:53:01
(Christie) Lerwick is the base
for the steam-driven fishing boats
:53:05
which are industrialising fishing.
:53:07
And of course this is one of
the big issues of this period.
:53:11
John Grierson made
a film called Drifters,
:53:15
which dealt with the new challenges
:53:18
to traditional fishing methods,
back in 1929.
:53:21
And fishing and its industrialisation
:53:24
was very much on the agenda
right through the '30s.
:53:27
So when we see Andrew signing up
with the skipper
:53:31
and we see that black trail
of smoke behind,
:53:35
this is something which
would've been quite evocative
:53:38
for most of the film's
original audience.
:53:42
It's even more evocative
for us today,
:53:44
as we face the end of fishing
from the Scottish islands.
:53:49
It's quite remarkable
to see the density of trawlers
:53:52
moored in Lerwick, back in 1936.
:54:00
(Schoonmaker-Powell)
Bill Paton, a solid Shetlander,
:54:03
whom Michael Powell discovered
on this film,
:54:06
and who would then become
Michael's right-hand
:54:09
during the rest
of his filming career
:54:12
was born and raised in this town.
:54:14
(Dialogue) He was.
:54:16
I'm glad to meet one of his folks,
so to speak.
:54:18
I'm glad I met you, Skipper.
:54:21
- I've a letter for you.
- You have?
:54:24
Aye. One of these little mail boats.
:54:27
I picked him up last Wednesday
off Sunborough Head.
:54:29
- Where is it?
- Back at the "damn trawler".
:54:33
(Both chuckle)