Sir Sean Connery's shipbuilding documentary re-released

They go as far back as the Queen Mary’s launch in 1936, won an Oscar and can claim James Bond as a director, but now these Tales of the Shipyard are brought back to life for the Glasgow Film Festival, reports STV.

Three films charting the history of Glasgow’s shipyards are to be collected for a special release DVD and screened as part of the Glasgow Film Festival. Among the films is Scotland’s first Oscar winner and the legendary Sean Connery’s only directorial feature.

The first in the Tales of the Shipyard collection is Seaward the Great Ships, which won an Oscar in 1962 for the Best Live Action Short.

It charts the process of shipbuilding and the techniques that are used, but for Scottish Screen Archive curator Ruth Washbrook it is more than that: “It’s so poetic how it’s shot and the rich colour really does bring it alive nad give it a sense of glory.”

The second film, The Bowler and the Bunnet, is Sean Connery’s witty and optimistic view of a shipbuilding future that tragically never developed. Shot in 1967 for Scottish Television it’s a thoughtful look at the industry that defined a city.

“Glasgow,” begins Sean. “If you want extremes, this is your place. The cradle of the industrial revolution and maybe the graveyard of the same thing. The Clyde made Glasgow, and Glasgow made the Clyde. Scottish engineering genius made this skyline out of nothing.”

Ruth Washbrook said of the film: “This was shown in July, 1967, but hasn’t actually been seen that much since.

“It’s a nice film actually because it’s got a bit of wit in it. It’s got a real sense of the community. It was filmed at Fairfield shipyards and it did try and promote an optimistic view of what could have been Scotland’s shipbuilding future. It’s just sad that obviously that didn’t happen.”

The final film in the collection is probably the most unmistakeable footage of the Clyde’s past. Queen Mary Leaving the Clyde was filmed in 1936 but has been newly restored to reveal this great ocean-going wonder in all its glory.

“I think it’s incredibly important to preserve the films that are held in the film archive,” said Ruth. “It brings you into this living, breathing past, so the young people can really learn about this heritage.

“Scotland did have this fantastic industrial might at one point. It was a world leader really at that time so we hope that as many people as possible will be able to see these magnificent films.”

Discuss this news here...