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Mr.........Goes Motoring

Deceptively simple early animated ad for Shell petrol

Advert 1925 3 mins Silent

Overview

H.M. Bateman's cartoons for Punch magazine made him one of the most celebrated artists of the 1920s and 1930s. He was best known for "The Man Who...", a series of drawings satirising class and morals by making comedy from social faux pas. This film was based on a set of 14 colour posters commissioned from Bateman by Shell, featuring the character 'Mr Wiseman' and running through a series of emotions - jubilation, determination, etc.

The animation was produced by the Australian David Barker. Barker and Bateman would collaborate again on The Boy Who Wanted to Make Pictures, made for Kodak and also available on BFI Player.

Subjects