Before Hindsight (1977)

Newsreels from the '30s constitute the bulk of this fascinating documentary, clearly illustrating that the public was fed an extremely biased view of events: straight propaganda, the stricture to provide entertainment, and the attempt to be objective all contributing to this. Lewis and producer Elizabeth Taylor-Mead have constructed their argument well, but it is Jonathan Dimbleby's brief comments towards the end that contain the crucial lesson: forty years on, the same forces work to distort our view of Northern Ireland. The film only indicates this to be the case, but it is precise and coherent enough to make the point with considerable force.

Director: Jonathan Lewis
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 82 min
Release Date:

Cast

Cinematography: Roger Deakins
Editing: Jonathan Lewis
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Jonathan Lewis
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Before Hindsight about?
Newsreels from the '30s constitute the bulk of this fascinating documentary, clearly illustrating that the public was fed an extremely biased view of events: straight propaganda, the stricture to provide entertainment, and the attempt to be objective all contributing to this. Lewis and producer Elizabeth Taylor-Mead have constructed their argument well, but it is Jonathan Dimbleby's brief comments towards the end that contain the crucial lesson: forty years on, the same forces work to distort our view of Northern Ireland. The film only indicates this to be the case, but it is precise and coherent enough to make the point with considerable force.
Who directed Before Hindsight?
Before Hindsight was directed by Jonathan Lewis.
Who stars in Before Hindsight?
Before Hindsight stars Edgar Anstey, Mark James Walter Cameron, Jonathan Dimbleby, George Elvin, Leslie Mitchell, Ivor Montagu.
How long is Before Hindsight?
Before Hindsight has a runtime of 1h 22m (82 minutes).
What genre is Before Hindsight?
Before Hindsight is a Documentary film.
Where was Before Hindsight produced?
Before Hindsight was produced in United Kingdom.