Rentals
WWII at the Pictures
Once the cinemas were declared open for business, the film industry kept the reels turning, serving up a mixed diet of news, morale-boosting propaganda and uplifting entertainment.
Newsreels kept spirits up and relayed vital information, documentaries rigorously explored every aspect of life and work on the home front, and an array of animations and short films imparted practical tips and guidance. Feature films, meanwhile, offered equal parts inspiring wartime stories and escapist fantasy to bring relief from everyday trials. After the war, as memories of horror and grief receded, Britons could look back on their bravery and stoicism with pride, and filmmakers and audiences alike feasted on the rich and resonant stories the war offered.
The Man in Grey The Man in Grey
Melodrama 1943 116 mins Director: Leslie Arliss
James Mason, Margaret Lockwood and Stewart Granger star in the first of the fantastically successful Gainsborough melodramas.
Waterloo Road Waterloo Road
War 1945 76 mins Director: Sidney Gilliat
John Mills is the soldier who goes AWOL upon hearing of his wife’s affair, returning home to confront Stewart Granger’s home-wrecking spiv.
Friend or Foe Friend or Foe
Children's 1981 70 mins Director: John Krish
Two evacuee boys from London sent to live on a farm face a tough decision when a German plane is shot down.
Millions Like Us Millions Like Us
War 1943 103 mins Director: Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat
The finest example of British wartime fictional propaganda follows a group of women who take on factory work to support the war effort.
Warn That Man Warn That Man
War 1943 82 mins Director: Lawrence Huntington
Nazi agents are pitted against a gang of plucky Brits in this exciting comedy-thriller set in a country house where danger awaits a visiting VIP.
Piccadilly Incident Piccadilly Incident
Melodrama 1946 99 mins Director: Herbert Wilcox
Romance blossoms during an air raid in this classic weepie which enacts a tale of wartime love and loss guaranteed to pluck at the heartstrings.
The Captive Heart The Captive Heart
War 1946 100 mins Director: Basil Dearden
A realistic recreation of life as a prisoner of war in Germany lends credence to this moving account of wartime survival against the odds.
Thursday's Child Thursday's Child
Drama 1943 79 mins Director: Rodney Ackland
Sally Ann Howes plays the 12-year-old spotted by a casting director, setting her on the way to stardom.
Another Time, Another Place Another Time, Another Place
Drama 1983 101 mins Director: Michael Radford
Michael Radford (Il Postino) directs this war-time drama set in Scotland. The passions of a young housewife are aroused by the arrival of an Italian POW.
No Hard Feelings No Hard Feelings
War 1974 55 mins Director: Alan Parker
Early directing credit for Alan Parker offering an unsentimental view of wartime London through the eyes of a troubled young man.
The Triple Echo The Triple Echo
War 1973 93 mins Director: Michael Apted
Oliver Reed and Glenda Jackson star in the rarely seen drama about an AWOL soldier who disguises as a woman to avoid capture.
Law and Disorder Law and Disorder
Legal and Courtroom drama 1940 74 mins Director: David MacDonald
Alastair Sim is in splendid form as a staid, slightly seedy solicitor in this cheerfully patriotic war-time espionage comedy.
Demobbed Demobbed
Comedy 1944 94 mins Director: John E. Blakeley
Nat Jackley and Norman Evans offer marvellous music hall mayhem in this offbeat feature from the heyday of variety.
The Man at the Gate The Man at the Gate
War 1941 48 mins Director: Norman Walker
Henry Foley gave up fishing when his two sons were lost at sea. But when war breaks out, he joins a lifeboat crew, to his wife’s dismay.
Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard Mrs Pym of Scotland Yard
Detective drama 1939 64 mins Director: Fred Elles
A spate of deaths among visitors to a medium requires the special talents of undercover detective Mrs Pym.
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