HJ
Photo of Humphrey Jennings

Humphrey Jennings

Director, Writer, Editor, Producer, Actor, Additional Credits
Born August 19, 1907Died September 24, 1950 (43 years)
Frank Humphrey Sinkler Jennings (19 August 1907 – 24 September 1950) was an English documentary filmmaker, celebrated for his poetic and visually striking portrayals of British life during World War II. A co-founder of the Mass Observation social research organization, Jennings blended avant-garde techniques with a deep sense of national identity, creating films that captured the resilience and spirit of the British people. His most acclaimed works, including Listen to Britain (1942), Fires Were Started (1943), and A Diary for Timothy (1945), showcase his unique ability to fuse documentary realism with lyrical storytelling. Film critic and director Lindsay Anderson described him as "the only real poet that British cinema has yet produced."

Known For

  • Listen to Britain
  • Fires Were Started
  • A Diary for Timothy
  • London Can Take It!
  • Words for Battle
  • Spare Time
  • The Silent Village
  • Family Portrait
  • Farewell Topsails
  • The First Days
  • The Dim Little Island
  • A Defeated People
  • The True Story of Lili Marlene
  • Making Fashion
  • Spring Offensive
  • The Cumberland Story

Filmography

Take Plex everywhere

Watch free anytime, anywhere, on almost any device.
See the full list of supported devices