One of the landmarks of British documentary film, the short film Housing Problems (1935) depicts the plight of people living in overcrowded and dilapidated housing. It is a slum clearance propaganda film and one worth thinking about. (It was funded by The Gas Light and Coke Company, though no overt gas use propaganda is in the film; but it’s not difficult to see how the filmmakers could interest them in a film about a massive new housing construction scheme.)
The Stepney (London Borough of Tower Hamlets) residents, speaking directly to the camera, recount the stories of their deprivations. Mr. Norwood is “not only overrun with bugs,” but also mice and rats. And Mrs. Hill speaks of the filth and the vermin.
Here is a useful partial transcript of Mrs. Hill’s strangely affecting statement:
We went to see the new houses, and they’re lovely. But here, it gets on your nerves, for everything’s filthy: dirty, filthy walls, and the vermin in the walls is wicked. I’ll tell you, we’re fed up.
Yes, and guess who makes a cameo?
This film is available in a DVD from the BFI; not in the US however.
But a sizeable clip is up on youtube. If you are going to watch it, the bit with Mrs. Hill and old Cimex l. starts around the 3:31 mark.
How exactly were people moved to their new homes? What was the bed bug “disinfestation” process? We’ll consider that next.
These pages may be of related interest:
