British War Films Daily Mail DVD Giveaway

[Steve Crook]

Originally Posted by Rob Compton That's very interesting, Steve, I wasn't aware of the situation re Elisabeth Bergner - have you any more information on what happened when she fled to the US? What was MP's reaction, for example? rgds Rob

He probably said "Oh, she's gone. Never mind, we'll use someone else" and then he found young Glynis Johns.

I don't know that those were his exact words but I wouldn't imagine that he would have been too upset. He was used to working with actors and he was used to their strange ways. He also understood the Nazi threat and how people who knew about it felt about it. A lot of the people he worked with were emigres from Europe who had left there because of the Nazis.

The other story about Bergner is that initially the Hutterites were only too happy to assist with the filming until one day Bergner was spotted by a Hutterine woman smoking and painting her nails, which so incensed the woman that she slapped Bergner full in the face. Filming was halted until Powell pleaded with the community to let them continue.

Other bits of trivia about the film:
* Michael Powell forgot that Newfoundland was a Crown Colony and not a part of Canada, and when they moved the full-sized submarine model there it was impounded by Customs & Excise, which demanded that import duty be paid. The matter was finally resolved when Powell appealed to the Governor of Newfoundland, citing their work for the war effort. Newfoundland finally became a Canadian province in 1949.

* The opening narration "I see a long straight line athwart a continent..." was read by Vincent Massey. The elder brother of Raymond, Vincent was then the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, (future Governor General of Canada, the first to have been born in Canada). Vincent also helped get a lot of assistance from the Canadian government, like the use of those RCAF planes to bomb the submarine.

* Of all of P&P's "wartime" films (made during or after the war), this was the only one that had any financial support from the government. The government stumped up about half the money, Rank provided the rest.

* The British national press complained about the film's sympathetic portrayal of Nazis. Emeric Pressburger's rebuttal was that there must be reasonable Germans as well as ruthless ones. Michael Powell joined in by writing a letter to The Times, defending the film's stance. At any rate, it didn't impede the film's success - it was the biggest grossing film in the UK in 1941, and the biggest grossing British film to date in the US.

* All of the opening travelogue was shot by Freddie Young with a handheld camera out the windows of trains, cars and planes.

* Raymond Massey, Leslie Howard and Laurence Olivier all agreed to work for half their usual fee for the war effort.

* Raymond Lovell nearly drowned in the scene where the seaplane crashes in the lake as he couldn't swim and the plane sunk a lot quicker than anticipated.

* Esmond Knight was first choice to play Lieutenant Hirth, but he had enlisted in the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war.

* Anton Walbrook donated half his fee to the International Red Cross.

* Commissioned by the Ministry of Information to raise worldwide awareness (American in particular) of the Nazi threat. However, it was intended for Canadian consumption also, as many French Canadians did not want to be at war with Germany and did not want to fight. Vichy France was an ally of Nazi Germany, and many French Candians in Quebec were pro-German. One of the reasons Laurence Olivier, the biggest star in the film, played a French Canadian tapper named Johnny who tells the Nazi officer he is a "Canadian" in the film and not "French" was that it was intended also as propaganda to promote pro-British feeling in Quebec. When Canada resorted to conscription to swell the ranks of its Army, there were draft riots throughout Quebec, so intense was the feeling against the United Kingdom, which of course had subjugated New France less than 200 years before. Anti-war sentiment was so rife throughout Canada, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King declared that only volunteers would be shipped off to Europe.

* Emeric Pressburger said, "Goebbels considered himself a master of propaganda but I'd thought I'd show him a thing or two". Ironically, Pressburger's status in Britain at the time was as an enemy alien, so when he returned from filming in Canada he found himself imprisoned and threatened with deportation. Thanks to the intervention of Michael Powell and the Ministry of Information, this did not happen.

* While some people may think that this film was inspired by Franz von Werra's escape from a Canadian POW camp as portrayed in The One That Got Away (1957). Von Werra wasn't sent to Canada until Jan '41 and his escape wasn't reported until he got back to Germany in April '41. This film was written as Powell & Pressburger went to Canada in late '40 and production was under way by Jan '41. Powell & Pressburger wouldn't have heard about von Werra until the film was almost completed.

Steve

[stevie boy]

Originally Posted by Steve Crook He probably said "Oh, she's gone. Never mind, we'll use someone else" and then he found young Glynis Johns. I don't know that those were his exact words but I wouldn't imagine that he would have been too upset. He was used to working with actors and he was used to their strange ways. He also understood the Nazi threat and how people who knew about it felt about it. A lot of the people he worked with were emigres from Europe who had left there because of the Nazis. The other story about Bergner is that initially the Hutterites were only too happy to assist with the filming until one day Bergner was spotted by a Hutterine woman smoking and painting her nails, which so incensed the woman that she slapped Bergner full in the face. Filming was halted until Powell pleaded with the community to let them continue. Other bits of trivia about the film: * Michael Powell forgot that Newfoundland was a Crown Colony and not a part of Canada, and when they moved the full-sized submarine model there it was impounded by Customs & Excise, which demanded that import duty be paid. The matter was finally resolved when Powell appealed to the Governor of Newfoundland, citing their work for the war effort. Newfoundland finally became a Canadian province in 1949. * The opening narration "I see a long straight line athwart a continent..." was read by Vincent Massey. The elder brother of Raymond, Vincent was then the Canadian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, (future Governor General of Canada, the first to have been born in Canada). Vincent also helped get a lot of assistance from the Canadian government, like the use of those RCAF planes to bomb the submarine. * Of all of P&P's "wartime" films (made during or after the war), this was the only one that had any financial support from the government. The government stumped up about half the money, Rank provided the rest. * The British national press complained about the film's sympathetic portrayal of Nazis. Emeric Pressburger's rebuttal was that there must be reasonable Germans as well as ruthless ones. Michael Powell joined in by writing a letter to The Times, defending the film's stance. At any rate, it didn't impede the film's success - it was the biggest grossing film in the UK in 1941, and the biggest grossing British film to date in the US. * All of the opening travelogue was shot by Freddie Young with a handheld camera out the windows of trains, cars and planes. * Raymond Massey, Leslie Howard and Laurence Olivier all agreed to work for half their usual fee for the war effort. * Raymond Lovell nearly drowned in the scene where the seaplane crashes in the lake as he couldn't swim and the plane sunk a lot quicker than anticipated. * Esmond Knight was first choice to play Lieutenant Hirth, but he had enlisted in the Royal Navy at the outbreak of war. * Anton Walbrook donated half his fee to the International Red Cross. * Commissioned by the Ministry of Information to raise worldwide awareness (American in particular) of the Nazi threat. However, it was intended for Canadian consumption also, as many French Canadians did not want to be at war with Germany and did not want to fight. Vichy France was an ally of Nazi Germany, and many French Candians in Quebec were pro-German. One of the reasons Laurence Olivier, the biggest star in the film, played a French Canadian tapper named Johnny who tells the Nazi officer he is a "Canadian" in the film and not "French" was that it was intended also as propaganda to promote pro-British feeling in Quebec. When Canada resorted to conscription to swell the ranks of its Army, there were draft riots throughout Quebec, so intense was the feeling against the United Kingdom, which of course had subjugated New France less than 200 years before. Anti-war sentiment was so rife throughout Canada, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King declared that only volunteers would be shipped off to Europe. * Emeric Pressburger said, "Goebbels considered himself a master of propaganda but I'd thought I'd show him a thing or two". Ironically, Pressburger's status in Britain at the time was as an enemy alien, so when he returned from filming in Canada he found himself imprisoned and threatened with deportation. Thanks to the intervention of Michael Powell and the Ministry of Information, this did not happen. * While some people may think that this film was inspired by Franz von Werra's escape from a Canadian POW camp as portrayed in The One That Got Away (1957). Von Werra wasn't sent to Canada until Jan '41 and his escape wasn't reported until he got back to Germany in April '41. This film was written as Powell & Pressburger went to Canada in late '40 and production was under way by Jan '41. Powell & Pressburger wouldn't have heard about von Werra until the film was almost completed. Steve

thanks for that info,steve

[Rob Compton]

Fascinating stuff, many thanks Steve

rgds
Rob

[Captain Viking]

Is there some way of passing on 17 unwanted tokens, plus coupons? I don't want any money for them. Sorry if this sort of post is verboten.

[stevie boy]

I picked up the Way Ahead which concludes this fantastic series. 23 films with perhaps one turkey(Escape to Athena).

[christoph404]

Originally Posted by stevie boy I picked up the Way Ahead which concludes this fantastic series. 23 films with perhaps one turkey(Escape to Athena).

yeah, its a bit of a Turkey but I think it was made in Greece! Its quite picturesque to look at though, the director made the most of the helicopter they must have hired for the shoot as 90% of the film is sweeping and lovingly composed arial shots of the coastline! And its a bit like a Christmas Panto film with all your favorite stars making fools of themselves in daft roles, but you are right about it being the odd one out in a set of quality films.

[dremble wedge]

Originally Posted by christoph404 yeah, its a bit of a Turkey but I think it was made in Greece! Its quite picturesque to look at though, the director made the most of the helicopter they must have hired for the shoot as 90% of the film is sweeping and lovingly composed arial shots of the coastline! And its a bit like a Christmas Panto film with all your favorite stars making fools of themselves in daft roles, but you are right about it being the odd one out in a set of quality films.

I think the pantomimic quality is what I like about it. It's familiar rubbish, ideal for viewing on an afternoon around Christmastime!

[john audley]

I have been solidly collecting all of those ruddy tokens but for some mystic reason last Friday
is missing. Could anyone help please??

[maninasuitcase]

Originally Posted by john audley I have been solidly collecting all of those ruddy tokens but for some mystic reason last Friday is missing. Could anyone help please??

Was it Friday May 2nd's copy you need? If so, I have dug it out of the recycling. PM me if you are interested.

[john audley]

Originally Posted by maninasuitcase Was it Friday May 2nd's copy you need? If so, I have dug it out of the recycling. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks so much!!! I have only just notice this posting and, would you believe, I went to a car boot sale today and picked up the complete set for 50p a copy