A tribute to the courage and resiliency of Britons during the darkest days of the London Blitz.A tribute to the courage and resiliency of Britons during the darkest days of the London Blitz.A tribute to the courage and resiliency of Britons during the darkest days of the London Blitz.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 1 nomination total
- Directors
- Humphrey Jennings(uncredited)
- Harry Watt(uncredited)
- Writer
- Quentin Reynolds(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaIncluded in Warner Home Video's 2007 DVD release of The Fighting 69th (1940).
- Quotes
Quentin Reynolds: [loud explosions of bombs and anti-aircraft are heard] These are not Hollywood sound effects. This is the music they play every night in London - the symphony of war.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The Biter Bit (1943)
Featured review
Unbreakable morale
For most British citizens, the piercing cry of the air raid siren is the sound that best summarizes World War 2. During what is known as The Blitz, Nazi Germany's bomber aircraft killed over 40 thousand people and decimated millions of homes (most in London) between September 1940 and May 1941. This short, produced before America entered the war, is one of the most haunting ww2 films as it shows how even when faced with total destruction of their country, the british decide that it's better to die standing up to Hitler than to live in servitude to him. It begins by showing a group of people entering a shelter for the night. During this time, they would crowd into any place that would appear sturdy enough to withstand bombs, including subways. Footage is then shown which depicts crewmen getting ready to take their positions at batteries of anti-aircraft guns. Although they have absolutely no chance of shooting down all the German planes, they do what they can, night after night, to defend their country. As the bombers approach, they drop loads of explosives on any targets they can find, not caring about the deaths of those uninvolved in the war. At 6 in the morning, another signal is sounded, this time to let everyone know the planes are gone. Even after a night like that, sunlight eventually comes. As expected, a few dozen more people are killed and some buildings destroyed, but London will never submit. In fact, attacking them only intensifies their defiance, as the survival of the UK depends on not giving up. The nazis thought their bombing campaign would bring britain to its knees, but they got one part wrong; bombs can only destroy buildings and kill people. They can never touch the spirit of the city of London. The RAF then retaliates by bombing Berlin. This is a great short. It's not overly long, but it manages to move you over 80 years later. There is a subtle detail in the film that the narrator draws no attention to, but it's there if you pay attention: King George VI and the Queen are out in public helping citizens among the ruins of buildings in the aftermath of the air raid. It shows how royalty or not, leader and commoner were in this whole thing together. While undoubtedly propaganda, it's debatable whether the film succeeds in this aspect, as it was intended to shock America and persuade them to enter the war. It wouldn't be until Japan made their move at Hawaii that the US finally got involved. Even though it may have failed in its mission to get FDR's attention, London Can Take It remains a powerful reminder of what people had to go through basically every day in certain parts of the world all under a century ago.
helpful•20
- nickenchuggets
- Sep 15, 2023
Details
- Runtime9 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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