Millions Like Us
Encyclopedia
Millions Like Us is a 1943 British propaganda film, showing life in a wartime aircraft factory in documentary detail. It stars Patricia Roc
, Eric Portman
, Megs Jenkins
, and Anne Crawford
, was written by Sidney Gilliat
, and directed by Gilliat and Frank Launder
. It was filmed at Gainsborough Studios.
When Celia Crowson (Roc) is called up for war service, she hopes for a glamorous job in one of the services, but as a single girl she is directed into a factory making aircraft parts. Here she meets other girls from all different walks of life, and begins a relationship with a young airman.
) joins the home guard and her more confident sister Phyllis (Joy Shelton
) joins the Auxiliary Territorial Service
. Fearing her father's disapproval if she moves away from home, Celia hesitates about joining up but eventually her call-up papers arrive. Hoping to join the WAAF
or one of the other services, Celia instead gets posted to a munitions factory, where she meets her co-workers, including her Welsh room-mate Gwen Price (Megs Jenkins
) and the vain upper-middle-class Jennifer Knowles (Anne Crawford
). Knowles dislikes the work they have to do at the factory, causing friction with their supervisor Charlie Forbes (Eric Portman
) which eventually blossoms into a verbally combative romance.
A nearby RAF bomber station sends some of its men to a staff dance at the factory, during which Celia meets and falls in love with an equally-shy young Scottish flight sergeant
Fred Blake (Gordon Jackson
). Their relationship encounters a crisis when Fred refuses to tell Celia when he is sent out on his first mission, but soon afterwards they meet and make up, with Fred asking Celia to marry him. After the wedding they spend their honeymoon at the same south-coast resort as the Crowsons went to in 1939, finding it much changed with minefields and barbed wire defending against the expected German invasion
. Just after returning to the factory, they find furnished rooms nearby to set up house together, but then Fred is killed in a bombing raid over Germany. Celia receives the news while working at the factory and at a mealtime shortly afterwards the band play Waiting at the Church
, without realising it had been played at Celia's wedding reception. About to break down, Celia is comforted by her fellow workers, as bombers from Fred's squadron overfly the factory en route to another raid.
Patricia Roc
Patricia Roc , born Felicia Miriam Ursula Herold, was a British film actress, popular in the Gainsborough melodramas such as Madonna of the Seven Moons and The Wicked Lady , though she only made one film in Hollywood, Canyon Passage...
, Eric Portman
Eric Portman
Eric Portman was a distinguished English stage and film actor...
, Megs Jenkins
Megs Jenkins
Muguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
, and Anne Crawford
Anne Crawford
Anne Crawford , born Imelda Crawford, was a British film actress, in films such as Millions Like Us...
, was written by Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat
Sidney Gilliat was an English film director, producer and writer.He was born in the district of Edgeley in Stockport, Cheshire. In the 1930s he worked as a scriptwriter, most notably with Frank Launder on The Lady Vanishes for Alfred Hitchcock, and its sequel Night Train to Munich , directed by...
, and directed by Gilliat and Frank Launder
Frank Launder
Frank Launder was an English writer, director and producer, who made more than 40 films, many of them in collaboration with Sidney Gilliat....
. It was filmed at Gainsborough Studios.
When Celia Crowson (Roc) is called up for war service, she hopes for a glamorous job in one of the services, but as a single girl she is directed into a factory making aircraft parts. Here she meets other girls from all different walks of life, and begins a relationship with a young airman.
Plot
Celia Crowson (Roc) and her family go on holiday to the south coast of England in the summer of 1939. Soon afterwards the Second World War breaks out and Celia's father (Moore MarriottMoore Marriott
Moore Marriott was a British character actor most notable for a series of films he made with Will Hay in the 1930s.-Career:...
) joins the home guard and her more confident sister Phyllis (Joy Shelton
Joy Shelton
Joy Shelton was an English actress, who performed in films, radio and television.-Biography:Joy Shelton was born in London on 3 June 1922...
) joins the Auxiliary Territorial Service
Auxiliary Territorial Service
The Auxiliary Territorial Service was the women's branch of the British Army during the Second World War...
. Fearing her father's disapproval if she moves away from home, Celia hesitates about joining up but eventually her call-up papers arrive. Hoping to join the WAAF
Women's Auxiliary Air Force
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force , whose members were invariably referred to as Waafs , was the female auxiliary of the Royal Air Force during World War II, established in 1939. At its peak strength, in 1943, WAAF numbers exceeded 180,000, with over 2,000 women enlisting per week.A Women's Royal Air...
or one of the other services, Celia instead gets posted to a munitions factory, where she meets her co-workers, including her Welsh room-mate Gwen Price (Megs Jenkins
Megs Jenkins
Muguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
) and the vain upper-middle-class Jennifer Knowles (Anne Crawford
Anne Crawford
Anne Crawford , born Imelda Crawford, was a British film actress, in films such as Millions Like Us...
). Knowles dislikes the work they have to do at the factory, causing friction with their supervisor Charlie Forbes (Eric Portman
Eric Portman
Eric Portman was a distinguished English stage and film actor...
) which eventually blossoms into a verbally combative romance.
A nearby RAF bomber station sends some of its men to a staff dance at the factory, during which Celia meets and falls in love with an equally-shy young Scottish flight sergeant
Flight Sergeant
Flight sergeant is a senior non-commissioned rank in the British Royal Air Force and several other air forces which have adopted all or part of the RAF rank structure...
Fred Blake (Gordon Jackson
Gordon Jackson (actor)
Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
). Their relationship encounters a crisis when Fred refuses to tell Celia when he is sent out on his first mission, but soon afterwards they meet and make up, with Fred asking Celia to marry him. After the wedding they spend their honeymoon at the same south-coast resort as the Crowsons went to in 1939, finding it much changed with minefields and barbed wire defending against the expected German invasion
Operation Sealion
Operation Sea Lion was Germany's plan to invade the United Kingdom during the Second World War, beginning in 1940. To have had any chance of success, however, the operation would have required air and naval supremacy over the English Channel...
. Just after returning to the factory, they find furnished rooms nearby to set up house together, but then Fred is killed in a bombing raid over Germany. Celia receives the news while working at the factory and at a mealtime shortly afterwards the band play Waiting at the Church
Waiting at the Church
Waiting at the Church is a popular British music hall song by Vesta Victoria. It is sung by a woman who has given her fiancee all her money to buy a ring or a house only to be left "waiting at the church" when she discovers that he is already married. It has featured in a number of films including...
, without realising it had been played at Celia's wedding reception. About to break down, Celia is comforted by her fellow workers, as bombers from Fred's squadron overfly the factory en route to another raid.
Cast
- Patricia RocPatricia RocPatricia Roc , born Felicia Miriam Ursula Herold, was a British film actress, popular in the Gainsborough melodramas such as Madonna of the Seven Moons and The Wicked Lady , though she only made one film in Hollywood, Canyon Passage...
- Celia Crowson - Gordon JacksonGordon Jackson (actor)Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
- Fred Blake - Anne CrawfordAnne CrawfordAnne Crawford , born Imelda Crawford, was a British film actress, in films such as Millions Like Us...
- Jennifer Knowles - Basil RadfordBasil RadfordBasil Radford was an English character actor who featured in many British films of the 1930s and 1940s. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and made his first stage appearance in July 1924...
- ChartersCharters and CaldicottCaldicott and Charters are two supporting characters in the film The Lady Vanishes, and recurring characters in later films and BBC Radio productions.-Life:... - Naunton WayneNaunton WayneNaunton Wayne , was a British character actor, born in Llanwonno, South Wales. He was educated at Clifton College....
- CaldicottCharters and CaldicottCaldicott and Charters are two supporting characters in the film The Lady Vanishes, and recurring characters in later films and BBC Radio productions.-Life:... - Moore MarriottMoore MarriottMoore Marriott was a British character actor most notable for a series of films he made with Will Hay in the 1930s.-Career:...
- Jim Crowson - Eric PortmanEric PortmanEric Portman was a distinguished English stage and film actor...
- Charlie Forbes - Joy SheltonJoy SheltonJoy Shelton was an English actress, who performed in films, radio and television.-Biography:Joy Shelton was born in London on 3 June 1922...
- Phyllis Crowson - John BoxerJohn Boxer (British actor)John Boxer was a British film and television actor.Boxer's television appearances included Emergency – Ward 10, Dixon of Dock Green, The Saint, Randall and Hopkirk , The Onedin Line and The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.-Selected filmography:* There Ain't No Justice * Convoy *...
- Tom - Valentine Dunn - Elsie
- Megs JenkinsMegs JenkinsMuguette Mary "Megs" Jenkins was an English character actress who appeared in British films and television programmes.-Life and career:...
- Gwen Price - Terry Randall - Annie Earnshaw
- Amy VenessAmy VenessAmy Veness was a British film actress. She played the role of Grandma Huggett in The Huggetts Trilogy.-Selected filmography:* Please Help Emily * Let Me Explain, Dear * A Southern Maid...
- Mrs. Blythe - John SalewJohn Salew-Selected filmography:* The Silent Battle * Sailors Don't Care * Once a Crook * One of Our Aircraft Is Missing * The Day Will Dawn * Secret Mission * It Always Rains on Sunday...
- Doctor Gill - Beatrice VarleyBeatrice VarleyBeatrice Varley was a British actress who appeared in a variety of television and film roles between 1936 and 1964...
- Miss Wells - Bertha Willmott - The Singer
External links
- http://www.screenonline.org.uk/film/id/442138/synopsis.html
- This is England