Title:FIGHTING ALLIES : Czechoslovaks in Britain [Main Title]
Film Number:CVN 209
Other titles:CZECHOSLOVAKS IN BRITAIN [Alternative Title]
Summary: Various contributions by Czechoslovaks in exile to Britain's war effort.
Description: The film is divided into 3 parts. First, men and women, including several with distinguished professional careers left behind them (a sculptor, an architect, several former secretaries), are shown engaged in labouring work, lumbering or farming. Second, those who carry on or recreate in Britain their former careers: doctors on convoy ships, factories producing a wide range of goods (torch batteries, soldering irons, silks, sequins, cigarette papers, gloves, manganese; also war equipment, fire engine pumps etc) incidentally benefiting industrially depressed areas of Britain. Production of the Bren gun ("wonder weapon") provides link to third group - Czech servicemen, training as soldiers, or serving in the RAF (Hurricanes, Wellington). Film closes with a montage of German occupation, Czech soldiers and workers, close-ups of faces, Czech flag and Benes: "How can the forces of tyranny and suppression triumph over such a spirit?"
Alternative Title:CZECHOSLOVAKS IN BRITAIN [Alternative Title]
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
British Movietone News (Production company)
Birt, Louise (Production individual)
Sanger, Gerald (Production individual)
Mitchell, Leslie (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Benes, Edvard (person)
Royal Air Force, Czechoslovak personnel (regiment/service)
Czechoslovak Army (?) (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Hawker Hurricane & [Czechoslovak] (object name)
aircraft, British - combat: Vickers Wellington (object name)
industry, British - general (object name)
industry, British - guns: Bren guns (object name)
propaganda, British - inspirational (object name)
society, Czechoslovak - friendship: Czechs in exile, Britain (object name)
society, British - friendship (object name)
society, British - precautionary (object name)
GB, England (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 808 ft; Running time: 9 mins
