Diary for Timothy

Timothy Jenkins was born on 3rd September 1944; this is a diary for him, a diary of the world at war into which he was born, and the transition period from war to peace. For civilians in these stirring times, life went on; a renaissance of interest in the arts was demonstrated by the enthusiasm accorded performances by such artists as John Gielgud and Dame Myra Hess in factory canteens and service hostels. The film ends with a question for Timothy: “What is he going to do when he grows up to make the world a better place for other babies who will be born into it?”. None of the characters or even events in this diary are fictitious- in fact, not a foot of this film was shot in the studios. It is a true record of old, unhappy, but not-so-far-off things made for one who was too young at the time to know what was happening, so that he may review these events when he was older. The commentary was written by E. M. Forster and spoken by Michael Redgrave.