This film is part of Free
Food and War
From British Restaurants to American victory gardens, this survey of food rationing in 1943 shows the effect of the war on the eating habits of civilians and soldiers alike.
Overview
Full of telling details and fascinating facts, this issue argues that American civilians’ commitment to food rationing did more than anything else to make them feel part of the community of nations during the war. From crates of sauerkraut on foreign beaches to the mess tins of Russian soldiers in the Ukraine, America was committed to feeding its own civilians, the US military and much of Europe via the lend-lease scheme programme. But American farmers were feeling the pressure...
The US edition of this story was called ‘America’s Food Crisis’. Renamed ‘Food and War’ for the UK edition, the section which looks at British rationing compares the comparatively luxurious American food allowance with that allocated to the UK; as a shot of a box of Quaker cornflakes, a tin of salmon and a small pile of prunes eloquently testifies. Although the exterior of the British Restaurant seen in the film looks uninviting, the scene inside - packed tables, steaming plates piled high with food - is indicative of the popularity of these communal kitchens, which aimed to serve cheap and nutritious food to people who had run out of ration coupons or had been made homeless by bombing.
Related
Herrings Herrings
Public Information Filler 1940 7 mins
This informative herring aid from WWII makes no bones about the need to make the most of every fish
Black Country Food Black Country Food
News 1972 5 mins Location: Wednesbury
Tasting the plain, good 'fittle' of the Black Country - just remember to pull the hairs out of those pork scratchings.
Indian Sweets Indian Sweets
News 1979 4 mins Location: Moseley
A new type of shop appears on the high street: Indian sweets have arrived in Birmingham.
Chinese Restaurants Chinese Restaurants
Non-Fiction 1965 7 mins Location: Birmingham
From the House of Liang Nam to the Kam Ling Bamboo Rooms: the pioneers who made the long journey from Hong Kong to bring Chinese food to Birmingham.
A Party Dish by X. Marcel Boulestin A Party Dish by X. Marcel Boulestin
1936 9 mins Silent
Guests to impress? Celebrity chef Marcel Boulestin out a quick veal escalope with the aid of a shiny new gas cooker.
Cheese Making at Home Cheese Making at Home
Non-Fiction 1918 4 mins Silent
Handy hints for would-be fromagers
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.