- An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Infobox Film
name = An Airman's Letter to His Mother
caption =
director = Michael Powell
producer = Michael Powell
writer = Michael Powell
narrator =John Gielgud
music =
cinematography = Michael Powell
editing =
distributor =
released = June fy|1941 "(UK)"
runtime = 5 minutes
language = English
budget =
imdb_id = 0033320"An Airman's Letter to His Mother" (fy|1941) is a documentary style British
propaganda short based on a letter from a British bomber pilot to his mother published in "The Times (London) " in June 1940, which subsequently was published as a pamphlet and received wide distribution in the U.K.Butler, Craig [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:119923~T0 Overview (Allmovie)] ]Plot
An R.A.F. airman who dies during a mission has left a letter to be sent to his mother upon his death. This film shows that letter being delivered to his mother. As the letter is read out by
John Gielgud in a voiceover, we see the mother in the airman's room, looking through his things and remembering him as a youth. The letter tells of his reasons for joining the armed forces and going to fight, knowing full well that he could die.Production
The letter was a real letter left by an airman for his mother. The airman's commanding officer was so moved by it that with the mother's permission he had it published in "
The Times " and it was subsequently published in a small book which was in such demand that it had to be reprinted three times.The actress playing the part of the mother is unknown. We never see her face and she never speaks.
The author of the letter has subsequently been revealed to be
Flying Officer Vivian Rosewarne, the co-pilot of a Wellingtonbomber , stationed atRAF Marham ,Norfolk , whose death notice was eventually published on23 December 1940 .The letter
Notes
External links
* [http://www.powell-pressburger.org/Reviews/41_Airmans "An Airman's Letter to His Mother"] reviews and articles at the [http://www.powell-pressburger.org Powell & Pressburger Pages]
*
*
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.