World of Plenty

World of Plenty is a 1943 British documentary film directed by Paul Rotha for the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. It was written by Eric Knight, Rotha and John Boyd Orr and discusses problems with, and possible improvements to, global food distribution.^[1][2]

World of Plenty
Directed by	Paul Rotha
Written by	Eric Knight Paul Rotha John Boyd Orr
Produced by	Yvonne Fletcher
Cinematography	Wolfgang Suschitzky
Music by	William Alwyn
Production company	Paul Rotha Productions
Running time	43 mins
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Synopsis

An opening narration explains that the film's purpose is to examine the "world strategy of food", in terms of its production, distribution and consumption. Following the principles of dialectical montage at both the level of detail and of overall structure, the film is divided into three major parts: "Food – As It Was" (prewar), "Food – As It Is" (during the war) and "Food – As It Might Be" (looking forward to the postwar era).

Cast

• Eric Knight as man in the street commentator
• Marjorie Rhodes as housewife
• E.V.H. Emmett as newsreel commentator
• John Boyd Orr
• Otto Neurath as themes/Isotype designs commentator
• Lord Horder
• Henry Hallatt as commentator
• L.V. Easterbrook
• Robert St. John as commentator

Reception

The Monthly Film Bulletin wrote: "Rotha has developed a new interesting discussion technique of presentation of a subject such as this, and the intellectual interest never flags. Facts and views have been assembled from many sources, and the whole compounded into an outstanding example of statement by film showing the arguments for adopting a certain line of government policy and making its accomplishment seem perhaps too easy a matter."^[3]

Kine Weekly wrote: "Highly interesting documentary dealing af with food problems before, during and after the war. It is presented in a very ingenious manner from the script by Paul Rotha and the late Eric Knight. ... Excellently planned diagrams give concise explanation of various points. Altogether a notable documentary."^[4]