When the going was good
Sir: In the course of suggesting that all our post-war ills stem from Attlee's Labour government and the Beveridge reforms, Simon Heffer has some nice things to say about us film-makers at Ealing Studios (`Back to the bad old days', 7 August). As Michael Balcon's producer of The Blue Lamp, Kind Hearts and Coronets, and many other Ealing films, I would like to put on record that we were all enthusiastic sup- porters of Attlee and Beveridge at the time. We had seen the dreadful poverty of the 20s and 30s which we believed to have been largely due to privilege and private owner- ship. We had lived through the General Strike and the Hunger Marches and were resolved that this kind of Britain should be ended forever. If the Welfare State has since been abused it is subsequent govern- ments that are to blame — and most of them have been Conservative.
The success of Ealing was not something that occurs 'once in every two or three life- times' as Mr Heffer suggests. It can occur whenever creative people are offered the chance to develop and cross-fertilise their ideas under an inspired entrepreneur. The possibility of such a benign environment does not now exist in the British film indus- try or in ITV. Mr Heifer should consider why the dictates of the free market have such a devastating effect on creative art.
Is it too much to hope for another U-turn whilst there is still a glimmer of life left in two once proud industries — and before irrevocable damage is done to the BBC?
Michael Relph
The Lodge, Primrose Hill Studios, Fitzroy Road, London NW1
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