The Big Strike (1956)

Longbridge, Birmingham, West Midlands.



GV. Strikers and pickets assembled around the Austin Motor works at Longbridge, Birmingham. SV. Strikers parading with boards in circles as workers go past them into the factory. SV. Top view, strikers parading with boards as workers go past them into the factory. SV. Women holding boards "Be Men, Come Out" "Support Your Mates" "Be a Man, not a Blackleg". SV. Workers leaving factory after one of the shifts. GV. Strikers and pickets assembled round the gates trying to prevent cars containing workers from entering the building. SV. Pickets arguing with a driver of private car trying to get into factory. They succeed and push the car back and the pickets applaud. LV. Pan, Austin transporters carrying car bodies leaving the factory - a striker jumps on to the running board to try and stop the driver and get into his cabine. He cannot - the cabine door is locked. LV. Striker having a fight with a still photographer. Photographer falls onto the ground, other men join in. SV. Austin motor lorry trying to get through the strikers as they stand in front of the lorry. LV. Strikers forming procession with banners to prevent more lorries from entering. SV. Another lorry arriving to try and enter factory. SV. Strikers and pickets rushing round to the cabine of the lorry. SV. Strikers trying to hold back the lorry - one of the strikers falls down in front of the lorry to stop it moving forward - his mates rush forward and drag him away. Pan back as a general scrummage continues with the police around the lorry. CU. Two police dragging man away. SCU. Fighting continuing with the police, one man on the ground. SV. Police trying to hold another man, he falls to the ground and kicks frantically with his feet. He gets up. SCU. Another lorry arriving with strikers around the bonnet trying to push it back. CU. Pan, lorry manages to drive through the scrummage. One of the strikers opens the driver's door and others rush up to try and drag the driver out onto the road but they do not succeed and lorry manages to drive with its contests into the entrance of the car factory.



GV. Interior of factory, cars (Austins)on the assembly line. STV. Body of car swinging round on assembly line. GV. Cars being assembled in factory, also showing a large picture hanging from the roof, of London docks with the caption "The Ships are Waiting". LV. Cars being assembled in the assembly line. SV. Exterior, the Mosley lorry. The sign on the lorry reads "Mosley Stands For Workers". SCU. Strikers tear down the notice from the lorry and fighting commences with two fascists fighting the strikers who are trying to drag them down. One fascist is hitting them with hammer. SCU. Two fascists fighting away with the strikers who are trying to drag them down and turn over the lorry. One of the strikers manages to stand on the lorry and he tries to pull down the loud speaker. The strikers kicks the fascists in the stomach. Striker jumps down from the lorry. LV. The strikers trying to turn the lorry over by rocking it backwards and forwards. CU. Fighters with blood stained faces. GV. Strikers queuing up for and receiving holiday pay. SV. Strikers queuing up waiting to receive pay. SV. Strikers at the pay window. CU. Hands counting money, pan up to striker looking down. GV. Massed strike meeting in progress in Kalthorp Park. LV. Strikers listening to Mr Harry Bretherton speaking. GV. Strikers listening. LV. Strikers around improvised platform on lorry listening to Harry Bretherton, they start to applaud. LV. Gates being closed by two officials.



(Neg.) (Title Scene "B")
FILM ID:591.18

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