Cirrus@Austlit

'Most discussion of the career of Cecil Holmes focuses, understandably, on the 30-year body of work he completed after migrating to Australia from New Zealand in 1949. Those who comment on Holmes’ much shorter stint in the New Zealand film industry are generally preoccupied with his infamous sacking from the National Film Unit (NFU) only three weeks after Weekly Review no. 374: The Coaster (1948) was released. Holmes became both persona non grata and a martyr to the leftist or socialist cause for his role in leading the first public service strike in New Zealand. Controversy over these events and the actions taken by the Labour Government of the time centred on the manner in which knowledge and evidence of Holmes’ involvement was attained and circulated. A satchel he’d left in one of the NFU’s cars contained both a letter of instruction to the leader of the union and Holmes’ Communist Party membership card. This was purloined by individuals close to the government and leaked to the press. Although Holmes was subsequently reinstated and back paid after a period of twelve months out of work, he quickly left his birth country for Australia, never to return again.'  (Introduction)