This film is part of Free
The Photographs Are Watching
‘Keep on saving’ – A plea to avoid waste during the Second World War.
Overview
As victory in the Second World War seemed more likely this film was created to undermine the possibility of the public retreating to wasteful ways. The photographs refer to three servicemen and a nurse, with the narrator imploring viewers to ‘not spend and make merry while our boys still face danger’. The youthful and smiling faces staring from the photographs add an emotive edge.
Following the successful D-Day landings in June 1944 Allied forces made great progress across Western Europe. However, it was crucial for the Allies that their populations stayed on a war footing, especially as conflict in the Far East continued to rage. Films of this kind are an indication of the lengths the government went to in order to ensure this message was relayed, prudence was maintained, and that support for all those serving continued until the end of hostilities. This government film is a public record, preserved and presented by the BFI National Archive on behalf of The National Archives, home to more than 1,000 years of British history.
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