Chapman, J. The British at War: Cinema, State and Propaganda, 1939-1945 London: I.B. Tauris, 1997

This work is converted from Chapman’s PhD, and is described as a “comprehensive history of the role, nature and organisation of film propaganda in Britain during the Second World War.” Chapman challenges the received wisdom that WW2 propaganda was shambolic and disorganised.

He shows how film propaganda was more successful than alleged. He examines the roles of both commercial film industry and government film units; through an analysis of government and trade sources he explores the relationship between the Ministry of Information & sectors of the film industry. He discusses the role of the cinema as a vehicle for propaganda – set within the context of a country at war. He identifies themes and images through the analysis of key films, whilst exploring their competing entertainment and propaganda values.

Chapman investigated a wide range of different sources including government records, the trade press, newspaper reviews, Mass-Observation surveys & some private letters, memoranda and committee minutes to produce a thorough, well-written, analytical work.

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