The IWM Film Archive is the oldest film archive in the UK, holding over 20,000 hours of film, video and digital material and covering the two World Wars and all conflicts involving British or Commonwealth Forces since the start of the Twentieth Century to the present. Our collection also reflects aspects of civilian life in wartime, military life in peacetime, military exercises and operations.
This film is part of Free
Breathing Space
Whilst some cultural treasures were stowed away in wartime, there was still an array of objects, artworks and experiences on offer to the public.
From the collection of:
Overview
‘Breathing Space’ explores some of the culture activities available to both civilians and service personnel on the home front in the 1940s. During a period often associated with popular culture such as dancehalls and cinemas, notable achievements in art, literature and music were also made. This is perhaps all the more remarkable given the tough circumstances of war.
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Forget the war; life goes on in West Yorkshire, with weddings and family days out, the lively Pudsey Carnival and, on the eve of the Battle of Britain, an overflowing Ilkley Lido.
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Capital scenes thanks to Victorian filmmakers
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Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
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Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
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Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.