Other titles:LONDON (CITIES AT WAR) [Alternative Title]
Summary: A portrait of London during the Second World War.
Description: After an opening excerpt from the 1936 film THINGS TO COME, indicating what was anticipated in the next war, the film uses actuality material, excerpts from contemporary documentaries (eg FIRES WERE STARTED) and interviews to illustrate what actually happened. Although inevitably concentrating on the period 1939-41, the film continues to the war's end, with material on the V-weapon attacks, and VE Day. While not omitting tales of heroism, and traditionally near-nostalgic attitudes to the Blitz, the film retains a sense of impartiality, and includes episodes which are critical (eg on mistaken emphasis of Government preparations in 1939, or on the avoidability of the "Second Fire of London" in December 1940), amusing (eg Phoney War period advertisements), little-known (eg the community that spent the war camping in Epping Forest) or merely illustrative of everyday life. Commentary contributes good social insights - the Blitz "was the last great occasion when the middle classes were able to offer charity to the working class, and be readily accepted".
Alternative Title:LONDON (CITIES AT WAR) [Alternative Title]
Colour:B&W
Digitised:
Object_Number:MGH 315
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:NON-IWM
Featured Period:
Production Date:1968-11-12
Production Country: GB
Production Details: Granada Television (Production company)
Darlow, Michael (Production individual)
Darlow, Michael (Production individual)
Wooller, Mike (Production individual)
Vaughan, Dai (Production individual)
Ray, John (Production individual)
Wood, David (Production individual)
Walker, Peter (Production individual)
Ryan, Ted (Production individual)
Murray, Graham (Production individual)
Norman, Bruce (Production individual)
Sansom, William (Production individual)
Norman, Bruce (Production individual)
Goodliffe, Michael1914-10-011976-03-20 (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
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: 4
Footage: 5876 ft; Running time: 65 mins
