Christmas Under Fire

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Movie
Original title Christmas Under Fire
Country of production Great Britain
original language English
Publishing year 1941
length 10 mins
Rod
Director Charles Hasse ,
Harry Watt
script Quentin Reynolds
music Muir Mathieson
occupation

Christmas Under Fire is a 1941 British documentary short film .

action

Despite German bombing raids, Christmas is celebrated in England in 1940 . Above all, it is intended to give comfort to the children, while their fathers do their military service far away. Since many places celebrate in low bunkers and cellars, only small Christmas trees are felled. Shopkeepers do not give up even if their stores are destroyed and their customers are bombed. This year the children especially want model airplanes from the Royal Air Force for Christmas . Like their fathers and older brothers, little boys put on uniforms and play soldiers.

Performances are being prepared for Christmas in small theaters that have not been damaged by the war. However, the church bells are not rung. These are only supposed to ring to announce a German invasion. Despite the omnipresent need, the British people do not feel sorry for themselves. While the boys' choir of King's College at the University of Cambridge sings a chorale , people who no longer have a home gather in subway stations to celebrate together and to spend the night there safely.

background

Christmas Under Fire

For the British population, Christmas 1940 was the first Christmas under German bombing during World War II (see also The Blitz ). Cities like Coventry , Birmingham , Bristol , Manchester and Sheffield had recently been targeted by German attacks.

Christmas Under Fire was produced as a propaganda film by the GPO Film Unit and the Crown Film Unit of the Ministry of Information and aimed specifically at US audiences to gain sympathy for Britain as an ally. All copyrights to the film have now expired.

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1942 , Christmas Under Fire was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Documentary Short Film, but could not prevail against the Canadian documentary Churchill's Island .

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