This film is part of Free
Battle South of Arras
You can virtually hear the explosions and smell the smoke in this rare close-up of a WWI battlefield.
Overview
For much of World War One, images of actual fighting were rare, and any that were created were used in official propaganda films like this one. A particularly graphic example of the genre, it indicates the level of British resilience in one of the later battles of the War. Explosions rain down on the battlefield from all sides, making JB McDowell’s courageous camerawork all the more noteworthy.
By the time these extraordinary pictures were captured, the Topical Budget newsreel had come under the control of the government’s War Office. This film was released late in the summer of 1918 – over a year after the Battle of Arras - at a time when Allied victory was looking increasingly assured. But there is so much tragedy in the final scene, when cavalry take a direct hit from shellfire.
Related
Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero
Biopic 1918 126 mins Silent
Morale-boosting exploits intended to inspire war-weary citizens.
Trips and Tribunals (The Blunders of Mr. Butterbun) Trips and Tribunals (The Blunders of Mr. Butterbun)
Comedy 1918 25 mins Silent
Mr Butterbun presides over a tribunal dealing with cases of men presenting excuses to avoid the First World War draft.
Women's Work in Wartime Women's Work in Wartime
Documentary 1918 8 mins Silent
Who wears the trousers while the men are at war? The women of Britain, who pick up a surprisingly wide range of jobs
Battle Front in Britain Battle Front in Britain
Documentary 1918 24 mins Silent
Growing potatoes in Green Park plus some handy uses for your old tin cans – it’s all part of the war effort on the home front.
Scenes of the First World War Scenes of the First World War
Documentary 1918 5 mins Silent
Dramatic footage of Italian and British troops on the front line and airborne.
Haunted Hotel Haunted Hotel
Fantasy 1918 17 mins Silent
Guests find things that go bump in the night.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.
New Perspectives: Oldboy New Perspectives: Oldboy
Short documentary 2024 4 mins
Discover why Dan George of Northumbria University believes everyone should experience Oldboy at least once.