This has to be one of the best Pathé newsreel titles to be discovered in the archive so far! “LOOK AT WALES” it screams in Caps Lock before a damp and rain stricken terrain of nonplussed sheep. Forget the cheesy tourism videos that we see on our screens today, this 1956 colour video takes tourism to new sarcastic heights. Unless the narrator is completely genuine when he declares “The sons and daughters of these farms have made their mark on history, yet remain loyally, even obstinately Welsh”. The dramatic music takes the viewers on an almost spiritual tour of Wales, whilst treating us visually to every aspect of Welsh culture, no matter how miniscule or obscure. Perhaps Wales should take on this very English, very alternative, patronising and borderline xenophobic marketing stategy once more. The clip has certainly left me thirsty for a holiday along the 500 miles of freezing coastline.
Watch the vintage promotional video LOOK AT WALES yourself now and see what all the excitement is about.
British Pathé 