The Epping Forest MA filled Kensington Town Hall on the evening of December 9th, when the club put on a programme of nine motor-racing films, including the world premiere of the Clarke Film Unit’s Grand Prix du Reims (1957). Many celebrities, including Hawthorn and Lewis-Evans, watched the show, which was notable for presenting only GP films — no sports-car racing.

After an advertising film incorporating some instructive servicing data about Girling disc brakes, we saw an excellent colour film of hero Donald Campbell raising the Water Speed Record at Nevada in his jet-propelled Bluebird. This was followed by Castrol’s film of the 1957 Monaco GP, which caught the atmosphere of Monte Carlo with shots of the scenery, the bathing beauties and H.S.H Prince Rainier arriving for the start of the race. Although some of this film makes the cars travel at impossible speeds, this is counterbalanced by some very effective cornering scenes taken from above the course.

Two cartoons led to the Shell film of last year’s GP d’Europe, described elsewhere, and then D. A. Clarke, ex-Frazer-Nash driver, introduced his colour film of the Reims GP, which, he said, was shot on a shoe-string. We have seen better motor-racing films but this one is outstanding for excellent long-distance ‘panned’ views of the cars, with correct sound effects and some interesting but all-too-brief slow-motion cornering sequences.

There followed a particularly fine black-and-white Shell film of the Golden Jubilee Isle Of Man motor-cycle TT and a high-quality Standard Motor Co. film of TR3s collecting the Team Prize in the 1956 Alpine Rally. The latter was notable because other makes besides those of the sponsors were seen and described very fairly—although we don’t think the commentator is particularly partial to Rapiers! Now you know what to look for at forthcoming winter club socials. — W. B.