Ulster

About the film

An overview of the industrial landscape of Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the impact of and contribution to the Allied war effort.

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Details

• Release year - 1941
• Director - Ralph Keene
• Production company - Strand Film
• Producer - Alexander Shaw
• Screenplay - St. John Ervine
• Cinematographers - Jo Jago, George Noble
• Composer - Richard Addinsell
• Narration - Robert MacDermot
• Sound recording - Al Rhind
• Musical director - Muir Mathieson
• Running time (minutes) - 11 mins 31 secs

Original description

Northern Ireland: In peace and war

'Ulster, famous for scenic beauty, great shipyards, fields of flax, is loyally participating in the Empire's war effort. Day and night the ships are built: the looms of Belfast, industrial centre of the world's linen trade, are busy with wings for aeroplanes and equipment for soldiers; from Ulster's farms comes food for Britain.'

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

Did you know?

• The peculiar Northern Ireland accent owes to the fact that the narrator, Robert MacDermot, though very multi-talented, was not Irish and never lived in Ireland.
• Ulster and Letter from Britain are the only films in the British Council film archive to be set in Northern Ireland.
• The shipyard seen at the beginning of Ulster is believed to be the Harland and Wolff shipyard, famous for building many great ships, including the RMS Titanic.

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