Main content

A moving film about people who live below the poverty line and their struggle to keep afloat. (1972)

A moving film about people who live below the poverty line and their struggle to keep afloat.

In the London Borough of Southwark the tenants of Chaucer House, a decrepit half-way house for homeless families, reach breaking point. Angry that once more Southwark had failed to deliver on their promise to tear down the flat block and provide adequate alternative accommodation they stage a demonstration and wait for the officials next move. At the heart of their demonstration is a plea for better housing, better treatment, more understanding and above all a better future.

This highly acclaimed documentary examines the way the officials deal, not only with the tenants of Chaucer, but with those living on or below the poverty line - people subjected daily to interrogation, investigation - those who seem to have been rejected by society. Following the release of the documentary Chaucer House was demolished a year later. (1972)

Available now

1 hour, 12 minutes

Last on

Sun 19 Nov 1972 14:55

大象传媒 Four Classic Documentaries Collection

大象传媒 Four Classic Documentaries Collection
This programme is part of Classic Documentaries, ground-breaking gems from the archive and exclusive to 大象传媒 iPlayer.


About 大象传媒 Four Collection programmes

Programmes are selected, in part, for their historical context and reflect the broadcast standards and attitudes of their time, which may not accord to some current 大象传媒 editorial guidelines. We aim to select programmes which can be shown in their entirety but in some cases edits are required.

Credits

Role Contributor
Narrator Peter Myers
Producer Paul Watson

Broadcasts

Featured in...