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Title: STEALING AWAY TO STORNOWAY

Reference number: 2309

Date: 1937

Director: filmed by R.V. Brown

Sound: silent

Original format: 16mm

Colour: bw

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 14:05 mins

Description: Steamer journey from Mallaig to Stornoway, with views of Skye, the standing stones at Callanish, black houses and the Hospital Carnival in Stornoway.

Some sequences from EILEAN AN FHRAOICH included.

Shotlist: [Shotlisted from VHS copy at 18 fps]

Credits. (0.06) brief aerial shot of coast (0.09) Greeting at Mallaig people standing on the pier; c/u telegraph moved to half, then full, intercut with shots of ferry leaving; (0.48) c/u feet stepping off the gang way; pan over island horizon (1.20) The exchange of passengers keeps things busy. overhead ms passengers waking past cargo to take seats on the boat, with passengers looking on; boat leaving (1.47) c/u hands on steering wheel; seagull; view through porthole; ls coastline; rope is cast onto pier (2.18) At Kyle, we change to a Pocket Liner. ls towards Lochalsh Hotel; luggage is unloaded via a slide; a square tin containing film is carefully slid down the chute (2.34) "What's on at Stornoway Talkies?" the tin is carried away; more luggage and newspapers are unloaded; "Lochness" leaves; c/u ensign as ship leaves harbour; shots of houses on the coast (3.30) Skimming up the coast of Skye. Applecross Ferry. shots of boat meeting the ship to pick up passengers and cargo, including bicycles; shots of activity on deck, c/u "Loch Ness" lifebelt; gvs Stornoway from water (4.09) ls Lewis castle; baskets of fish being unloaded into open casks with salt; fish gutting; fish packed into barrels, sealed and stencilled label applied; brief shot Stornoway street (5.32) On occasion, they can deal with enormous quantities. pan over hundreds of stacked barrels; (5.50) brief [shaky] tracking shots of fields, women working.; CALLERNISH, and standing stones. Believed to be a druidical circle. BLACK HOUSES one preserved by the National Trust. gvs road and black house. Visitors walking amongst the standing stones. (6.45) Wall ducking: they learn young. Children standing behind a wall. gvs blackhouses and walls. (7.04) Doune Carloway with historical beehive dwelling. Near here we witness the weaving of the famous Harris tweed. gvs Dun Carloway broch on outcrop above cluster of newer houses. Washing on lines. int. shots as small boy turns handle on spinning machine. Youth at weaving loom. (7.57) Deserted washing. Shy laundry-maids disappeared behind wall.; Tubs of steaming water, wash boards and piles of washing on rocks, but no-one in view. (8.07) Tourists, interested in a small working water-mill. gvs visitors walking outside. (8.22) Shawbost. The rugged coast abounds in rock formation. gvs coast, four girls standing by a wall. (8.47) Back in Stornoway we join the Hospital Carnival. Shots of floats, street and people in fancy dress; girl collects pennies in her donations tin (9.34) Tomorrrow is Sunday. Everything spick and span. fish gutters scraping buckets clean; laundry blowing in the wind; Men working on deck of boat repairing nets; c/u net mending (10.32) As evening falls we leave with a promise of a return and slip through the night. [Dark] Steamer leaving. (11.11) Dawn breaks; we arrive in Mallaig and on the Highland Railway revel in scenes such as these. gvs from train of fields with hay stooks, hill ranges, a loch and woodlands along the rail-line, with occasional shots towards the loco at the head of the train. (13.13) further tracking shots; passing through a station; hill sides (14.01) ecs (14.05)