A Diary for Timothy
Encyclopedia
A Diary for Timothy is a British documentary film directed by Humphrey Jennings
. It was produced by Basil Wright
for the Crown Film Unit
.
The narration was written by the British author E. M. Forster
(spoken by Michael Redgrave
) and is account of the progress of the war during the first six months of the life of a baby named Timothy. The recoveries of a pilot with a broken leg and a miner with a broken arm are also featured. Dame Myra Hess
is featured giving a concert at the National Gallery in London, several years after her appearance in Listen to Britain, and John Gielgud
performs as the Prince in the gravediggers scene from Hamlet
.
In a documentary on Jennings made for Channel 4
television by Kevin MacDonald in 2000, it was revealed that the baby who was the subject of the film (Timothy James Jenkins) later moved to Brighton
in the 1960s and became a mod before settling down to become a teacher; he died in November 2000.
Humphrey Jennings
Frank Humphrey Sinkler Jennings was an English documentary filmmaker and one of the founders of the Mass Observation organization...
. It was produced by Basil Wright
Basil Wright
Basil Wright, , was a documentary filmmaker, film historian, film critic and teacher.-Biography:...
for the Crown Film Unit
Crown Film Unit
The Crown Film Unit was an organisation within the British Government's Ministry of Information during World War II. Formerly the GPO Film Unit it became the Crown Film Unit in 1940. Its remit was to make films for the general public in Britain and abroad...
.
The narration was written by the British author E. M. Forster
E. M. Forster
Edward Morgan Forster OM, CH was an English novelist, short story writer, essayist and librettist. He is known best for his ironic and well-plotted novels examining class difference and hypocrisy in early 20th-century British society...
(spoken by Michael Redgrave
Michael Redgrave
Sir Michael Scudamore Redgrave, CBE was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author.-Youth and education:...
) and is account of the progress of the war during the first six months of the life of a baby named Timothy. The recoveries of a pilot with a broken leg and a miner with a broken arm are also featured. Dame Myra Hess
Myra Hess
Dame Myra Hess DBE was a British pianist.She was born in London as Julia Myra Hess, but was best known by her middle name. At the age of five she began to study the piano and two years later entered the Guildhall School of Music, where she graduated as winner of the Gold Medal...
is featured giving a concert at the National Gallery in London, several years after her appearance in Listen to Britain, and John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
performs as the Prince in the gravediggers scene from Hamlet
Hamlet
The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, or more simply Hamlet, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1599 and 1601...
.
In a documentary on Jennings made for Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
television by Kevin MacDonald in 2000, it was revealed that the baby who was the subject of the film (Timothy James Jenkins) later moved to Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
in the 1960s and became a mod before settling down to become a teacher; he died in November 2000.