A compilation of classic original promotional films from the Austin archives remastered for DVD
Austin was one of the first British motor manufacturers to use moving film as a promotional tool. A complete programme of these short set-pieces would be shown to an invited audience at special Dealers’ evenings.
This Progress (1933) (59 minutes)
An ambitious and expensive production using some of the best technicians from the feature film world. This was one of the first industrial films to adopt the pioneering technique of ‘talkies’ (synchronised sound). It is a good example of a typical Dealers’ evening offering. First the history of Austin motoring is brought to life with re-creations using actors and historic vehicles. This is followed by a beautifully photographed documentary covering all aspects of production and assembly at Longbridge, from the foundry through to final assembly and dispatch. We are then taken, in the finished product, for an evocative period drive through deserted roads and villages to the South Coast. The final flourish is an address by Sir Herbert Austin himself, extolling us to buy British. To conclude, we leaf through the pages of the 1933 sales catalogue, from which the entire product range is brought to life on screen.
The Mighty Atom (1933) (10 minutes)
The versatility of the Austin Seven engine is comprehensively demonstrated, from competition cars on track and hill to miniature tractors on the farm, from yachts on lake and sea to motorbikes on the road.
Here’s to Beauty (1933) (10 minutes)
A detailed look behind the scenes at the design and construction of an Austin car body in the days before computer aided design.
Sam’s Investment (1937) (6 minutes)
An amusingly illustrated monologue by comedian Stanley Holloway. His famous character Sam has inherited a fortune of £100 from a relative, causing friends at his local club speculate on how he is going to invest his windfall.
Total running time 85 minutes approximately