Film Snail

War

The Way to the Stars

The Way to the Stars

June 16, 1945

Life on a British bomber base, and the surrounding towns, from the opening days of the Battle of Britain, to the arrival of the Americans, who join in the bomber offensive. The film centres around Pilot Officer Peter Penrose, fresh out of a training unit, who joins the squadron, and quickly discovers about life during war time. He falls for Iris, a young girl who lives at the local hotel, but he becomes disillusioned about marriage, when the squadron commander dies in a raid, and leaves his wife, the hotel manageress, with a young son to bring up. As the war progresses, Penross comes to terms that he has survived, while others have been killed.

War Comes to America

War Comes to America

June 14, 1945

The seventh and final film of Frank Capra's Why We Fight World War II propaganda film series. This entry attempts to describe the factors leading up to America's entry into the Second World War.

6th Marine Division on Okinawa

6th Marine Division on Okinawa

June 7, 1945

A documentary covering the actions of the 6th Marine Division on Okinawa during WWII.

To the Shores of Iwo Jima

To the Shores of Iwo Jima

June 7, 1945

Documentary short film depicting the American assault on the Japanese-held island of Iwo Jima and the massive battle that raged on that key island in the Allied advance on Japan. Four cameramen died bringing this footage to the public

The Channel Islands 1940-1945

The Channel Islands 1940-1945

June 1, 1945

The occupation of the Channel Islands.

Back to Bataan

Back to Bataan

May 30, 1945

An Army colonel leads a guerrilla campaign against the Japanese in the Philippines.

China's Little Devils

China's Little Devils

May 27, 1945

In this propaganda film, a courageous group of Chinese children risk their lives to assist downed American pilots escape the ruthless Japanese oppressors.

The Last Chance

The Last Chance

May 26, 1945

Escaping a Nazi prison train in war-torn Italy, an American and a British soldier set out for the Swiss border and find themselves leading a multi-national party of refugees for the Italian underground.

A Harbor Goes to France

May 18, 1945

The Ministry of Information presents this World War II documentary, produced by The Admiralty and The Army Film Unit. The black-and-white film covers the process of constructing, transporting, and installing the artificial harbors, Mulberry A and B, only a few days after D-day and the invasion of the beaches of Normandy. The British Army designed and built the harbor in the UK and transported them by sea to France to solve the problem of transporting supplies and vehicles to France along the Normandy coastline, where already existing harbors were too scarce.

China Sky

China Sky

May 16, 1945

During World War II, an American mission hospital is headed up by Dr. Gray Thompson and Dr. Sara Durand. Sara is secretly in love with Gray but hides her feelings as his new wife, Louise, arrives at the hospital. Sparks fly, however, when Louise becomes jealous of Sara, and then tries to convince her husband to leave war-torn China behind for a calmer life in the United States. But Thompson is attached to both Sara and the people who need his help.

Los últimos de Filipinas

Los últimos de Filipinas

May 9, 1945

The Philippines, 1898, during the Spanish-American War. Fifty Spanish soldiers guarding the outpost established in the small village of Baler endure the cruel siege of the Filipino rebels for eleven months, although the war is almost lost…

Overwinning in Nederland

Overwinning in Nederland

May 5, 1945

The Battle of San Pietro

The Battle of San Pietro

May 3, 1945

This documentary movie is about the battle of San Pietro, a small village in Italy. Over 1,100 US soldiers were killed while trying to take this location, that blocked the way for the Allied forces from the Germans. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2005.

Dark Is the Night

Dark Is the Night

May 1, 1945

A girl, working in a German commandant's office, saves two wounded Russian pilots sacrificing her own life.

Escape in the Desert

Escape in the Desert

May 1, 1945

Escaped Nazi POWs hold the denizens of a California resort hostage.

Blood on the Sun

Blood on the Sun

April 26, 1945

Nick Condon, an American journalist in 20s Tokyo, publishes the Japanese master plan for world domination. Reaction from the understandably upset Japanese provides the action, but this is overshadowed by the propaganda of the time.

Counter-Attack

Counter-Attack

April 26, 1945

Two Russians fight to escape the seven Nazi soldiers trapped with them in a bombed building.

The Master Key

The Master Key

April 24, 1945

Before the outbreak of WWII, Nazi sympathizers plot to undermine America.

Salome, Where She Danced

Salome, Where She Danced

April 17, 1945

During the Austrian-Prussian war, Anna Marie is a dancer who is forced to flee her country after she is accused of being a spy. She ends up in a lawless western town in Arizona, where she uses her charms and dancing skills to transform herself into "Salome" during her dance routines.

A Few Quick Facts: Fear

A Few Quick Facts: Fear

April 15, 1945

Private Snafu learns about fear