NOW YOU'RE TALKING
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Year Published: 1940
Format: 16mm
Description: Made in 1940, NOW YOU'RE TALKING was one of a trio of fast-paced shorts released in 1940 intended to illustrate the potentially catastrophic consequences of unguarded chatter in public places during wartime. The plot of the film is this: When a fallen Nazi aeroplane is recovered, British scientists have high hopes of learning valuable secrets. But a disgruntled factory worker inadvertently alerts enemy agents to the discovery, with disastrous consequences. From the BFI: As part of a wider publicity campaign, which saw posters bearing such iconic slogans as "Careless Talk Costs Lives" festooned in cafes and bars, the Ministry of Information commissioned these short films from Ealing Studios, with a hefty combined budget of £6,000. The films follow a similar narrative but vary in their characterisation and choice of locations in order to target audiences of different classes - a deliberate distribution strategy on the part of the MOI, which wanted the message to be disseminated as widely as possible. This film was made with working-class audiences in mind, and distributed to cinemas in industrial areas. The main action is divided between a factory laboratory, where two scientists (one of them played by Alec Clunes, father of Martin) are about to take delivery of a recovered enemy aircraft, from which they hope to learn vital secrets; the factory gates, where worker Alf learns he has to work late to unload the lorry carrying the miraculously undamaged plane; and a local pub, where the loose-tongued Alf, in exchange for a pint of mild and bitter, reveals too much to an inquisitive stranger. Interestingly, a later survey of wartime propaganda films by Mass Observation reported that the three films were better received by middle-class audiences than working-class ones. In some working-class quarters, it reported, there were objections to the casting of the spies as workers and the upper-class characters as heroes. The other films in the trilogy, Dangerous Comment, with its spy bartender and heroic officers, and All Hands, in which the Nazi agents include a café proprietress, were designed for the upper and middle classes respectively. Cast: Sebastian Shaw (Charles Hampton); Dorothy Hyson (Mrs Hampton); Edward Chapman (Alf Small); Judy Campbell (Doris); George Merritt (Fred Perkins); Lloyd Pearson (Jake); Alec Clunes (Harry); George Relph (spy); Johnnie Schofield (man) Director: John Paddy Carstairs, Production Company: Ealing Studios, Sponsor: Ministry of Information, Producer: Michael Balcon, Script by: Jeffrey Dell, Roger MacDougall, Basil Dearden
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Transcription
extremities of the visible and invisible portions of the lines drawn from a the slope above the line just drawn is visible from a as high as the crest of this Ridge [Music] is [Music] well don't work too late Charles I'll be through in a minute there's not much to do no well see you later good night Sir extras good evening sir extras St new standard Star new standard late extra Star new standard late extra late extra hello I thought you'd gone home look at this uh mhm the machine made a perfect Landing but except for a few bullet holes in the fuselage appeared to be undamaged yes but this is the bit the pilot attempted to set fire to the plane but was secured before any damage could be done it looks as if we're going to be lucky At Last of course it may be the old yes I know it may be but if it isn't it's may be it yes speaking you have good how soon can you get it along you'll bet I'll be waiting with my tongue out this is the sort of tonic we've been needing all right I I say tell him to handle it gently well it's the goods this time a gun and two belts that's well I tell you what we'll get a quick something to eat and be back here by 9: they'll have it to unloaded by then right when I say Harry yeah tell the mads on the gate to keep a man back to help with the unkown Lo man please Perkins speaking listen there's a r job just coming in it's very confidential yes I understand sir about 9:00 all right till I see yes a l man you now I'll tell it once all right Say Goodbye Oh well Fred see you in the morning eh tonight you me he F you got a stay lot to be unloaded but tonight Governor's got something special on well so I my girl's waiting for me it can't be helped you've got to stay not got time you to slip down and see her I'm afraid not El what happened T night would it here Jim what you do us a favor sure look Doris is waiting for me down at Jakes would you drop in on your way home and give her a message for me yeah what is it but would you tell her I got to stop around and unload a already laan I don't know how long I'll be you see okay oh thanks you don't mind you mind it's a pleasure n n no funny business mind you what do you mean funny business well just you tell her I'll be at the red line r about 9:00 if she wants to see me and then you bazz off see don't worry Al I won't do anything you wouldn't do all all hey what do you mean by that ask Doris tomorrow oh shut up see you tomorrow tonight you mean what's his trouble [Laughter] Doris good evening hello Jake nice cover tea please hello Doris hello jim I've come to take you to the pictures you says I'll go with you out there that make me laugh I'm not kidy he's working late he asked me to keep you company what about that believe but it's true honest what it late this time is not yes really I think it's Hush Hush business you know they're doing a lot of that these days uhhuh what about it Jake do you think he's trying to put one over on me shouldn't put it past him I used to like blondes now don't be silly Doris don't be silly as a matter of fact you keep this under your head he's got to unload some special stuff that's arriving by lri this evening and it's it's important didn't he leave your message well he did say that he might be in the red line about 9:00 this evening but he doesn't expect you to wait that long okay handsome you win what picture should we go and see huh don't worry I shall see much of it my my fancy yourself a bit B you it's not me I fancy hello okay Jake yes his name's Al he'll be at the red line about n might be worth something me to name's Al red line at 9 right I'll send someone down we might pick up something get down to the red line at bot be there tonight at 9: that's a man called Al he's the chatty kind a coffee or no coffee Mrs Hampton in 30 seconds I must go back I hate hate being alone in the house miles from anywhere about 100 yard from anywhere it's no laughing matter I get scared STI thinking of you sitting on top of all those shells and bombs and whatnot a snap out of it darling this may be the biggest thing that's ever happened to us really give us K before you know where you are I've come dashing into breakfast having won the war or something as long as you come back home that's all I want hey should I tell you something what you're an old fport goodbye Dad good shot thanks manate dou 6 and I'm out oh nice play got your work get out tonight Charlie not off I a evening Elsie evening Al how are you lovely thanks same as you uh m a b please here uh oh yeah make it too will you please no this is my l oh it's very nice of you see mild and bers please miss oh thanks so much I see they brought down another naisy plane that's right I've seen it allly damage at all go on he's just up from down there with part of the plan in it abroad go on a I've been unloaded at the factory don't say and there that's right well good luck Els is in Doris no I haven't very late for you to be around here isn't it oh I had to go back special for this job if I was to tell you what they got down here You' be blabbing your heads off wouldn't they mate eh that's right course I'm not going to say nothing but I'll tell you this much Mr Anton's working down in the laboratory all night really I bet his m is none too pleased either I wouldn't like my my husband to go down there all night your husband wouldn't go none of you was me Elsie oh really Mr small hello come speaking did you get anything yes I did it's about that airplane that crashed today they've taken something out of it well we've got to get it back but it's in the factory here now well we've got to get into the factory meet me at the usual place right away well now quiet there's an armed guard at the factory as well as the police won't be easy don't expect to find things easy in this job did you find out exactly where the stuff's been taken yes it's in the laboratory Block C laboratory it means getting right inside you think it possible it's got to be we can't afford to fail I think we'll find a way all right Mike switch them on all [Music] [Music] right get the password ready Co Closs friend here look at this come [Music] on that's done the trick you deal with him we'll see to the rest come on quick come on put those lights out I'm sorry off who who goes there [Music] [Music] n [Music] well let got it you know it's a chance in enough thousand us getting this intact smacking the eye for master [Applause] G yes aible s really Audible and that poor Mrs ampton too only been M at the year you know I say she won't never get over it it's a crime to think that things like that have got a weapon yes that's right then that job that Mr an was working on that was of national importance you know that's gone too go well it's awful Isn't it horrible you know what somebody talking too much and take my word for it why people can't keep thinks themselves I don't know makes you think doesn't it I'll never another time please oh it's Mak it [Music] two yes makes you think do [Music] it
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