Synopsis:

Produced for the British gas board in order to publicise the new housing developments being built around the country, this film has become famous for its depiction of the working class as well as for its conventions of reportage, which had an enormous influence on subsequent documentaries.

It is possibly the first example of 'ordinary' people addressing the camera, and together with the immediacy of its access to the interiors of people's homes, it provided a model for reportage that endured through early television documentary. The film demonstrates the problem of inner-city slums before explaining the 'solution' of housing estates, complete with testimonials from former slum-dwellers to that effect. In retrospect, the optimism of the film was unfounded as existing communities were destroyed and the poor quality of the housing soon became apparent, and the voice-of-God narration has come to reflect the condescending if well-meaning intentions of those behind the schemes. However, as an example of the promise and power of documentary, it stands as a classic.