Seeing Red

Directed by Annie Goldson (Brother Number One), this 1995 TV documentary explores the story of Cecil Holmes, who won Cold War notoriety in 1948 when he was smeared as a communist agent, while working as a director for the National Film Unit. This excerpt — the opening 10 minutes — revisits the infamous snatching of Holmes' satchel outside Parliament, his Palmerston North upbringing, war service, and the founding of the Government's National Film Unit. There are excerpts from a 1980 interview where Holmes describes his inspirations (including UK film Night Mail).

Curiously, public opinion was now swinging in my favour. I was taking on the appearance of an innocent, albeit misguided. On union instructions, I asked the police for my satchel with contents. Having been kept waiting for hours, I was blandly informed they had no trace of it ... we won the court case. I got my job back, and a year's back pay.

– Cecil Holmes on legal attempts to get his job back after the satchel incident, in his 1986 autobiography One Man's Way

Key Cast & Crew

Cecil Holmes

Subject

Annie Goldson

Director, Writer, Associate Producer

James Wallace

Producer

Todd Winlove

As: NFU filmmaker

Michael Bajko

As: NFU filmmaker

Seth Keen

As: NFU filmmaker