British News No.3

About the film

A British newsreel compilation from various news sources.

This film is not available to download

Details

• Release year - 1940
• Production company - Newsreel Association of Gt. Britain and Ireland Ltd., British Movietone News, Gaumont British News, British Paramount News, Pathe Gazette, Universal News, British News
• Running time (minutes) - 12 mins 33 secs

Original description

'This newsreel, entitled British News, is made up each week and is specially edited from material published in the ten weekly issues of the five British newsreel companies. It contains news of Great Britain, the Dominions, India and the Colonial Empire, particularly in relation to the war and the part played in it by all Empire countries, and is the only newsreel in the world dealing entirely with British news items.

Each of the five newsreel companies, working in rotation, undertakes production of British News, which is considerably longer than any other newsreel, and in its compilation all available material is viewed. With the technical advice of the company handling the film each week an official editorial committee decides which items of news from the ten commercial reels should be included in the composite reel.

The visual news service was originally started for showing in the cinema of the British Pavilion at the New York World's Fair, where it achieved great popular success in both 1939 and 1940. It is now being despatched weekly by the most rapid available means to all British Colonies.'

(Films of Britain - British Council Film Department Catalogue - 1941)

Featured news reports:

1. Man That Fortress - Armament and enlistment in Britain.
2. Canadian Destroyers In England - The Canadian Navy arrives to support the war effort.
3. Irish Unity - Speeches are made to call upon Ireland to unite during 'The Emergency'.
4. B.E.F. Reequipped - A rested and reinvigorated B.E.F. prepare to protect Britain.
5. Royalty Visits Wounded - The Duchess of Kent and Duchess of Gloucester make hospital visits.
6. Arms for USA - Henry Ford oversees the production line for fighter planes built for the Allies.
7. Children Evacuated - Children leave the city for the countryside.
8. Canadians are Ready - Canadian veterans prepare to protect their own country, whilst the Nazi-supporting National Unity Party are stamped out.
9. Keeping the Seas - The British Navy clears the seas of mines and protects convoys from fighter planes.

Did you know?

• Each of the newsreel companies used their own commentators on the films that they made.
• There was concern that, because most of the newsreel companies were subsidies of larger American companies, the British Council would have to pay royalties for showing American-owned footage on American soil. However, the British Council’s exhibition hall at the New York World’s Fair was considered part of the British embassy, and therefore British soil.

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