OUR MERCHANT SERVICE HEROES [Main Title]

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  • Title: OUR MERCHANT SERVICE HEROES [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 320
  • Other titles: GEORGE ROBEY VISITS THE MERCHANT SERVICE [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: A visit by the comedian George Robey to the crew of a recently torpedoed ship, on board another ship in dock, probably London, September 1918.
  • Description: Reporters wait outside a house, including a photographer who takes details from a young sailor. Robey emerges from the house in his normal clothes rather than costume, takes the sailor by the hand and leads him back indoors. After a while they re-emerge, Robey pointing out the camera to his companion. The film jump-cuts to Robey climbing the companionway ladder of a merchant ship and talking on deck with the sailors. He pets the ship's cat, and then catches hold of the captain as he passes, again pointing out the camera. The stokers, or "black squad" in a posed group stare at the camera. Robey looks out over the ship's side holding the cat. On deck again the officers pose in a group. Robey talks with crew members going about their work. The final shot, unlike Robey's behaviour throughout the visit, is intentionally comic - framed by a ship's lifebelt he pulls faces at the camera before flouncing off.
  • Alternative Title: GEORGE ROBEY VISITS THE MERCHANT SERVICE [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: IWM 320
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company) Davis, Wendy (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Robey, George (person) Merchant Marine (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: journalism and record, British - press (object name) ships, British civilian - cargo (object name) animals, mammals: cat (object name) propaganda, British - inspirational (object name) 31/3(41) (event) GB, England & London, E <docks> (geography) camera (concept)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 278 ft; Running time: 5 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 320

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
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