A curious blue lake, a wonder tablet, a river boat and a picnic essential - sounds like the beginning of a story!

At the height of WWII, focusing on a blue lake in Switzerland which is a haven for trout seems a slightly odd topic for a Home Front news magazine - but Signs of the Times specialised in very short points of interest exactly like this. Other items include a mention for Elasto, the wonder tablet for joints, a variant of which is still available today. A tall mast on a river barge has a novel way to tackle low bridges - and the narrator doesn't hold back with the puns. Finally, audiences are reminded that it's essential to get the most out of wheat during the war, so ask your baker for National Wheatmeal Bread!

Cinemagazine combining general interest with advertising items.
Cover of a magazine called Signs of the Times. Words appear on the screen "THE MAGAZINE FILM" A hand turns the pages to the first story:
THE BLUE LAKE. A trout farm at Blau See, Switzerland where the water has a high lime content (125)
ARE YOU LEG WEARY? Advertisement for Elasto, the Wonder Tablet. Images of children running with optical tilting effect. Shot of a group of adult legs walking in the street, in slow motion, with on screen title, "Are you leg weary?"
Second shot of walking legs speeded up with titles, "Elasto will lighten your step! Elasto for... bad circulation... rheumatism... weak heart... leg ailments" Cuts to image of hand holding a box of Elasto tablets. Voiceover: "Remember the name. Elasto: the wonder tablet". Text on the screen, "Sold by chemists everywhere" (185).

SHOOTING A BRIDGE. A sailing barge approaches a low bridge. A man known as "the Huffler" rows out from the shore to aid its passage under the bridge by helping to lower the sails, which are raised again once the bridge is passed. Voiceover: "Just a barge, but built of the same stout English oak that conquered the seven seas" (310).

THE NEW STAFF OF LIFE. A wheat field. Voiceover: "It is essential in wartime that we get the best out of our wheat" A loaf of bread is sliced. "National Wheatmeal Bread contains all the wheat that is good to eat. So tomorrow, ask your baker for National Wheatmeal Bread." Name appears on the loaf. (335).