'London Can Take It!'

31st October 1940: A government 'propaganda film' becomes an instant classic, gathers support for Britain around the world, and is nominated for an Oscar

One of the opening scenes from ‘London Can Take It’ as London awaits the nightly arrival of the bombers.

Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt’s famous film ‘London Can Take It!’, produced at the GPO (General Post Office) film unit, was released at the end of October¹.

The film is a straightforward story of one night in the Blitz. It achieves dramatic intensity by contrasting the plight of civilians seeking shelter underground with the sound and fury of the battle taking place above ground.

COMMENTATOR: Here they come.

The droning of aeroplane engines is heard over a shot of some clouds. Abandoned furniture sits in the street. Some buildings are shown. The droning continues and steadily gets louder.

Searchlights are activated and are pointed at the sky.

COMMENTATOR: Now the searchlights are poking long, white inquisitive fingers into the blackness of the night.

The camera pans up to follow the searchlight into the sky. A still shot of some clouds, and then an anti-aircraft gun fires a volley into the sky.

COMMENTATOR: These are not Hollywood sound effects. This is the music they play every night in London.

Various men attend to searchlights that are shining into the sky.

COMMENTATOR: The symphony of war.

More volleys from an anti-aircraft gun. The shot changes to the the same bus stop from earlier. There is the whistling sound then an explosion and a bright flash.

COMMENTATOR: That was a bomb.