WORDS FOR BATTLE
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Year Published: 1941
Format: 16mm
Description: This 1941 black and white British propaganda patriotic film is presented by The Ministry of Information, written and directed by Humphrey Jennings, and narrated by Laurence Olivier. There are seven segments, each represented by an extract from different English literary passages, poems, and speeches. Each segment is accompanied by war-time images. It opens with a cover of William Camden’s Britannia, whose words are showcased by views of idyllic pastures, woods, rocky cliffs and crags, and a castle (:47-1:35). John Milton’s Areopagitica is the background text for Westminster Abbey and its stained glass windows (1:38) bust of Milton (1:59), Royal Air Force pilots doing flight training with a Hawker Hurricane (2:07-2:35), and Adolf Hitler with his Nazi officers (2:38-2:56). William Blake’s Jerusalem is echoed in children being evacuated from London by train (2:57-3:30). A plaque of William Blake’s house is shown (3:06). The children, now in rural areas, are shown in rowboats and picking up sticks in a forest (3:31-3:54). The opening of Robert Browning’s Home-thoughts, from the Sea is shown before leading to views of Royal Navy destroyers and views of England’s coast from the ships (3:55-5:00). The grave stone of Rudyard Kipling is shown, accompanies by the words from his The Beginnings. The accompanying video is of police and firemen searching for the living in the ruins of smoldering houses and buildings after German Blitz bombings (5:02-5:40). Churchill’s 1940 We shall fight on the beaches speech is read while Winston Churchill reviews soldiers in formation (5:42), a soldier holds a Thompson M1928 submachine gun (5:49), men stack useable brick (6:00), Saint Paul’s Cathedral in fog, and marching soldiers (6:08-6:30). A statue of Lincoln in Parliament Square with tanks and traffic passing by it are accompanied by words from his Gettysburg Address (6:32-7:04). Big Ben is heard and seen through the fog. Tanks pass by, blocking the vision of it, and soldiers walk casually through the streets (7:05-7:54).
Complete Record:
Transcription
[Music] For the air is most temperate and wholesome, situated in the midst of the temperate zone. For water it is walled and guarded with the ocean, most commodious for traffic to all parts of the world. The earth fertile with all kinds of grain, manured with good husbandry, rich in mineral of coals, tin, lead, copper, not without gold and silver, abundant with pasture, replenished with cattle, both tame and wild, plentifully wooded, beautified with many populous cities, fair burs, good towns, and well-built villages. [Music] The things I see in my mind a mighty and precent nation rousing herself like a strong man after sleep and shaking her invincible locks. We think I see her as an eagle muing her mighty youth, kindling her undazzled eyes at the full midday beam, purging and unscaling her long abused sight at the fountain itself of heavenly radiance. While the whole noise of timberous and flocking birds with those also that love the twilight flutter about, amazed at what she means, and in their envious gabble would prognosticate a year of sex and sisms. Bring me my bow of burning gold. Bring me my arrows of desire. Bring me my spear. Oh clouds unfold. Bring me my chariot of fire. I will not cease from mental fight. Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand. Till we have built Jerusalem in England's green and pleasant land. [Music] Nobly, nobly, Cape St. Vincent to the northwest died away. Sunset ran one glorious blood red wreaking into Cad's bay. Bluish mid the burning water. Full in face Trfalga lay. In the dimst northeast distance dawned Gibraltar, grand and gray. Here and here did England help me. How can I help England? Say, who so turns as I this evening turn to God to praise and pray while Jo's planet rises yonder, silent over Africa. It was not part of their blood. It came to them very late. with long arars to make good when the English began to hate. It was not suddenly bred. It will not swiftly abate through the chill years ahead when time shall count from the date when the English began to [Music] hate. We shall go on to the end. We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. And even if this island were subjugated and starving, then our empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, would carry on the struggle until, in God's good time, the new world with all its power and might steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the old. It is for us the living rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work they have thus far so nobly advanced that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain. that the nation shall under God have a new birth of freedom, and that the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, shall not perish from the [Music] earth. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music]
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