Night Mail

A night train departs from London and heads to Glasgow. However, instead of passengers, it carries dreams, hopes, lovers’ confessions, troubles and frustrations. We are in the mid-30s and the “Special Postal” train is the messenger of an entire nation’s post. This nostalgic homage praises the sacred duty of the British postal services, as well as the unselfishness of the unsung heroes, the diligent employees. In a heartwarming finale, the verses of the renowned poet W.H. Auden, written especially to suit the ending of the film, endow this British Documentary Movement gem with an almost transcendental aura.

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Script: Basil Charles Wright, Harry Watt, John Grierson

Cinematography: Jones & Fowle

Editing: Basil Charles Wright, Richard Q. McNaughton

Music: Benjamin Britten

Production: GPO Film Unit

Producers: John Grierson, Basil Charles Wright, Harry Watt

Narration: Stuart Legg & John Grierson

Format: Digital File

Color: B&W

Production Country: UK

Production Year: 1936

Duration: 24'

Contact: British Film Institute

Harry Watt

Filmography

1934 Song of Ceylon (short)
1936 Night Mail (co-direction, short)
1938 The Face of Scotland (short)
1951 Waters of Time (short)
1959 Greece: The Immortal Land
1960 A Place For Gold (short)

Basil Charles Wright

Filmography

1934 Song of Ceylon (co-direction, short)
1936 Night Mail (co-direction, short)
1945 This Was Japan (short)
1951 Waters of Time (co-direction, short)
1959 Greece: The Immortal Land (short)
1960 A Place For Gold (short)