Halas & Batchelor: Robinson Charley (1948) | BFI National Archive

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No man is an island, but Charley represents his nation in this economical cartoon tale of Britain’s economics.
Meet Charley, the portrait of a nation. At the end of the 1940s the Central Office of Information commissioned Halas & Batchelor to make seven films about policies of the post-war Labour Government. Charley was cast as the figurehead of the campaign, learning about mining, farming, national insurance, and even schooling via a son at the end of the series. This episode looks at the Marshall Plan, and makes the most explicit link between character and country as his life story stands in for 270 years of British economic history.
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[@bigbarty8648]

A very enjoyable film.

[@LUKEBRUTEFORCE]

"property abroad" lol

[@gogojean007]

Any more snip and snap

[@barrybrewster1815]

So, what the devil went wrong Charlie ?

[@orange70383]

What about Charley sellin dope to the chinese.

[@willpoundstone71]

It's incredible how many excuses they made to not do the correct thing: devalue the goddamned pound! (which they eventually did)

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Well, the nation was still quite high up on that horse for a while. No doubt reality had to wear it's ugly head in anyway.