Home Guard

Synopsis

A recruitment film for the Home Guard. (`It might make Hitler think twice’). A Home Guard officer in a village pub talks to his friends about his week at a Home Guard training school. He describes the training and concludes by getting out his notebook and quoting from Philip the Bastard’s speech in King John (V vii)`This England never did, nor never shall,/Lie at the proud foot of a conquerer,/But when it first did help to wound itself,/Nought remains to rue if England to herself remains but true’. ("Oi reckon that’s about right too). Note: Some lines are omitted and misquoted. [Synopsis compiled with acknowledgement to the cataloguers at the Imperial War Museum, Film and Television Archive].

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Film

Technical information

Black-and-white / Sound

Year of release

1941

Duration

8 mins; 735 feet

Credits

Director

Donald Taylor

Producer

Donald Taylor

Cinematographer

Charles Marlborough

Writer

Bernard Miles

Additional Details

Production type

Documentary/Educational/News

Plays

King John

Subjects

Drama

Keywords

Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); Home Guard; national identity

Production Company

Name

Strand

Sponsor

Name

Ministry of Information

Archive

Name

Imperial War Museum, Film and Video Archive

Email

film@iwm.org.uk

Web

http://www.iwm.org.uk External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7416 5293

Fax

020 7416 8299

Address

Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ