Summary: Laurence Olivier reads extracts from patriotic and inspirational prose and poetry against an illustrative montage of film.
Description: Camden's "Britannia" (title page) against views of British countryside - Milton's "Areopagitica" (Westminster Abbey bust) against RAF Cadets and a Hurricane fighter, and some film of bizarre Nazi leaders and ceremony - Blake's "Jerusalem" (birthplace plaque) against evacuees leaving London and playing in the country - Browning's "Home-thoughts from the sea" (page of book) against seascapes, Navy flag ceremonies, Nelson, and Gibraltar - Kipling's "The Beginnings" (Kipling's Tomb) against Blitz damage and an ARP funeral - Churchill's "Never Surrender" 4 June 1940 speech (Churchill inspecting troops) against St. Paul's Cathedral framed by wrecked house, Empire troops, and Parliament Square statue of Lincoln - Lincoln's Gettysburg Address against more film of Parliament Square and Cruiser tanks. Film ends with shots of servicemen and women in London.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Crown Film Unit (Production company)
Jennings, Humphrey (Production individual)
Dalrymple, Ian Murray1903-08-261989-03-28 (Production individual)
Olivier, Laurence19071989British actor; Laurence Kerr, preferred form Laurence Olivier. (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person)
British Army (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
Royal Navy (regiment/service)
Air Raid Precautions (ARP) (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Hawker Hurricane (object name)
armour, British - tank: Cruiser (object name)
arts, British - literature: Blake, William & Jerusalem (object name)
arts, British - literature: Browning, Robert & Home-thoughts from the Sea (object name)
arts, British - literature: Camden, William & Britannia (object name)
arts, British - literature: Kipling, Rudyard & The Beginnings (object name)
arts, British - literature: Milton, John & Aeropagitica (object name)
arts, United States - literature: Lincoln, Abraham & Gettysburg Address (object name)
ceremonies, British - display: military parade (object name)
ceremonies, British - event-related: funeral of ARP warden (object name)
destruction, British military - area: bomb (object name)
propaganda, British - inspirational (object name)
society, British - precautionary: evacuees (object name)
GB, England & London, EC <Saint Paul's Cathedral> (geography)
GB, England & London, SW <Parliament Square> (geography)
GB, England & London, SW <Westminster Abbey> (geography)
Gibraltar (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 703 ft; Running time: 8 mins
