FROM YOUR LOCAL EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE with the commentary "Without your help we would never get all the crops in and that would mean.." (ends abruptly).
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR SCOTLAND (Production sponsor)
Allen Harper Productions (Production company)
Harper, Allen (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: 121 ft; Running time: 1 min 20 secs
