Summary: The industrial North and Midlands in Wartime.
Description: Opening views of countryside and cathedrals followed, for contrast, by industry. Sheffield (steelworkers, interview with one who is also an ARP warden). Lancashire (cotton workers, interview with roof-spotters). Liverpool ARP squad practice rescue work, women workers type, sort clothes. The "simplest, most difficult task of all" is described as "just staying put". Textile workers playing party-games in air-raid shelter, a Halle orchestra concert in Manchester conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent, Coventry bomb damage (with an interview with a WVS worker). Huddersfield choir shown, singing Handel's 'Messiah': "People who sing like that in times like these cannot be beaten." Film ends with a sequence based on the construction of a Whitley bomber to show Britain's power to hit back - "No-one with impunity troubles the heart of Britain."
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)
McAllister, Stewart (Production individual)
Fowle, H E (Production individual)
Holmes, Jack (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Sargent, Harold Malcolm Watts (person)
Air Raid Precautions (ARP) (regiment/service)
Halle Orchestra (regiment/service)
Women's Voluntary Service (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (object name)
arts, British - music: Handel, G F & Messiah (object name)
destruction, British military - area: bomb (object name)
industry, British - aircraft: Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (object name)
industry, British - clothing: textiles (object name)
industry, British - primary: steel (object name)
propaganda, British - inspirational (object name)
society, British - music: concert (object name)
society, British - precautionary: Air Raid Precautions (object name)
Coventry, Warwickshire, England, UK (geography)
Leeds, Yorkshire, England, UK (geography)
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, UK (geography)
Manchester, Lancashire, England, UK (geography)
Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, UK (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: 825 ft; Running time: 9 mins