A colorful travelogue of London's most historic buildings and the residual damage still left from WWII.A colorful travelogue of London's most historic buildings and the residual damage still left from WWII.A colorful travelogue of London's most historic buildings and the residual damage still left from WWII.
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Did you know
- TriviaThis short film from June 1, 1946, was released a little over a year after VE (Victory in Europe) Day, which occurred on May 8, 1945 when the Allied countries accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany.
- Quotes
[last lines]
Narrator: In conclusion, we rejoice that most of the cherished old landmarks and institutions of London have escaped the horrors of war, for without them the civilized world would be deprived of a precious heritage. And it is with this thought that we now conclude our impressions of postwar London.
- ConnectionsSpoofed in Gateway to the South (1981)
Featured review
Postwar England
While many people would say New York is the most varied and impressive city in the world, I would think London deserves the title more as it has stood alone against the Nazis, been attacked in numerous wars, and still manages to remain a hub of trade, culture and vibrancy even to this day. This Traveltalks (which is more interesting than usual) goes over London right after World War II is concluded, and shows some of the landmarks that have survived the biggest war humanity has ever seen. For centuries, the city has been inhabited by such illustrious men as Henry VIII, Shakespeare, Oliver Cromwell, and countless others who have contributed to making Britain arguably the mightiest country in history. We start by looking at the Bank of England, then at a marble arch that serves as a gateway to the famous Hyde Park, where brits gather to enjoy diversions. Buckingham Palace, probably the most well known building in britain, comes into view. Before being bought by King George III, it was made by the Duke of Buckingham all for himself. A monument outside is dedicated to Queen Victoria. At the western side of Trafalgar Square, we see Admiralty Archway, which is also part of the memorial to Queen Victoria. Dominating the square is a monument dedicated to Horatio Nelson, the esteemed naval commander whose victory over French and Spanish forces during the time of Napoleon allowed britain to have total control of the seas for another century. Next, we see evidence of bomb damage at the London Port of Authority Building, which has a huge tower on its top story, the latter having every one of its offices destroyed (except one). Another place badly hit by bombs was The Temple, best known as the former headquarters of the Knights Templar. Since the 1300s, it has mostly been used by lawyers. Near Saint Paul's Cathedral, entire city blocks were destroyed, but the church itself is perfectly fine. Strangely, a species of flower that apparently hasn't been seen since the 1600s has been sighted near the cathedral, which is symbolic since London will eventually heal from the scars of war. Marching through the streets are members of the First British Expeditionary Force: First World War veterans who participated in the Battle of the Marne in 1914. They inflicted such losses on Germany that Kaiser Wilhelm called them "contemptibles." In keeping with british humor, members of the force started referring to themselves as that ever since. Fitzpatrick gets on a double decker bus to go to Picadilly, which summarizes the postwar feeling more than anywhere else, and then visits Westminster Palace. Big Ben stands beside the House of Parliament, which boasts 1100 rooms and 2 miles worth of passages. Something unexpected lies closeby, where we see a statue of Abraham Lincoln. I say unexpected because during the Civil War, britain came close to declaring war on the US following an incident which involved Confederate diplomats being seized from a british ship. Britain moved troops to Canada and threatened to attack America, but Lincoln backed down and ordered the diplomats to be let go. I think it's important how Fitzpatrick showed some of the devastation caused to britain during the war, and while he shows much, there were much worse incidents. The germans had a type of bomb during the war that had an explosive force capable of leveling more than 200 houses in one blast, though it was rarely dropped on britain. It's frankly pretty sickening when you think about it. It's hard to believe we're now out of the era of ww2 Traveltalks, as Fitzpatrick says with the war over, things can only improve for London. Overall, I thought this one was more interesting than most others in the series, especially since it's so soon after the war.
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- nickenchuggets
- Apr 6, 2024
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- James A. FitzPatrick's Traveltalks: Looking at London
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- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime10 minutes
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