the REASON WHY

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: SKC 376).

Synopsis

A military training film emphasising the importance of keeping fit through exercise.

(Reel 1) L/S of queues for the Skylark boat in Southend, ice cream van, beaches, swimming, boys hurdling and sprinting. A couple walking on a common (Clapham?), boys playing football, man running for a bus. L/S of Chelsea playing football, country cricket game. L/S of 1936 Berlin Olympics. L/S of German bombers and troops. British troops at PT training, wrestling, stomach strengthening exercises, falling in parade. Battle PT eg. fully kitted infantry swimming across river, moving wounded men, supplies and ammunition without getting them wet. (Reel 2) Troops moving logs; anti-tank aircraft, shells used as weights, practicing manual loading of anti-aircraft guns, obstacle courses, unarmed combat. L/S of parachutes at Arnhem. L/S of D-day landings , invading Hitler's Europe. Post-war recruits. L/S of Athens gasworks, King David Hotel, Jerusalem; India, Delhi riots. CO telling recruits of importance of PT - the correct way to walk ("avoidance of foot inefficiency"); dorsal exercises; leaping barbed wire; medicine ball and discus exercises; swimming. (Reel 3) Wall climbing with ropes and harness; confidence courses. Recreational sports - boxing, netball, soccer, rugby and hockey. Movie-going. L/S of cricket and tennis. Unfit looking new recruits on parade. Field Marshal Montgomery speaking directly to camera about the importance of fitness in winning a war.

Notes

Technical: sound track very poor on Reel 2.

 

Titles

  • the REASON WHY
 

Technical Data

Year:
1947
Running Time:
24 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
2172 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
Army Kinema Corporation
cameraman
Lepresle, Bob
director
Lepresle, Bob
director of production (AKC)
Jackman, A F
film editor
Zolk, Anna
producer
Wintle, Julian
Production company
Verity
production supervisor (AKC)
Tambling, Dick
script
Collyer, Geoffrey
sound recordist
Smith, Richard A