Description:Report from Normandy which emphasises the great victory won by the Allies on the beaches, then shows scenes inland including the construction of temporary airfields, a view of "a representative of the Fighting French" speaking to crowds at Bayeux and the visits by Eisenhower with Marshall and Churchill with Montgomery, Smuts and Brooke to their respective sectors. Item uses German film of von Rundstedt and Rommel inspecting the "impregnable" Atlantic Wall to stress the achievement of the troops in overcoming the German coastal defences; commentary also compares Atlantic Wall to Maginot Line, powerless to stop the waves of Allied gliders (which now lie awkwardly in pieces in the countryside). Camera-gun film records strafing attacks on enemy supply trains and trucks (petrol tanks explode spectacularly). Reinforcements arrive on the beaches where captured Germans wade out to landing craft which will take them to England. Commentary makes no reference to de Gaulle as film covers an address by Robert Schuman to patriotic crowds in Bayeux; French reportedly consider Churchill their liberator. Smuts takes movie film of Churchill before British party board HMS Kelvin for homeward journey.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:S15 50
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM
Film: IWM
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1944-1944
Production Country:
Production Details:Ministry of Supply (Production sponsor)
British Paramount News (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics:Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details:35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 804 ft; Running time: 9 mins
