clive's - Rented List
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Double-bill documentary about two of the greatest battles between the German and Russian forces in World War Two.
Road to StalingradWas not only the psychological turning point of WWII; it also changed the face of modern warfare. In august 1942, Hitlers huge sixth army reached the city that bore Stalin's name. In the five-month siege that followed, the Russians fought to hold Stalingrad at any cost, then, in an astonishing reversal, encircled and trapped their Nazi enemy. This epic battle for the ruins of a city cost more than a million lives.
Road to Berlin
The Germans had repulsed every Russian attempt to drive across the Oder River to Berlin. During early April, however, Stalin concentrated a tremendous force between Stettin and Breslau in preparation for a final blow against Germany. During the night of April 16-17, 1945 the Russians struck. No one in Berlin had any hope of stopping the massive Russian offensive involving over 300 divisions. Left to defend the 321 square miles of the city were 60,000 untrained home guardsmen which ranged from 15-year old Hitler Youths to men in their seventies. In all, one-third of these men were unarmed. Even though the Americans and British were advancing rapidly in the west, the terribly outnumbered German forces along the Oder fought desperately to stem the Russian advance.- Director:
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The Imperial War Museum Collection features rare and fascinating original films preserved in the Museum's archive. These films are of great historical importance and are essential viewing for anyone interested in British military history. "Now It Can Be Told" recreates the top secret missions of British agents behind enemy lines during the Second World War. What makes the film so unusual - and so compelling - is that the 'stars' of the film are the real life secret agents, replaying their wartime roles in front of the cameras. Captain Harry Ree DSO, OBE, Croix de Guerre, Medaille de la Resistance and Jacqueline Nearne MBE, faithfully recreate their wartime missions as agents 'Felix' and 'Cat'. Together, they help to harass Nazi troops in occupied France and to assist the Allies by paving the way for the D-Day invasion. In addition to real agents, the film also depicts real procedures and locations used in agent training, giving it value as an historical record that sets it apart from the more dramatic films about resistance fighters. Made by the RAF Film Production Unit and released through the Central Office of Information in 1946, filming had begun in 1944 but it was not until the war's end that it was shown in cinemas under the title School for Danger. Now It Can Be Told is a longer version, prepared for special release, with additional material from the documentary style training sequences. - Director:
- Teddy Baird
- Cast:
- Jacqueline Nearne, Harry Rée
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The German Propaganda Kompanien (PK) captured the events of Hitler's war on every front. Their footage was used to produce Die Deutsche Wochenschau, a weekly cinema newsreel detailing the events of World War II on land, sea and air. For the first time these unique primary source films have been collated, edited and translated into English in order to produce a complete military history of the third Reich drawn exclusively from German primary sources. This amazing range of films captures the events of World War II exactly as they were presented to contemporary cinema audiences while the actions on the battlefield were still unfolding. This volume featuring translated Wochenschau newsreels records the story of Hitler's forgotten armies in the north who carried on a long struggle against the Red Army and the unforgiving elements. - Director:
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The German Propaganda Kompanien (PK) captured the events of Hitler's war on every front. Their footage was used to produce Die Deutsche Wochenschau, a weekly cinema newsreel detailing the events of World War II on land, sea and air. For the first time these unique primary source films have been collated, edited and translated into English in order to produce a complete military history of the Third Reich drawn exclusively from German primary sources. This amazing range of films captures the events of World War II exactly as they were presented to contemporary cinema audiences while the actions on the battlefield were still unfolding. This volume featuring translated Wochenschau newsreels records the events following the failure at Kursk. As the tide began to turn against Hitler, only the intervention von Manstein and the victory at Kharkov slowed up the collapsing of the Russian Front. - Director:
- Not Available
- Cast:
- Adolf Hitler
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The Campaign in Poland 1939 (1940)Feldzug in Polen
This is the powerful film record of the lightning campaign against Poland as documented by the Kriegsberichter. Originally released to cinemas in 1940 as "Der Feiazug Am Polen" this is the ultimate primary source from the German perspective. This is a vivid military history of the Polish campaign of September 1939 through footage taken on the front lines. The events of Hitler's war on land sea and air were photographed on a day by day basis by the Kriegsberichter; their huge legacy is estimated to encompass over 2,000,000 images which constitute a powerful primary visual record of the main events of World War II as witnessed from the front lines. - Director:
- Fritz Hippler
- Cast:
- Adolf Hitler
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Gladiators of World War II: Free Polish Forces (2002)Gladiators of World War 2: Free Polish Forces
In September 1939 Poland was overrun by the Germans and Russians, yet the Polish fighting spirit remained unbroken. Under the leadership of General Wladyslaw Sikorski, the Free Polish Army was formed. They were a displaced fighting force, which would exact revenge for the occupation of Poland, fighting first in France, and then alongside British forces in almost every campaign in the desert and Western Europe. When Hitler invaded Russia, Poland found itself in a new alliance with its former aggressor, but the historical antagonism between the two countries was always lurking. Tragically, the loyalty and courage of its armies on the 27 battlefield, did not win Poland the independence its people hoped for. After 7 years of fighting, many of those Free Poles who returned home from the war were arrested, murdered, or deported by the Soviet troops who now occupied their country. Many never saw their home country again. The 'Free Polish Forces' will be remembered as the Gladiators who were willing to sacrifice everything to rescue their country. Poland's democracy and true independence, finally won in 1989, stands as a testimonial to those who gave so much for what seemed like so little. - Director:
- Charles Messenger
- Cast:
- Harold Alexander, Robert Powell, Wladyslaw Anders
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An essential Second World War documentary from the Emmy Award winning team behind the PBS Series 'Battlefield' and Discovery Channel's 'Weapons of War'. 'The Battle of Stalingrad' was a major and decisive battle of World War II in which Nazi Germany and its allies fought the Soviet Union for control of the city of Stalingrad. The battle took place between August, 1942 and February, 1943 and was marked by constant close-quarters combat and lack of regard for military and civilian casualties. It is among the bloodiest battles in the history of warfare, with estimates of combined casualties amounting to nearly two million. The heavy losses inflicted on Hitler's Wehrmacht made it a significant turning point in the war. After the Battle of Stalingrad, German forces never recovered their earlier strength, and attained no further strategic victories in the East. The documentary features rare Soviet and German archive film footage, as well as unique primary sources to create a comprehensive account of the Battle of Stalingrad. - Director:
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- Cast:
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
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The German Propaganda Kompanien II (PK) captured the events of Hitler's war on every front. Their footage was used to produce Die Deutsche Wochenschau, a weekly cinema newsreel detailing the events of World War II on land, sea and air. For the first time these unique primary source films have been collated, edited and translated into English in order to produce a complete military history of the Third Reich drawn exclusively from German primary sources. This amazing range of films captures the events of World War II exactly as they were presented to contemporary cinema audiences while the actions on the battlefield were still unfolding. This volume featuring translated Wochenschau newsreels records the titanic Battle of Stalingrad which led to the destruction of the Sixth Army. The heavy losses sustained by the German army make it arguably the turning point of World War II. - Director:
- Hugh Raggett
- Cast:
- Andrey Yeryomenko, Hermann Göring, Franz Halder
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High speed patrol boats, the smallest surface torpedo carriers, had already made an appearance in the First World War. "The Stuka dive - bombers of the seas" was how the high-speed German patrol boats of the Second World War came to be known. They were the most important offensive weapon amongst the warships deployed along the coastline. During the War approximately 200 boats were built in several versions. These were deployed in all the maritime theatres of war, especially in the Channel, but also in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, to which they had been transported by land. In all their operations they achieved considerable success - 40 warships, including 12 destroyers and escort destroyers, as well as mote than 100 merchant ships, were sunk by them during the War. "Stuka dive - bombers of the seas" achieved the remarkable speed of up to 42 knots. 149 of these ships were destroyed by the enemy in the course of the War. - Director:
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The Imperial War Museum Collection features rare and fascinating original films preserved in the Museum's archive. Many have never been released to the public before and are presented here, complete and uncut, for the very first time. These films are of great historical importance and are essential viewing for anyone interested in British military history. This collection features seven different wartime films looking at life in London from the outbreak of war through the Blitz to the V-Bomb menace.
London Can Take It! (1940)
This celebrated film, co-directed by Humphrey Jennings, was aimed at American audiences, with reporter Quentin Reynolds praising the courage and resilience of Londoners during the Blitz.
The First Days (1939)
A quiet portrait of London in the first days after war had been declared, awaiting the inevitable onslaught.
Neighbours Under Fire (1940)
This inspiring short film, shows Londoners rallying around to help one another during the fury of the Blitz, when - in just one night alone -1200 people suddenly found themselves homeless.
Christmas Under Fire (1941)
A moving and vivid portrait of Christmas 1940,
when Londoners swapped the intimacy of the fireside for shelter in the capital's tube stations.
Ordinary People (1942)
A day in the life of ordinary Londoners, trying to get on with their lives and contribute to the war effort - and waiting for the seemingly inevitable air raid sirens to sound again.
London Scrapbook (1942)
Bessie Love, Basil Radford & Leslie Mitchell star in this vivid portrait of London at war, intended for American audiences to help them appreciate the experience of living in a war-torn city.
Second Battle Of London (1944)
A tribute to the work of Anti-Aircraft Command under General Sir Frederick Pile in defending London against waves of German V-1 Flying Bombs.
Manchester Took It Too (1941)
A short film showing the bomb damage to Manchester caused by the German air-raids of 22 and 23 December 1940, produced by the Manchester Co-op to show that other cities apart from London were standing up to the bombers. The film was a direct response to London Can Take It.- Director:
- Humphrey Jennings
- Cast:
- Bessie Love, Quentin Reynolds, Basil Radford
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Gladiators of World War II: The Desert Rats (2002)Gladiators of World War 2: The Desert Rats
21st July 1945, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill addressed the 7th Armoured Division: "Dear Desert Rats! May your glory never fade! May your laurels never fade! May the memory of this glorious pilgrimage of war which you have made from Alamein, via the Baltic, to Berlin never die! It is a march unsurpassed in the history of war". The legend of the Desert Rats began with the destruction of the Italian 10th Army in 1940. When Nazi General Erwin Rommel arrived in Libya with his Afrika Korps, the ebb and flow of desert warfare pitted the two great forces against each other. As part of the 8th Army under General Bernard Montgomery, the Desert Rats played a key role in the crucial battle at El Alamein which forced the Afrika Korps into retreat. On the 11th May 1943, the Axis forces in North Africa finally surrendered, and the desert war was over. After four years of fighting the veterans were still not finished. They fought their way across Europe from D-Day to the surrender of Berlin, with the spirit and determination that made them some of the most famous Gladiators in the British army. - Director:
- Charles Messenger
- Cast:
- Robert Powell, Claude Auchinleck, Harold Alexander
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Words for Battle, Writers at War (1945)Britain's Home Front at War: Words for Battle
The Imperial War Museum Collection features rare and fascinating original films preserved in the Museum's archive. Many have never been released to the public before and are presented here, complete and uncut, for the very first time. These films are of great historical importance and are essential viewing for anyone interested in British military history. This collection features no less than nine stirring and inspirational films urging the nation to fight on and to preserve our British heritage and way of life.
Words for Battle (1941)
Laurence Olivier reads extracts from great works by the likes of Milton, Blake and Kipling, illustrated by inspirational film of both a timeless pastoral Britain and a modern armed Britain poised for war.
Lift Your Head, Comrade (1942)
A powerful propaganda piece looking at German and Austrian anti-fascists who have volunteered to service with the Pioneer Corps to help Britain its war against Germany.
The New Britain (1940)
This MOI production evokes the utopia that Britain could have become in the decades following the Great War, if only German fascism had not raised its head.
Worker and Warfront No.8 (1943)
Stanley Holloway provides the voiceover in this animated warning about a worker too tough to get his wounds checked - and who then contracts blood poisoning.
Britain at Bay (1940)
J. B. Priestley provides the commentary for a film produced immediately after the fall of France, celebrating British values and reminding us that, in the months ahead, Britain stands alone and at bay in guarding 'the future of the civilised world'.
Essential Jobs (1942)
A fascinating film showing how all unglamorous jobs actually contribute to the war effort.
Albert's Savings (1940)
Stanley Holloway delivers an 'Albert'-style monologue as he persuades the nation to invest in Savings Certificates for the war effort.
A Diary for Tomothy (1945)
Michael Redgrave, John Gielgud and Myra Hess contribute to Humphrey Jennings' impressionistic portrait of a Britain finally poised to celebrate the end of the war.
New Towns for Old (1942)
An MOI film looking at urban regeneration in the fictional industrial town of 'Smokedale'.- Director:
- Humphrey Jennings
- Cast:
- Laurence Olivier, J B Priestley, Stanley Holloway
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Gladiators of World War II: Waffen-SS (2002)Gladiators of World War 2: Waffen - SS
The Waffen SS began as Hitler's elite bodyguard and grew into one of the most formidable fighting forces of Nazi Germany. Although part of the infamous SS - and indelibly linked with the excesses of the feared Gestapo, the concentration camps, and the extermination squads, the men of the SS saw themselves as combat soldiers, respected for their courage, feared for their ruthlessness and fanaticism. For these were political soldiers; mature men, recruited for their physical perfection and pure Aryan ancestry. They were drilled in Nazi ideology, indoctrinated to believe in themselves as the master race and their enemies as subhuman. They became the cornerstone of the German defences, who carried on fighting, even when all hope was gone. But they are remembered for their brutality. They killed captured British, Canadian and American soldiers in cold blood, and massacred unarmed French, Belgian and Russian civilians. They were Gladiators on the battlefield, who fought on against impossible odds, but the Waffen SS will forever be tarnished by the atrocities they committed as the willing servants of an evil regime. - Director:
- Charles Messenger
- Cast:
- Léon Degrelle, Robert Powell, Sepp Dietrich
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Gladiators of World War II: The Anzacs (2002)Gladiators of World War 2: The Anzacs
The Anzacs - the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, first saw active service in Libya with the British, when they forced the Italian army to surrender. The real test came when Rommel and his Afrika Korps entered the desert arena. At Tobruk, the largely Australian garrison, known as 'the rats of Tobruk', held out against overwhelming odds to repel the Axis forces. Initial defeats in the Mediterranean in Greece and Crete against the German Blitzkrieg might have disillusioned lesser troops, but not the indomitable Anzacs. The war took on new meaning for them after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, when the Japanese invaded Malaya, and the Anzacs suddenly found their own territory under threat. A typical Anzac victory occurred in the jungle of Papua New Guinea. Half trained Australian troops fought a desperate battle against superior Japanese forces on the 150 mile long Kokoda Trail, both sides suffered from disease and supply line problems, but against all the odds, the Australians emerged triumphant. The contribution made by the Anzacs to ultimate victory in World War II was out of all proportion to the size of the populations of Australia and New Zealand, but the cost had been high. - Director:
- Charles Messenger
- Cast:
- Robert Powell, Claude Auchinleck, Thomas Blamey
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Gladiators of World War II: The SAS (2002)Gladiators of World War 2: The SAS
Captured on camera, on the 5th of May 1980, the British Army's elite Special Air Service stormed the Iranian Embassy in London, where hostages were being held by Iraqi terrorists. Within ten minutes, the terrorists were killed, and the remaining hostages rescued. Who were these black-clad men in balaclavas, who resolved the conflict with such ruthless efficiency? This programme examines the SAS, from its conception as a small, deep-penetration raiding force led by Commando Officer David Stirling in the deserts of Libya and Egypt in World War II, to its work on the modern day battlefields in the Falklands and Gulf wars. Today the SAS is among the best special services in the world. Its men are the toughest of the tough, and those who have served in it over the 60 years since its inception have lived and fought unswervingly under the motto on their cap badges: 'Who Dares Wins'. - Director:
- Charles Messenger
- Cast:
- Robert Powell, Harold Alexander, Claude Auchinleck
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