Choosing films in wartime

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by Robert-w, Aug 11, 2020.

  1. Robert-w

    Robert-w Banned

    I recently went through the programmes for my local cinema for the war period. They had two programmes per week each with at least an A and a B picture and sometimes other 'shorts' as well so that's a lot of movies. By no means all war related - there was a significant amount of what I'd call light relief and escapism. However amongst the war related I was surprised at just how many were about spies and the activities of 5th columnists and saboteurs. If the films shown reflected reality there was an enemy agent around every corner! Most operating under the noses of the professional security forces until the hero tripped over them and outsmarted and exposed them.
    I'd like to know how typical was this selection of programmes. Did it reflect the general raft of pictures shown across the country or just local taste/paranoia or the whim of the cinema owner? I know that the Ministry of Information did not have tight control as I have found references to complaints by them about the number of humorous B movies being shown as they thought that the time would be better spent screening some of their informative films but they made little headway on this as the public preferred Tommy Trinder capturing a pocket battleship to tips on how to recycle milk bottle tops and win the war! However I can find very little on how films were actually distributed much less on what was shown at a typical cinema.
     
  2. papiermache

    papiermache Well-Known Member

    "The Battle of Agincourt is spectacularly displayed in this particular film, although, I believe, someone has said, the best actor was the horse."

    So said Dr. William Thomas, M.P. for Southampton, about "Henry V", released in November 1944. Interesting debate here about film quotas and the power of Hollywood.

    CINEMATOGRAPH FILMS (Hansard, 20 December 1944)
     

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