I was confused a little as to whether to call the film Fires Were Started or I Was a Fireman, I just knew the title better listed in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, and either way I had an idea what it may entail, and finding out it was a British made film I was interested to see how it would turn out. Basically the film consists of real firefighters playing fictional London based firefighter characters, and the story within the documentary is about a new man joining the civilian team, during the time of World War II. He gets to know the men and women of the fire brigade well, and he gets to enjoy leisure time with them, but the real test comes when he goes out on his first assignment with them. The mission sees the team tackling a burning building near the London docks, an explosives warehouse on Trinidad Street packed, so there is the danger of the out of control flames, the risk of dynamite blowing up, and raids from above. Starring Philip Dickson as Walters, George Gravett as Dykes, Fred Griffiths as Johnny Daniels, Johnny Houghton as S.H. Jackson and Loris Rey as J. Rumbold. Director Humphrey Jennings, acclaimed for his real-life films, retained his imagination whilst still trying to portray the reality of the firefighting world, that is why he has real firefighters playing parts, and the burning buildings seen on screen are ones that were already bombed in the London raids, it works more almost as a propaganda for British force, all in all it is an interesting Second World War documentary drama. Very good!
Review of Fires Were Started
