The Lion Has Wings
Directed by Adrian Brunel, Brian Desmond Hurst and Michael Powell
Written by Adrian Brunel, Ian Dalrymple, and E.V.H. Emmett
1939/UK
London Film Productions
First viewing/Streaming on Hulu Plus
[box] We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. — Winston Churchill [/box]
It’s not always great filmmaking but I have a special place in my heart for all Allied WWII propaganda. Â This, made at the very start of the war, served as a kind of template for later British propaganda with its cameos by British stars.
The film begins with a cinematographic essay on the blessings of British life after the last war and how “one man” (Hitler) has set out to destroy these.  An emphasis is placed on the morality of the British side, including its determination to destroy only military targets. This is followed by the main sequence that shows how prepared the RAF is to defend the homeland.  We get reenactments of various bombing runs to Germany and anti-aircraft maneuvers at home.  The movie is peppered with a slight story showing the domestic life of a British couple (Ralph Richardson and Merle Oberon).  She is a nurse and he is an RAF officer.  Out of nowhere, we also get a clip from Fire Over England showing Flora Robson as Queen Elizabeth giving her “I have the heart of a king, and a King of England too” speech.
I find this stuff fascinating. Â It’s not bad for something that was apparently dashed out in the first days of the war. Â If you are looking for accomplished filmmaking or subtlety, it’s probably wise to look elsewhere.
Clip – Merle Oberon – not particularly representative of whole
Like you Bea, this type of film is right up my alley. They got them out fast and actually kept up the morale of the British during their darkest hour. Not great film making by any stretch of the imagination but a very important part of history. BTW, the speech you quoted from Churchill is the one that makes me tear up everytime.
Churchill was certainly a rousing speaker. I look forward to watching many more of these films this year. I am particularly fond of Frank Capra’s “Why We Fight” series.