Collection
World War II: The Home Front
Sandbags and searchlights, firefighters battling blazing streets; trains packed with departing children or servicemen... film has given us some of our most enduring images of the Second World War.
The outbreak of the war saw cinemas closed as a public safety measure, but government soon realised film’s value for morale, information and propaganda. Feature films and novelty shorts brought audiences entertainment and some relief from fear, anxiety and grief. Official propaganda disseminated vital messages about the war effort or the dangers of careless talk. Meanwhile, newsreels, instructional and informational films delivered reports from the battlefields and practical advice.
In hindsight\, among the most valuable films are amateur ones – watched by only a handful in their own time – which give us a matchless insight into ordinary life behind the blackout curtains. This collection brings together an extraordinary range of material capturing the experience of life under fire.
