Christmas Under Fire facts for kids

Christmas Under Fire is a short British documentary film from 1941. It was directed by Harry Watt. The film was made by the Crown Film Unit, a special group from the British government's Ministry of Information.

This movie was created during World War II to be a type of propaganda. Propaganda films try to convince people to support a certain idea or cause. Christmas Under Fire was mainly for people in the United States. Its goal was to encourage Americans to support the Allied countries, like Britain.

The film shows how British people kept their Christmas traditions alive during the war. This was especially important in 1940, when German planes were bombing British cities. The movie highlights the strength and spirit of ordinary people, even when times were very tough. It is a follow-up to another film called London Can Take It!, and both films have the same narrator, Quentin Reynolds.

What the Film Shows

The film takes us back to Christmas 1940, right in the middle of a time called the Blitz. The Blitz was when German planes bombed British cities, especially London, very heavily.

The movie shows a mix of normal Christmas activities and the challenges of wartime:

• People are shown digging up Christmas trees to use near air raid shelters.
• Housewives are buying food for their Christmas dinners, even with shortages.
• Theatres are still putting on fun pantomime shows.
• Schoolchildren are making handmade Christmas cards for their families.

The film also shows people celebrating Christmas while sheltering in the London Underground (subway stations). A choir from King's College, Cambridge sings carols, adding to the festive but challenging mood.

How the Film Was Made

Christmas Under Fire was made by the Crown Film Unit. This group was part of the British government's Ministry of Information. Their job was to create films that helped the war effort. This movie was specifically asked for as a sequel to London Can Take It.

The film was mostly meant to be shown in America. To make sure Americans would like it, Quentin Reynolds was chosen as the narrator. Reynolds was an American writer for Collier's Weekly magazine. He had already narrated two other British propaganda films.

The film was made during the Blitz, which started in September 1940. A key message of Christmas Under Fire is that "life goes on." It shows that Christmas traditions continued despite the bombings. The film wanted to encourage support from America, which was neutral at the time. It aimed to show the strength and determination of British civilians. For example, one window cleaner is shown with a sign that says: "Business As Usual: if you've got no windows, we'll clean your chimneys." This showed that even with damage, people were still trying to live normally.