Australia Marches with Britain

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Australia Marches with Britain
Directed by Ken G. Hall
Produced by Ken G. Hall
Narrated byPeter Bathurst
Edited byWilliam Shepherd
Production
companies
Cinesound Productions
Department of Information
Distributed byNational Films Council
Release date
  • 30 May 1941 (1941-05-30)
Running time
16 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Australia Marches with Britain is a 1941 Australian documentary made for wartime propaganda.

Contents

Synopsis

The documentary examines Australia's contribution to the war effort, including production of food, munitions and equipment. [1] [2] Then Minister of Information H.S. Foll introduces the film. [3]

Production

Produced and directed by Ken G. Hall, [4] [5] the film was originally made for export to England, to be used there by the British Ministry of Information as part of an intensive long term Empire publicity campaign. However, it was then decided to release the film in Australia as well. It was first released in cinemas across Australia on 30 May 1941. [3] [4]

The film ended up being widely screened throughout Allied countries, including the UK and US. [6] [7] [8] In Britain alone, the film was screened in 4,500 cinemas. [9]

Reception

It was critically praised, The Sydney Morning Herald writing that "there is inspiration as well as imagination and drama in this film." [10]

The Mount Magnet Leader and Youanmi Miner called the rural scenes "magnificent" hailed it as a film which "should hearten the people of Britain and make Australian's proud". [2]

The Age described it as "the most inspiring war short yet produced in Australia". [4]

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References

  1. "AUSTRALIA'S WAR DRIVE IN SPECIAL FILM". Sunday Mail . No. 580. Brisbane. 1 June 1941. p. 8. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  2. 1 2 "AUSTRALIA MARCHES WITH BRITAIN". The Mount Magnet Leader and Youanmi Miner . Vol. 7, no. 322. Mt. Magnet, Western Australia. 13 June 1941. p. 2. Retrieved 12 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  3. 1 2 ""Australia Marches with Britain."". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 32267. Sydney. 29 May 1941. p. 18. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  4. 1 2 3 ""Australia Marches With Britain"". The Age . No. 26866. Sydney. 27 May 1941. p. 10. Retrieved 12 May 2024 via National Library of Australia.
  5. "Australia Marches With Britain". Film Australia Collection. Film Australia. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
  6. "AMERICAN SCHOOLGIRL— PAYS TRIBUTE TO AUSTRALIANS". South Western Advertiser . Vol. 39, no. 1978. Pinjarra. 8 January 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  7. "PLAYTHING OF GOVERNMENTS". The Argus . No. 29761. Melbourne. 12 January 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  8. "PUBLICITY IN INDIES". The West Australian . Vol. 57, no. 17182. Perth. 1 August 1941. p. 6. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  9. "AUSTRALIAN FILMS". Albany Advertiser . Vol. 14, no. 1517. WA. 18 August 1941. p. 4. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.
  10. "THE FILMS". The Sydney Morning Herald . No. 32270. Sydney. 2 June 1941. p. 3. Retrieved 13 March 2015 via National Library of Australia.