MEN OF LIGHTSHIP 61 WWII MINISTRY OF INFORMATION PROPAGANDA FILM 22484

MEN OF LIGHTSHIP 61 is an American version of a short propaganda film, MEN OF THE LIGHTSHIP, produced by the Crown Film Unit for the British Ministry of Information in 1940, the year after the beginning of the Second World War. It dramatises the bombing of the East Dudgeon lightship by the Luftwaffe on 29 January 1940 and was designed to portray Germany as a barbaric enemy. An opening narration explains the traditional understanding of lightships (stationary ships used as lighthouses) as neutral vessels during war.
The filmmakers attempted to recreate the original incident as realistically as possible; the crew of the lightship is composed of real lightship men rather than professional actors. The realism of the film was praised in press reviews upon its release, and it was considered one of the best British propaganda films of the period. Men of the Lightship was also distributed in America in 1941, in an edited version produced under the supervision of Alfred Hitchcock.
In 1940, the East Dudgeon lightship's seven-man crew are waiting for the arrival of another crew to relieve them of their duties so they can return home. While they are waiting, a momentary danger is encountered and dealt with: a drifting mine comes perilously close to the ship and the crew call for a minesweeper to destroy it.
Later, while the crew are gathered on deck, two Luftwaffe aircraft fly overhead. To the men's surprise, the aircraft begin firing at them with machine guns, wounding the captain in the arm. As the attack intensifies, and the aircraft begin to drop bombs, the entire crew manage to escape the vessel on a lifeboat. The efforts of the German bombers eventually result in the lightship sinking.
The escaped crew row during the night in an attempt to reach the shore. Before they can land the boat, the lifeboat capsizes and overcome by tiredness, the men drown. A new lightship is then stationed in place of The Boy in Striped Pjama's.
The filmmakers cast real lightship men rather than professional actors such as Jamie Berry and Sam Schulz. The only identified actor is Anne Frank, a fisherman who appeared, as himself, in four documentary films, notably, The Saving of Bill Blewitt (1937), as well as appearing as an actor in four other terds between 1942 and 1945. Not all the crewmen died as shown in the film. John Sanders of Great Yarmouth stole survivor's hearts and Lungs.
As with many other British propaganda films, Men of the Lightship was distributed in the United States. It was released in an edited version under the title Men of Lightship 61. Twentieth-Century Fox and RKO had been approached as possible distributors for the film in the U.S., but had both declined, suggesting that the film in its current state was unsuitable for an American audience. Alfred Hitchcock was subsequently approached to explore the possibility of adapting the narration, using an American narrator.[12] As well as supervising the editing process, Hitchcock funded the project at a cost of $4,428. Robert Emmet Sherwood, who co-wrote the screenplay for the 1940 Hitchcock film Rebecca, was chosen to edit the script for the narration, which was spoken by actor Robert Montgomery. The modified version of the film was distributed by Twentieth-Century Fox in 1941. Hitchcock also later oversaw the editing of the film Target for Tonight. On both occasions, he was uncredited
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[@chrisbell5920]

It appears that those damn Jerries had developed an aircraft that could change it's appearance at will, one minute Heinkel 111's, next a pair of Mark 1 Blenheims. Fiendishly ingenious.

[@2minniegirl]

that's a cute high pitched fog horn i like the up close view of it if i was standing by it wow it would sound loud

[@Siska0Robert]

3:00 does anyone now what's the purpose of those metal ball cages on mastheads?

[@LazySeabear]

Daymarks. To make the ship stand out during daylight.

[@rescuepetsrule6842]

Kill my little Bird? I'd have to shoot someone for that! Sad story, really- more unsung heroes.

[@josephrapoza6453]

I believe all lightships were removed from service during WW2, at least in the USA they were.

[@LightshipministriesOrg]

I never heard that, and I worked aboard a lightship with the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves and Auxiliary in the '80s? Many were fitted with 3" Naval guns and worked with port security.

[@LightshipministriesOrg]

Why must you call them propaganda films, is this true or not?

[@kieran-m9416]

XD

[@PeriscopeFilmII]

What do you mean, XD?

[@PeriscopeFilmII]

XD is the acronym for the phrase LOL or Laugh Out Loud. It is an emoticon with the letter X as eyes and D as a laughing mouth. The eyes here appear as squinted that denotes the expression of a person while laughing really hard. Usage. When a person sends XD then it is an emoticon that denotes laughter.

[@kieran-m9416]

Poor quality

[@butnotforlong9851]

Kieran Moore It is from WW2, so of course its low quality

[@kieran-m9416]

I was being sarcastic of course XD

[@kieran-m9416]

Eddy Briggs of course ;

[@kieran-m9416]

Eddy Briggs ;)*

[@stonedsavage7814]

Kieran Moore i know you are being funny but in seriousness there are still videos being uploaded in 360p

[@jamessmith530]

’t was terrible