Our Northern Neighbour | |
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Directed by | Tom Daly |
Written by | Tom Daly |
Produced by | Stuart Legg |
Narrated by | Lorne Greene |
Cinematography | Norman McLean (animation) |
Edited by | Tom Daly |
Music by | Lucio Agostini |
Production company | |
Distributed by |
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Release date |
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Running time | 21 minutes |
Country | Canada |
Language | English |
Our Northern Neighbour is a film produced in 1944 by Stuart Legg and directed by Tom Daly for the National Film Board of Canada series The World in Action . The film is narrated by broadcaster Lorne Greene.
In 1943, during the Second World War, three great powers come together at the Tehran Conference to decide the state of the Allied war effort. One of the three powers that has emerged as a key player is the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, led by Joseph Stalin. The effectiveness of their Allied cooperation depends heavily on the United States and the United Kingdom having an understanding of the nature and history of their other partner, the Soviet Union.
In First World War, after the October Revolution of November 1917, Communist Party leader Vladimir Lenin overthrew the last Russian Tsar, Nicholas II. The Soviet Union was subsequently officially established in December 1922. After Lenin's death in 1924, Stalin emerged as the new leader. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, with great sacrifices made by the working class and peasants, the Soviet Union was transformed into the world's second greatest industrial power.
In the later 1930s, faced with the prospect of war with Germany, Stalin signed a non-aggression pact, but Soviet factories turned out armour, aircraft and ships, building up their defences. In 1941, despite their binding treaty, Nazi forces attacked the Soviet Union but were met by a fierce resistance. With sweeping gains leading them right to the capital city, Moscow, Nazi armies were stalled by an unusually harsh winter and met their first defeat at the Battle of Stalingrad.
With the end of the war in sight, the ordinary Soviet citizen is now envisioning the work ahead. First, after years of destruction, will come rebuilding cities, town and industries. Next, with the prospect of a different society in the Soviet Union, a new peaceful world will also have to be rebuilt.
Typical of the NFB's wartime series of documentary short films, Our Northern Neighbour relied heavily on stock footage, including "enemy footage". [1] [Note 1]
The narrator in Our Northern Neighbour was Lorne Greene, known for his work on both radio broadcasts as a news announcer at CBC as well as narrating many of the earlier Canada Carries On series. [2] His sonorous recitation led to his nickname, "The Voice of Canada", and when reading grim battle statistics, "The Voice of Doom". [3]
Our Northern Neighbour, as part of the NFB's The World in Action newsreel series, was produced for both the military and the theatrical market. According to the National Film Board's official history, "The most remarkable films in the series are 'Inside Fighting Russia', 'The War for Men's Minds' and 'Balkan Powder Keg', all three directed by Stuart Legg, and 'Our Northern Neighbour' by Tom Daly." [4]
Each film was shown over a six-month period as part of the shorts or newsreel segments in approximately 800 theatres across Canada. The NFB also had an arrangement with United Artists to ensure that newsreels would get a wider release in North America. [5]
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. Available from the National Film Board either online or as a DVD. [6]
An accompanying film, "Getting the Most Out of a Film" explored issues in the film and also provided some commentary and feedback from the audience. [7] Drummond Wren, the General Secretary of The Workers' Educational Association of Canada (WEA) started the discussion. [8]
Historian Malek Khouri analyzed the role of the NFB wartime documentaries with Our Northern Neighbour characterized as a propaganda film, especially directed at countering the wartime criticisms of the Soviet Union. "During the early years of the NFB, its creative output was largely informed by the turbulent political and social climate the world was facing. World War II, Communism, unemployment, the role of labour unions, and working conditions were all subjects featured by the NFB during the period from 1939 to 1946". [9]
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.
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.
The World in Action was a monthly series of propaganda films from the National Film Board of Canada (NFB), created to boost morale and show the Allied war effort during the Second World War.
Inside Fighting China is a 1941 22-minute Canadian short documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada for distribution by United Artists, as part of the wartime The World in Action series. The film documents China's resistance to Japan's invasion during the Second World War. Inside Fighting China is directed by Stuart Legg, and narrated by Lorne Greene. The film's French version title is La Chine sous les armes.
Now – The Peace is a film produced and directed in 1945 by Stuart Legg for the National Film Board of Canada series The World in Action, with unaccredited narration by Lorne Greene. Over its nearly 21-minute running time, circumstances during the immediate postwar period following the Second World War, leading to the formation of the United Nations are discussed.
Global Air Routes is a 14-minute 1944 Canadian documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada, directed and edited by Stuart Legg. The film is part of The World in Action series. Legg directed a number of documentaries for both The World in Action and earlier Canada Carries On series. Many of the documentaries were created as morale-boosting propaganda films during the Second World War.
Ferry Pilot is a film produced in 1942 by Stuart Legg and Ross McLean for the National Film Board of Canada series The World in Action, in cooperation with the United Kingdom Ministry of Information and the Crown Film Unit. The film has an unaccredited narration by broadcaster Lorne Greene.
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.
The Home Front is a 10-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 produced and directed by Stanley Hawes.
Women Are Warriors is a 14-minute 1942 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series, and dealt with women in war. The film was produced by Raymond Spottiswoode and directed by Jane Marsh. The film's French version title is Les Femmes dans la mêlée.
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.
Inside Fighting Russia is a 1942 22-minute Canadian short documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for distribution by United Artists, as part of the wartime The World in Action series. The film documents Russia's fight against Nazi Germany during the Second World War. Inside Fighting Russia is produced by Stuart Legg, and narrated by Lorne Greene. The film's French version title is La Russie sous les armes.
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.
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.
The Gates of Italy is a 21-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada as part of both the wartime Canada Carries On and The World in Action series. The film was produced by Stuart Legg and Tom Daly. The Gates of Italy describes the last days of Benito Mussolini's rule over Italy in 1943 during the Second World War.
Trans-Canada Express is a 20-minute 1944 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the World War II Canada Carries On series. The film was produced by Sydney Newman and directed by Stanley Hawes. Trans-Canada Express documents the importance of the railroad in Canada, emphasizing the use of rail transport during World War II. The film's French version title is D'un océan à l'autre.
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 .
The Voice of Action is a 16-minute 1942 Canadian documentary film, directed by James Beveridge and produced by Raymond Spottiswoode. The short film was made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The Voice of Action describes the importance of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) in the Second World War. The French version title of The Voice of Action is Dynamisme des ondes.
The War for Men's Minds is a 21-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime The World in Action series. The film was produced by Stuart Legg. The film describes the impact of propaganda from the Axis powers in 1943, during the Second World War. The French version title is À la conquête de l'esprit humain.
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.