Heroes of the Atlantic

Last updated

Heroes of the Atlantic
Screen shot Heroes of the Atlantic.png
Screenshot of title frame
Directed byJ.D. Davidson
Written by
Produced by Stanley Hawes
Narrated by Lorne Greene
CinematographyJ.D. Davidson
Music by Lucio Agostini
Production
company
Distributed by Columbia Pictures of Canada
Release date
  • 1941 (1941)
Running time
15 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Heroes of the Atlantic is a 1941 15-minute Canadian short documentary film, part of the Canada Carries On series of wartime films by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), produced for the Office of Public Information. [1] [2] The film documented the work of the Royal Canadian Navy and the Merchant Marine during the Battle of the Atlantic in the Second World War. Heroes of the Atlantic was directed by J.D. Davidson and produced by Stanley Hawes. [3]

Contents

Synopsis

In 1941, the Atlantic Ocean has become a strategic "highway" and lifeline from the New World to Great Britain. The numerous ships that ply the Atlantic sea lanes during wartime head for English ports where they unload their precious cargo of troops, munitions, food and supplies.

Canadian seamen play a vital role in the Battle of the Atlantic where the Merchant Marine works closely with the Royal Canadian Navy and other military forces. As the convoys steam out from ports along the Canadian eastern seaboard, Canadian Army coastal guns are trained out to sea, navy minesweepers clear the shipping channels and the Royal Canadian Air Force Supermarine Stranraer coastal patrol flying boats keep watch.

Ashore, sailors of every nationality have gathered to serve in both civilian and military roles. As cargo arrives from farms and factories in Canada, it has to be constantly loaded and sent off to English destination, a task that requires dock and loadmasters, cargo handlers and manual labourers. In naval training schools, young recruits are being prepared for action in the North Atlantic, learning about weapons, equipment and tactics that will keep the convoys safe on their perilous journeys.

Before heading out in their dangerous "caravan of the seas", seamen seek out entertainment and diversions. When convoys are formed up, a meeting of merchant and naval captains sets out the strategic plans that will thwart the roaming Nazi submarine (U-boat) "wolf packs".

The unsung heroes of the Atlantic keep up a relentless schedule of shipping that will ultimately mean the difference in the war.

Production

Heroes of the Atlantic was created as a morale-boosting propaganda film, part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced with financial backing from the Wartime Information Board and made in cooperation with the Director of Public Information, Herbert Lash. [4] The format of Heroes of the Atlantic was as a compilation documentary with additional footage at sea and onshore in Halifax, Nova Scotia by director and cinematographer J.D. Davidson with assistant Donald Fraser. Sound technicians W.H. Lane and C.J. Quick were also involved in the on-location shooting. The earlier NFB documentary Atlantic Patrol (1940) had a similar theme and focus. [5]

The narrator of Heroes of the Atlantic was Lorne Greene, known for his work on both radio broadcasts as a news announcer at CBC as well as narrating many of the Canada Carries On series. [6] His sonorous recitation led to his nickname, "The Voice of Canada", and to some observers, the "voice-of-God". [7] When reading grim battle statistics or as in Atlantic Patrol, narrating a particularly serious topic such as Canadian seaman at war, he was "The Voice of Doom". [8]

Reception

Heroes of the Atlantic was produced in 35 mm for the theatrical market and was shown in theatres in Canada and overseas. [9] Each film was shown over a six-month period as part of the shorts or newsreel segments in approximately 800 theatres across Canada. [10]

The NFB had an arrangement with Famous Players theatres to ensure that Canadians from coast-to-coast could see the documentary series, with further distribution by Columbia Pictures. [11] After the six-month theatrical tour ended, individual films were made available on 16 mm to schools, libraries, churches and factories, extending the life of these films for another year or two. They were also made available to film libraries operated by university and provincial authorities. [2]

Related Research Articles

<i>Churchills Island</i> 1941 Canadian propaganda film

Churchill's Island is a 1941 propaganda film chronicling the defence of Britain during the Second World War. The film was directed by Stuart Legg and produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for the Director of Information, Government of Canada.

<i>Warclouds in the Pacific</i> 1941 film

Warclouds in the Pacific is a 20-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, part of the Canada Carries On series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada. The film was produced, written and directed by Stuart Legg and narrated by Lorne Greene. Warclouds in the Pacific, which warned of an imminent Japanese attack, was released just one week before the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Canada Carries On was a series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada which ran from 1940 to 1959. The series was created as morale-boosting propaganda films during the Second World War. With the end of the war, the series lost its financial backing from the Wartime Information Board, but continued as an NFB series of theatrical shorts that included newsreels as well as animated shorts.

<i>Wings of a Continent</i> 1941 Canadian film

Wings of a Continent is a 1941 Canadian short documentary film, part of the Canada Carries On series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada, produced for the Office of Public Information. The film was directed by Raymond Spottiswoode—father of filmmaker Roger Spottiswoode—and produced by Stuart Legg and narrated by Lorne Greene.

<i>Atlantic Patrol</i> 1940 film

Atlantic Patrol is a 1940 Canadian short documentary film, part of the Canada Carries On series of short films by the National Film Board of Canada, produced for the Office of Public Information. The film documents the role of the convoys that brought troops, munitions and supplies to Great Britain during the Battle of the Atlantic in World War II. Atlantic Patrol was directed and written by Stuart Legg and narrated by Lorne Greene.

<i>Everywhere in the World</i> 1941 Canadian film

Everywhere in the World is a 16-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film about the contributions of the United States and Commonwealth countries to the Allied war effort, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced by Stuart Legg. The film's French version title was Partout au monde.

<i>Look to the North</i> 1944 Canadian film

Look to the North is a 22-minute 1944 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced and directed by James Beveridge. The film's French version title is Vers le Nord.

<i>Guards of the North</i> 1941 Canadian short film

Guards of the North is a 10-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by Raymond Spottiswoode, documented the defences of Iceland during the Second World War. The film's French version title is Avant-garde du Nord.

<i>The Battle of Brains</i> 1941 Canadian film

The Battle of Brains is a 13-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by Stanley Hawes and produced by Stuart Legg, contrasted modern warfare with the First World War. The film's French version title is Sur le front scientifique.

<i>U.N.R.R.A. presents In the Wake of the Armies ...</i> 1944 Canadian film

U.N.R.R.A. presents In the Wake of the Armies ... is a 13-minute 1944 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by Guy Glover, described the work of the UNRRA during the Second World War and Canada's role in the relief agency. The film's French version title is À la suite de nos armées viendra l'entraide.

<i>Inside Fighting Canada</i> 1942 Canadian film

Inside Fighting Canada is an 11-minute 1942 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by Jane Marsh and produced by James Beveridge, was an account of the Canadian military during the Second World War. The film's French version title is Canada en guerre.

<i>The Front of Steel</i> 1940 Canadian film

The Front of Steel is an 11-minute 1940 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, directed by John McDougall and produced by Stuart Legg, was an account of the value of steel in war production in Canada during the Second World War. The film's French version title is Le front d'acier.

<i>The Battle for Oil</i> 1942 film

The Battle for Oil is a 19-minute 1942 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced by Raymond Spottiswoode and directed by Stuart Legg.The Battle for Oil describes the strategic value of oil in modern warfare. The film's French version title was La Bataille du pétrole.

<i>Letter from Aldershot</i> 1940 Canadian film

Letter from Aldershot is a nine-minute 1940 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was directed by John Taylor and produced by Stuart Legg. Letter from Aldershot describes the observations in 1940 of a soldier from the First Division of the Canadian Active Service Force, stationed at Aldershot Garrison, England. The film's French version title was Une lettre d'Aldershot.

<i>Soldiers All</i> 1941 Canadian film

Soldiers All is a 20-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced by Stuart Legg. Soldiers All describes the experiences in 1941 of soldiers, airmen and sailors in Great Britain and Canada during wartime. The film's French version title is Frères d'armes.

<i>Back to Jobs</i> 1945 Canadian film

Back to Jobs is a nine-minute 1945 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the postwar Canada Carries On series. The film describes soldiers in the Second World War returning home and back to a civilian life. The French version title of Back to Jobs is Nos soldats reviennent .

<i>Food - Weapon of Conquest</i> 1941 Canadian film

Food - Weapon of Conquest is a 22-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was directed and produced by Stuart Legg. Food - Weapon of Conquest shows the food shortage in Nazi-occupied countries in the Second World War, contrasted with the Allied response to the global food crisis. The film's French version title is Une armée marche sur son estomac.

<i>Pincer on Axis Europe</i> 1943 Canadian film

Pincer on Axis Europe is a 20-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film describes the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942 during the Second World War.

<i>Quebec – Path of Conquest</i> 1942 Canadian film

Quebec – Path of Conquest is an 11-minute 1942 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was directed by Radford Crawley and produced by Raymond Spottiswoode. Quebec – Path of Conquest describes the importance of the province of Quebec to Canada and the Allied war effort during the Second World War. The film's French version title is Québec, tremplin stratégique.

<i>Tomorrows World</i> (film) 1943 Canadian film

Tomorrow's World is a 20-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film, produced by Raymond Spottiswoode, described the importance of conservation and rationing during the Second World War, and how tomorrow's world will be more prosperous and better planned because of the war efforts. The French version of Tomorrow's World is Le Monde de demain.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Still known at the time as the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau.

Citations

  1. ↑ "Heroes of the Atlantic". onf-nfb.gc.ca. National Film Board of Canada. Retrieved 1 April 2023.
  2. 1 2 Ohayon, Albert. "Propaganda cinema at the NFB." National Film Board of Canada (NFB.ca), July 13, 2009. Retrieved: March 6, 2016.
  3. ↑ Lerner 1997, p. 1570.
  4. ↑ "Recognize leadership of Winnipeg women." The Winnipeg Tribune, April 18, 1941. Retrieved: March 6, 2016.
  5. ↑ Morris, Peter. "Film Reference Library: Canada Carries On." [ permanent dead link ]Canadian Film Encyclopedia. Retrieved: March 6, 2016.
  6. ↑ Bennett 2004, p. 254.
  7. ↑ Rist 2001, p. 84.
  8. ↑ "Bonanza's Canadian Lorne Greene." Bite Size Canada. Retrieved: March 6, 2016.
  9. ↑ "The 1940s." NFB.com. Retrieved: March 6, 2016.
  10. ↑ Rist 2001, p. 124.
  11. ↑ Ellis and McLane 2005, p. 122.

Bibliography

  • Bennett, Linda Greene. My Father's Voice: The Biography of Lorne Greene. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse, Inc., 2004. ISBN   978-0-595-33283-0.
  • Ellis, Jack C. and Betsy A. McLane. "Theatrical Series". New History of Documentary Film. London: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005. ISBN   978-1-4411-2457-9.
  • Lerner, Loren. Canadian Film and Video: A Bibliography and Guide to the Literature. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1997. ISBN   978-0-8020-2988-1.
  • Rist, Peter. Guide to the Cinema(s) of Canada. Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001. ISBN   978-0-3132-9931-5.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.