DB7

Not everything is black and white and some films fall into a grey area with regards to interpretations of propaganda. I tend to regard many as flagwavers rather than overt propaganda designed educate or indoctrinate.

A Pemberton

totally agree [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Steve Crook

Just because we're having a fairly vigorous discussion doesn't mean we're against you - far from it. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif[/img]

Steve

samkydd

From what I can remember from the Forever Ealing book (my copy is missing) in the early years of the war a lot of "propaganda" film output was distributed not only in the UK but also in the USA and it was very popular with American cinemagoers, particularly after the Americans joined the war.

These weren't propaganda films in the true sense of the word, but more that film makers were latching on to what the public wanted to see and was a purely commercial undertaking which was also a morale booster with people . In films like Next of Kin it also increased awareness with people of the threat of Nazi spies infiltrating society, "Careless Talk Costs Lives" being the slogan of the day, whilst at the same time being entertaining.

UK cinema audiences rose from 19 million a week in 1939 to over 30 million in 1945 because many evening activities such as floodlit football, greyhound racing etc were restricted because of the blackout, and so films were big business.

The government vetted films, but as far as I can tell they contributed no money and offered no tax incentives to the film makers for making this type of film! They did however commission documentary information films which made Joe Public aware of various aspects of the war effort, and they were shown in cinemas presumably before the main feature; life in the Women's Land Army, The Home Guard, recycling saucepans to make Spitfires, whatever.

Actors often cut their film teeth appearing in such films like Gordon Jackson, and over the pond unknowns like Steve McQueen and Charles Bronson also did some military information films (post war though I think).

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

Rob Compton

sam

The public information films you mention are absolutely fascinating, and really give a flavour of the times. The only time I have seen them broadcast on TV was on Leslie Halliwell's fabulous war series of British films years ago on C4. They interspersed feature films with shorts like Food Flashes, the Five inch bather film and wonderful short films like A Diary for Timothy.

Apart from the latter - which I know has just been released in the Humphrey Jennings collection, are any of the public information films available anywhere else? - what a great series of DVD releases they would make!

rgds
Rob

Rob Compton

Just bringing this thread up to the top of the tree again, just to see if anyone has any ideas on where the short Ministry of Information films from WW2 might be found these days?

Also, many thanks to Jim [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clapping.gif[/img] who has pointed me in the direction of my favourite film composer (Vaughan Williams) film music CD's - I've now obtained them, and one of them is the score of the film "The People's Land". This was made in colour in 1943 by Strand Films, and was about the work of the National Trust - an especially British form of propaganda! I'd love to see it as well - any ideas anyone?

rgds
Rob

Rob Compton

Answering my own question, to some extent, (sad!) I have discovered this site www.panamint.co.uk who have a wonderful collection of archive film - take a look, if you are at all interested in the subject. They also have a number of feature films.

No connection with them - I just think such a venture really needs supporting [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clapping.gif[/img]

rgds
Rob

PS still looking for others, like Food Flashes from wartime!

DB7

There's a few specialist suppliers, think another is Beulah (http://www.eavb.co.uk)

The films from Jennings, Jackson, Leacock, Lee, Asquith should be available with a bit of scouting.

Wetherby Pond

The Imperial War Museum's film library is probably your best bet, but I think they only rent them out for educational purposes.