Figure 1.--Here dad in 'Things to Cone' says good bye to his son in the film version of the H.G. Wells 'Things to Come' book. Son wearing a military tin hat and beating a drum marches off. He is over powered by a siloheted image of solders going into battle.British movie studios until after the War began (September 1939), generally ignored developments in NAZI Germany. There were some spy thrillers and Workd war I drama, but nothing touching on the NAZIS. In all these films, there is nothing about German rearmame, violations of te Versailles Peace treaty, supression of civil libertie, preparing youth for war, concentration camps, race obsession, euthenasia, or other aspects which we are all too familar today. Not only is there nothing about the NAZIs, but we see anti-War films like 'Things to Come' which depict war as the great danger, not preparing for a NAZI onslaught. Interstingly Wells would be on the list prepared for the NAZI Einsatzgruppen that were to accompany the Operation Sea Lion invasion force.

We have only limited information about British films made about war and the Germans before the War, but we have started to collect information. And now have a list of pertinent films. Hollywood films of course dominated the American film market. British films were also widely circulated in America. We are less sure to what extent they were marketed in Germany. Silent films were easy to market in non-English spoeaking countries because there was no sound track, but talkies quickly replaced silent films (1929-30). After the NAZI take over, Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels quickly seized control of film distribution. He had a special interest in both movies and starlets. Earnings from runs in German theaters may have been another factor. England had one of the world's most important film industries. at the time of World War II. Although not quite up to Hollywood in box-office appeal, studios like Ealing made many important films. British film studios including German studios made anti-war films in the 1920s. We are unsure as to just when the studios began to change in the 1930s after the rise of the NAZIs As far as we can tell, the studios did not change until the outbreak of the War. Hitler and the NAZIs seized power in 1933. British newspapers followed developments in Germany and the rise of German military power. This does not seem to have been reflected in actual British films. Here we need more informtion. Hopefully our British readers can provide more information on actual British films. As far as we can tell anti-NAZI sentiment does not seem to have been reflected in the British films made during the 1930s. A British reader suggests having a look at these films: Hitchcock's "Sabotage" (1936) and Korder's "The Lion Has Wings" (1939). "Sabatoge" was about terrorism, but it was not an anti-NAZI film. The political orientation of the saboteurs are not clearly developed, but the suggestionn is more Communist thn NAZI. The plotters are foreign, but have more of a Communist than a NAZI feel about them. It is interesting, that British studios also refrained from attacking the NAZIs, but therecwere some films with defenite anti-German plots. This of course reflected the appeasement policies of the Chamberlain Government. the Government censored films and it was more than a matter of morality. We do not yet have details, but we note that the Government forced directoir Wilcox to tone down the anti-German tone of 'Dawn' (1928). We are not sure just yet what the law permitted the Government to do. The Government could also influence the studios in a variety of ways. In all these films, there is nothing about German activities, including massive rearmament, violations of the Versailles Peace treaty, supression of civil liberties, book burning, preparing youth for war, concentration camps, race obsession, anti-Semetic terror, euthenasia, sterilizations, supression of the Czech people, or other aspects which we are all too familar today. What was to conme was not known, but all of the above were known. Several of the films were released in 1939 but the planning of these films took place in 1937 and at least some of the filming was done in 1938. Throughout the 1930 the British film industry employed many, actors, script writers, set designers, film camermen and producers who were emegries from Nazi Germany. And yes as you point out there was little strong anti-NAZI themes in war or political thrillers of the time. Alexander Korda was Hungarian, Pressberger was from Eastern Europe and fled to the UK from Germany.

British Film Industry

England had one of the world's most important film industries. at the time of World War II. Although not quite up to Hollywood in box-office appeal, studios like Ealing made many important films. A British reader tells us, "The British film industry in the 1930s was not in a good state. Most films were of law quality and the studios looked to the American release for revenue. This hardly happened. Korder opened Denham Studios in the 1930s but he soon ran out of funding. The British Government introduced rules requiring that a certain amount of films British that were shown in the cinema. This resulted in many inferior films being made to fill the quota. These films became known as quota quickies. Korda made several films which were shown in America.

Film Marketing

Hollywood films of course dominated the American film market. British films were also widely circulated in America. We are less sure to what extent they were marketed in Germany. Silent films were easy to market in non-English spoeaking countries because there was no sound track, but talkies quickly replaced silent films (1929-30). After the NAZI take over, Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels quickly seized control of film distribution. He had a special interest in both movies and starlets. Earnings from runs in German theaters may have been another factor.

Anti-War Films

British film studios including German studios made anti-war films in the 1920s. We are unsure as to just when the studios began to change in the 1930s after the rise of the NAZIs As far as we can tell, the studios did not change until the outbreak of the War. Hitler and the NAZIs seized power in 1933. British newspapers followed developments in Germany and the rise of German military power. This does not seem to have been reflected in actual British films. Here we need more informtion. Hopefully our British readers can provide more information on actual British films.

Anti-NAZI Films

As far as we can tell anti-NAZI sentiment does not seem to have been reflected in the British films made during the 1930s. A British reader suggests having a look at these films: Hitchcock's "Sabotage" (1936) and Korder's "The Lion Has Wings" (1939). "Sabatoge" was about terrorism, but it was not an anti-NAZI film. The political orientation of the saboteurs are not clearly developed, but the suggestionn is more Communist thn NAZI. The plotters are foreign, but have more of a Communist than a NAZI feel about them. But just as thgere were no anti-NAZI fils, there were also no anti-Soviet films, despite the Ukranian famine created by Stalin and the purges of the 1930s. It is interesting, that British studios, like the American studios, refrained from attacking the NAZIs, but there were some films with defenite anti-German plots, although often veiled. Refraining from attacking the NAZIs This of course reflected the appeasement policies of the Chamberlain Government. We are not sure to what extebt the Home Office actually pushed this policy through the British Board of Film Classification.

Government Censorship

We do not know to what extent the British Government actively tried to influence studio productions. There was film censorship. In America there was an industry code focuded on morality. In Britain, there was also an industry system, but the Government apparently exerted consideranle influence. The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) was founded as the British Board of Film Censors (1912). It is an industry (non-governmental organisation) funded by the film industry and responsible for the classification of films for exhibition in Britain. When a film starts it has its classification stated. the Board censored films beyond the morality aspect as was the convention in the United States. We do not yet have full details, but have begun to collect some information. We note, for example, that the Government responded to complsints by the German Givernment that director Herbert Wilcox's film 'Dawn' (1928) had an ugly anti-German tone. We are not sure just how common this was. Nor do we know yet just yet what the law permitted the Government to do. The Government could also influence the studios in a variety of ways. There are informal links, which have varied, exist between the BBFC and the Government throughout the Board's existence. In the period before World War II, an extensive but unofficial system of political censorship was implemented by the BBFC at the request of the Home Office. As the cinema became a socially powerful mass-mediumused for propaganda in the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany. The British decided to discouraged any expression of controversial political views in theirfilms. This trend reached its climax during the 1930s. This began even before the NAZIs seized power. The German Government complained at how Germans were depicted in 'Dawn'. The Home Office brought intense political pressure on the BBFC. A system of script vetting was introduced, whereby British studios were 'invited' to submit screenplays to the BBFC before shooting started. Interestingly, imported Hollywood films were not treated as strictly as domestic British films at least regarding political matters. The BBFC believed that audiences would recognise American cinema as representing a foreign culture and therefore it was not necessary vto censure political messages. So while the Warners gangster films and other 1930s Hollywood films that dealt explicitly with crime and the effects of the Great Depression were released in Britain with few cuts. Such subjects were strictly off-limits for British film-makers. This was one reason that moviegoiers found British films less exciting than Hollywood films. There were a few films made about contempory social issues: 'North Riding', 'The Citidel', and 'Love on the Dole'. There were no films, however, about the terrible developments in both the Soviet Union and NAZI Germany. Britain now has a government department called The British Film Censure. Its job is to put films in various categories for viewing: U, A, and X. 'U' is suitable for all audiences. 'A' is more adult films, but at a level children could see if they were with an adult. 'X' was strictly adult films and you had to be 16 to watch these in the cinema. It today has the legal resonsibility to classify videos, DVDs and some video games under the Video Recordings Act (2010).

Lack of Criticism

In all these films, there is nothing about NAZI policies. Of course a lot about the NAZIs was still not known, but in fact a great deal was known. We see nothing in British films about NAZI activities, including massive rearmament, violations of the Versailles Peace treaty, supression of civil liberties, book burning, preparing youth for war, concentration camps, race obsession, anti-Semetic terror, euthenasia, sterilizations, supression of the Czech people, or other aspects which we are all too familar today. What was to conme was not known, but all of the above were known at least some time before the War.

Newsreels

We are primarily looking at feature films here, but British movietone news and Pathe news reels were shown at the start of a film programme. Theses newsreel would have carried stories of the goings on in Nazi Germany. As far as we know, the British Government did not influence the content of the newsreels, but we do not yet have any definitive information in this.

Rash of 1939 Films

We note a rash of films appearing about the Germans or thinly disguised films about them. It shoukld be noted, however, that while released in 1939 but the planning of these films took place in 1937 and at least some of the filming was done in 1938.

Refugees

The British film industry after the NAZI seizure of power (1933) employed many, actors, script writers, set designers, film camermen and producers who were emegries from Nazi Germany. This included both Jews and non-Jews who had been outspoken critics of the NAZIs. The same occurred in Holluwood. And yes as you point out there was little strong anti-NAZI themes in war or political thrillers of the time. Alexander Korda was Hungarian, Pressberger was from Eastern Europe and fled to the UK from Germany.

Individual Films

We have only limited information about British films made about war and the Germans before the War, but we have started to collect information. And now have a list of pertinent films dealing with war, spying, sabatoge, and or the Germans. As far as we can tell, while films were made which were anti-German, we only see clearly anti-Nazi from British studios after the outbreak of World War II. A British reader tells us, "There are several films produced in the 1930's which were not anti-war but the veiled anti-Germany films. I use this phrase to indicate a 1930s belief of a country that is cultured on the surface but barbaric underneath. This appears to be the general sentiment at the time in 1930s Britain. While there are not many films about Nazi goings on there were anti-German films produced in the 1930s. Many were about World War I. None of these films actually points a finger at Nazi Germany but the veiled insinuations grows stronger as towards the end of the 1930s than at its beginning. All the time the growing message is wake up Britain things are afoot in German. Act now to prevent another World War I carnage." Our impression was this was a minority view expoused by backbenchers like Winston Churchill. It certainly was not the position of the British Government. And a growing convinction was that the poor Germans had been mistreated after World War I and the NAZIs were only attempting to achieve what was rightly theirs. Chamberlain was clearly affected by this point of view. While the British film makers did not depoict the NAZIs, to their credit they did not push this point of view. It was tacitly reflected, however, in anti-war films like 'Things to Come'. Of course after hostilities started a steady stream of anti-NAZI films were unleashed. Sadly even these films did not begin to present the true horror of the NAZI regime.

Created: 7:54 AM 2/15/2012
Last updated: 7:44 AM 2/17/2012