London Can Take It!

The GPO Film Unit was set up in 1933 with the principal aim of producing short documentary films publicising the work of the British General Post Office; the famous "Night Mail" is perhaps their best-known such film. During the thirties, however, they also made a number of documentaries on other subjects, such as "North Sea" about the fishing industry. After the outbreak of war in 1939 the Unit's main purpose was to make propaganda and information films about the war effort; after 1940 it was renamed the Crown Film Unit, emphasising the fact that it was no longer primarily concerned with the GPO.

"London Can Take It!" was one of the last films the unit made under its original name, and deals with the German "Blitz" against London in the autumn and winter of 1940. (The term "Blitz" is, strictly speaking, a misnomer deriving from a misunderstanding of the German term "Blitzkrieg", or "lightning war", but it is the name by which the German strategic bombing campaign has become universally known in Britain). It was made with two purposes in mind. The first is to uphold British morale by demonstrating that the bombardment was having no effect other than to strengthen the British people's determination to fight. (The unit made another, similar, film around the same time, "The Front Line", about the will to resist of the people of Dover, the English town closest to the European coastline and a frequent target for German bombing or shelling). The second was to influence public opinion in the still-neutral USA, where the film was widely distributed. An American journalist, Quentin Reynolds, was chosen as the narrator; the film- makers clearly felt that American audiences would respond more favourably to a commentary in a familiar accent.

This is not "atrocity propaganda" concentrating on the suffering of the innocent and the supposed bestial cruelty of the enemy. There was a backlash against that sort of propaganda in Britain following its over- use in the First World War, even though the Nazis seemed to be doing everything in their power (far more, in fact, than did the Kaiser's armies) to justify the old "Beastly Hun" slogans of 1914-18. The film opens with scenes of Londoners commuting home in the evening, and then concentrates on the work of the British air defences and emergency services in responding to the German attacks. It is far more a celebration of British courage and resilience than it is a denunciation of Nazi barbarism.

The film did not, of course, persuade America to enter the war; it took Pearl Harbor to do that. In some respects, however, it can be seen a highly successful propaganda. It was directed by two of the Unit's most experienced directors, Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt, and provides a series of vivid and unforgettable images of the Blitz- the "white fingers" of the searchlights against the night sky, the fire engines racing to put out the blazes, the people sheltering in the tube stations. It was images like these which helped to strengthen British morale by reinforcing the 'stiff upper lip' self-image of a proud and indomitable people.

With the blitz already five weeks old, this short feature illustrates the determined stoicism of Londoners as they exchange their daytime garb for their nighttime one and prepare to man the city's defences in preparation for the next visit by the Luftwaffe. What always impressed me with these documentaries is that despite all hell breaking loose, the electricity and the water supplies still seem to endure the attacks. The people are sheltering in underground shelters and their lights are on, offering them a comfort blanket that ordinarily one might just take for granted. Next morning, and the city rises with the sun, cleans up the mess and with the King and Queen offering a fillip to the people clearing up the mess this film offers us a patriotic but not propagandist story of a city under siege.

For most British citizens, the piercing cry of the air raid siren is the sound that best summarizes World War 2. During what is known as The Blitz, Nazi Germany's bomber aircraft killed over 40 thousand people and decimated millions of homes (most in London) between September 1940 and May 1941. This short, produced before America entered the war, is one of the most haunting ww2 films as it shows how even when faced with total destruction of their country, the british decide that it's better to die standing up to Hitler than to live in servitude to him. It begins by showing a group of people entering a shelter for the night. During this time, they would crowd into any place that would appear sturdy enough to withstand bombs, including subways. Footage is then shown which depicts crewmen getting ready to take their positions at batteries of anti-aircraft guns. Although they have absolutely no chance of shooting down all the German planes, they do what they can, night after night, to defend their country. As the bombers approach, they drop loads of explosives on any targets they can find, not caring about the deaths of those uninvolved in the war. At 6 in the morning, another signal is sounded, this time to let everyone know the planes are gone. Even after a night like that, sunlight eventually comes. As expected, a few dozen more people are killed and some buildings destroyed, but London will never submit. In fact, attacking them only intensifies their defiance, as the survival of the UK depends on not giving up. The nazis thought their bombing campaign would bring britain to its knees, but they got one part wrong; bombs can only destroy buildings and kill people. They can never touch the spirit of the city of London. The RAF then retaliates by bombing Berlin. This is a great short. It's not overly long, but it manages to move you over 80 years later. There is a subtle detail in the film that the narrator draws no attention to, but it's there if you pay attention: King George VI and the Queen are out in public helping citizens among the ruins of buildings in the aftermath of the air raid. It shows how royalty or not, leader and commoner were in this whole thing together. While undoubtedly propaganda, it's debatable whether the film succeeds in this aspect, as it was intended to shock America and persuade them to enter the war. It wouldn't be until Japan made their move at Hawaii that the US finally got involved. Even though it may have failed in its mission to get FDR's attention, London Can Take It remains a powerful reminder of what people had to go through basically every day in certain parts of the world all under a century ago.

Interesting look at how Londoners managed to keep to their workaday routine despite daily bombings at night from the Gerrys during World War II.

Quentin Reynolds narrates the short documentary which shows Londoners eager to get home from work before the nightly air raids started, ready to go to air raid shelters where they spent the night until the bombings were over.

Meantime, above ground, firemen, air raid wardens and policemen coped with the bombings with searchlights and blazing gunnery in what Reynolds calls "a symphony of war".

The all clear signal would come at 6:00 a.m. and people would go outside to view the damage of structures struck during the raids. We're given a glimpse of the Queen Mother walking among the common folk and providing the much needed morale.

Five centuries of labor would be destroyed in five seconds, says the narrator, but the people of Great Britain remained determined, courageous and confident in the face of the enemy. Quentin Reynolds sums it up: "They cannot kill the spirt and courage of the people of London."

Summing up: Good propaganda film probably did a lot for the morale of Americans and Europeans at the time of release.

It was said that the most important fact of world history during the last century was that the United States of America and the United Kingdom spoke a common language. If so that is the underlying reason why this short subject narrated by war correspondent Quentin Reynolds resonated with the American public.

With funny accents these people are just like us and we could imagine, New York, Chicago, etc. the subject of nightly bombing raids and the fire department on 24/7. The title borrowed from Winston Churchill was the voice of defiance telling Mr. Hitler and Mr. Goering to do their utmost worst.

Although the royal family could have left, the King and Queen chose to stay in London, in Buckingham Palace and the place was hit a few times. It was calculated and courageous decision showing their subjects that their rulers were undergoing the same hardship they were. Footage of George VI and Elizabeth visiting and inspecting London were tremendous morale boosters.

A wonderful short subject about some bad times.