The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
Eileen and her show horse
Eileen and her show horse take to the ring as sidesaddle falls out of favour
In partnership with:
Overview
This is bespectacled Eileen happily riding her horse in a field at her home, at a meet and in competition accompanied by a male companion. Horse-riding is not the male preserve but riding astride, unless you were Joan of Arc, is considered improper for most women until the 1930s when jumping competitions become a popular sport. Women over 30 gain the right to vote in 1918 followed by women over 21 and with that new freedoms emerge.
Eileen doesn’t buy into the idea of riding sidesaddle. The downfall of the custom for women to ride sidesaddle is dramatic. Social change brought equestrian equality, this is why Eileen has a certain freedom about her rather like her female aviator contemporaries. Jodhpurs too are an important fashion statement from Northern India. By the time National Velvet (1944) came about starring Elizabeth Taylor as Velvet Brown in jodhpurs dreaming of winning the Grand National steeplechase while riding astride, children who could remember the change from sidesaddle to legs astraddle were adults and the film was a sensation and in the Oscar nominations.
Related
Watch for free
Wisdom of the Wild Wisdom of the Wild
Documentary 1940 12 mins
Fun mixture of natural history and wartime public information.
Watch for free
Dog Years Dog Years
Comedy 2004 4 mins
Sweet and funny short about a potty-mouthed dog who loves his owner
Watch for free
Beetle Racing Beetle Racing
News 1959 3 mins
Six legged competitors take to the starting blocks as a Midlands pub brings the sport of beetle racing to the world.
Watch for free
Alligator on Lizard Alligator on Lizard
Current affairs 1971 5 mins Location: St Keverne
Daisy the pet alligator living on the Lizard in Cornwall
Rent for £1.00
Anoop and the Elephant Anoop and the Elephant
Children's 1972 52 mins Director: David Eady
Fun-packed comedy for kids, in which a boy befriends a baby elephant – then teams up with his friends to stop it being sold
Watch for free
Open Your Eyes Open Your Eyes
Amateur film 1967 14 mins Location: Thompson Common
Should you look hard enough, you’ll be amazed at the antics that creatures get up to, says Dorothy Maxey, amateur filmmaker and naturalist.
Watch for free
Camping Holiday at Sennen Camping Holiday at Sennen
Home movie 1968 1 mins Silent Location: Sennen
Steady now as handheld captures camping holiday
Watch for free
Coastal Camping in Cornwall Coastal Camping in Cornwall
Home movie 1971 3 mins Silent Location: Sennen
Home movie maker films family in Cornish field
Watch for free
Beach Holiday at Sennen Cove Beach Holiday at Sennen Cove
Home movie 1930 9 mins Silent Location: Sennen
Holidays are close to home for the Parsons' family.
Watch for free
Holiday at Sennen Cove Holiday at Sennen Cove
Amateur film 1955 3 mins Silent Location: Sennen
Family enjoys the beach and a lunchtime pasty
Watch for free
Three Dogs in a Boat Three Dogs in a Boat
Amateur film 1930 2 mins Silent Location: Sennen
Sink or swim as Rub and his chums are set adrift
Watch for free
Parsons' Pets Parsons' Pets
Amateur film 1930 9 mins Silent Location: Sennen
A plethora of pets and their owners, the Parsons
Watch for free
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Watch for free
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Watch for free
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.
Watch for free
New Perspectives: Wings of Desire New Perspectives: Wings of Desire
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Trixie Parkin-Christie of Northumbria University offers fresh insight into why Wings of Desire remains essential viewing.