https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/838d40df-b336-4fe2-b115-ea1b6ddde117 This 1941 black and white British propaganda patriotic film is presented by The Ministry of Information, written and directed by Humphrey Jennings, and narrated by Laurence Olivier. There are seven segments, each represented by an extract from different English literary passages, poems, and speeches. Each segment is accompanied by war-time images. It opens with a cover of William Camden’s Britannia, whose words are showcased by views of idyllic pastures, woods, rocky cliffs and crags, and a castle (:47-1:35). John Milton’s Areopagitica is the background text for Westminster Abbey and its stained glass windows (1:38) bust of Milton (1:59), Royal Air Force pilots doing flight training with a Hawker Hurricane (2:07-2:35), and Adolf Hitler with his Nazi officers (2:38-2:56). William Blake’s Jerusalem is echoed in children being evacuated from London by train (2:57-3:30). A plaque of William Blake’s house is shown (3:06). The children, now in rural areas, are shown in rowboats and picking up sticks in a forest (3:31-3:54). The opening of Robert Browning’s Home-thoughts, from the Sea is shown before leading to views of Royal Navy destroyers and views of England’s coast from the ships (3:55-5:00). The grave stone of Rudyard Kipling is shown, accompanies by the words from his The Beginnings. The accompanying video is of police and firemen searching for the living in the ruins of smoldering houses and buildings after German Blitz bombings (5:02-5:40). Churchill’s 1940 We shall fight on the beaches speech is read while Winston Churchill reviews soldiers in formation (5:42), a soldier holds a Thompson M1928 submachine gun (5:49), men stack useable brick (6:00), Saint Paul’s Cathedral in fog, and marching soldiers (6:08-6:30). A statue of Lincoln in Parliament Square with tanks and traffic passing by it are accompanied by words from his Gettysburg Address (6:32-7:04). Big Ben is heard and seen through the fog. Tanks pass by, blocking the vision of it, and soldiers walk casually through the streets (7:05-7:54). 0:00 — Opening, main titles 0:55 — A rich description of England’s natural environment: temperate and wholesome air, waters guarded by the ocean facilitating global trade, fertile soil abundant in grains, minerals like coal and metals, plentiful pasture and livestock, dense forests, and flourishing cities, towns, and villages. 1:57 — A powerful vision of England as a mighty nation awakening like a strong man shaking off sleep, symbolized as an eagle sharpening its youthful vision at the bright midday sun, cleansing itself from past abuses and ready to soar with renewed strength and clarity. 3:09 — A stirring poetic call to arms invoking imagery of fiery weapons—bow of burning gold, arrows of desire, spear, and chariot of fire—pledging relentless mental and physical fight until a metaphorical “Jerusalem” is built in England’s “green and pleasant land.” 3:59 — Vivid maritime imagery of key naval landmarks: Cape St. Vincent fading in the northwest, a blood-red sunset over Cadiz Bay, the burning blue waters, the position of Trafalgar, and Gibraltar rising grand and gray, symbolizing England’s naval strength and the speaker’s personal bond to aiding the nation. 4:43 — Reflection on England’s capacity for hatred and perseverance, noting that such hatred is not inherent but acquired late, with slow growth, and will persist through coming challenging years, emphasizing resilience rooted in history and culture. 5:54 — A resolute declaration of fighting determination, asserting that the English will fight on beaches, landing grounds, fields, streets, and hills with unyielding resolve and never surrender, underscoring an indomitable spirit. 6:11 — Even if England is conquered and starved, the British Empire, supported by its formidable navy, will continue resistance until the New World (allied powers) steps forward to rescue and liberate the old country, highlighting global interconnectedness and imperial reach. 6:39 — A solemn dedication to the living to commit themselves to continuing the unfinished, noble work of the fallen, vowing their sacrifices will not be in vain, and affirming a renewed birth of freedom with democratic ideals that government shall be “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” 7:27 — The End For almost two decades, we've worked to collect, scan and preserve the world as it was captured on 35mm, 16mm and 8mm movies -- including home movies, industrial films, and other non-fiction. If you have endangered films you'd like to have scanned, or wish to donate celluloid to Periscope Film so that we can share them with the world, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us via the weblink below. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qxtwoRa-Ku0 Mirrored from Periscope Film (https://www.youtube.com/@PeriscopeFilm) Thu, 11 Jun 2026 06:45:56 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html PeerTube - https://peertube.dngr.us https://peertube.dngr.us/lazy-static/avatars/41a6fee9-7f57-42d0-a5fc-5db4f1af2e31.png https://peertube.dngr.us/videos/watch/838d40df-b336-4fe2-b115-ea1b6ddde117 All rights reserved, unless otherwise specified in the terms specified at https://peertube.dngr.us/about and potential licenses granted by each content's rightholder.