''Unpublished Story'' is a 1942 British black-and-white
war film
War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about navy, naval, air force, air, or army, land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle s ...
directed by
Harold French
Harold French (23 April 1897 – 19 October 1997) was an English film director, screenwriter and actor.
Biography
After training at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Italia Conti School, he made his acting debut age 12, in a produ ...
and starring
Richard Greene and
Valerie Hobson. It was produced and co-written by
Anthony Havelock-Allan
Sir Anthony James Allan Havelock-Allan, 4th Baronet (28 February 1904 – 11 January 2003) was a British film producer and screenwriter whose credits included '' This Happy Breed'', '' Blithe Spirit'', '' Great Expectations'', '' Oliver Twist'', ...
.
The film served as a
propaganda film
A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. The film has two main plots. The first one involves a journalist whose stories are repeatedly censored by the
Ministry of Information. The second one involves a
pacifist organisation, whose members are actually agents of
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
.
Plot
In May 1940, Bob Randall (Greene), a war correspondent with a (fictional) London
newspaper
A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...
, the ''Gazette'', is evacuated with British troops from the beaches of
Dunkirk
Dunkirk ( ; ; ; Picard language, Picard: ''Dunkèke''; ; or ) is a major port city in the Departments of France, department of Nord (French department), Nord in northern France. It lies from the Belgium, Belgian border. It has the third-larg ...
. He writes a hard-hitting story about his experiences, but it is
censored by the
Ministry of Information. Randall goes to see Lamb (Radford), the official responsible, but Lamb will not change his decision.
As London burns in
the Blitz
The Blitz (English: "flash") was a Nazi Germany, German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, for eight months, from 7 September 1940 to 11 May 1941, during the Second World War.
Towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940, a co ...
and the newspaper struggles to stay in business, Randall writes several more eyewitness articles, and then learns of People For Peace, a pacifist organisation. He suspects that its members are tools of the
Nazis
Nazism (), formally named National Socialism (NS; , ), is the far-right politics, far-right Totalitarianism, totalitarian socio-political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Germany. During H ...
and investigates the group. He finds the ''Gazette''s fashion journalist, Carole Bennett (Hobson), at the group's meeting, also there after a story. Later, following up the story at the group's offices, Randall is surprised to see Lamb there and obviously familiar with the leading members. Afterwards Lamb tells him that he is with British counter-intelligence and that Randall's suspicions are correct, but with the group under official investigation he must drop his coverage of the story.
Trapes, one of the group's members, changes his views after his own home is bombed and sends Bennett a statement denouncing the organisation, but, still suffering from shock, he naively informs his fellow "pacifists". Revealing themselves to be Nazi agents, they force him to contact Bennett in an attempt to retrieve the letter. However, at the rendezvous they are captured after a shoot-out with the authorities. The two reporters think they have a great story, but Lamb makes it clear that the incident must remain unpublished. The closing scene shows Randall and Bennett, now lovers, kissing and posed against the backdrop of war-damaged London.
Cast
*
Richard Greene as Bob Randall
*
Valerie Hobson as Carol Bennett
*
Basil Radford
Arthur Basil RadfordAdam Greaves, "Radford, (Arthur) Basil (1897–1952)", ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, May 201available online Retrieved 3 August 2020. (25 June 189720 October 1952) was an English chara ...
as Lamb
*
Roland Culver
Roland Joseph Culver, (31 August 1900 – 1 March 1984) was an English stage, film, and television actor.
Early life
After Highgate School, Culver joined the Royal Air Force and served as a pilot from 1918 to 1919.
Career
After considering ...
as Stannard
*
Brefni O'Rorke
Brefni O'Rorke (26 June 1889 – 11 November 1946) was an Irish actor, both on the stage and in movies.
Early life
O'Rorke was born as William Francis Breffni O'Rorke at 2 Esplande Villas in Dollymount, Clontarf, Dublin on 26 June 1889, and b ...
as Denton
*
Miles Malleson
William Miles Malleson (25 May 1888 – 15 March 1969) was an English actor and dramatist, particularly remembered for his appearances in British comedy films of the 1930s to 1960s. Towards the end of his career, he also appeared in cameo roles ...
as Farmfield
*
George Carney as Landlord
*
Muriel George
Muriel George (29 August 1883 – 22 October 1965)''England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995''.
Principal Probate Registry. ''Calendar of the Grants of Probate and Letters of Administration ma ...
as Landlady
*
André Morell
Cecil André Mesritz (20 August 1909 – 28 November 1978), known professionally as André Morell, was an English actor. He appeared frequently in theatre, film and on television from the 1930s to the 1970s. His best known screen roles were as ...
as Marchand
* Frederick Cooper as Trapes
* George Thorpe as Major Edwards
*
Renee Gadd as Miss Hartley
*
Claude Bailey
Claude Bailey (19 November 1895 – 22 March 1950) was a British actor. He was born and died in London.
Partial filmography
* ''Little Waitress'' (1932)
* ''The Unholy Quest'' (1934)
* ''The Saint Meets the Tiger'' (1941)
* ''Hatter's Castle ...
as George Roddington
*
Ronald Shiner as Agitator
*
Wally Patch
Walter Sydney Vinnicombe (26 September 1888 – 27 October 1970), known as Wally Patch, was an English actor and comedian. He worked in film, television and theatre.
Biography
Vinnicombe was born in Willesden, Middlesex and began working on th ...
as Taxi driver at Victoria Station
*
Edie Martin as Mrs. Duncan (uncredited)
Critical reception
The ''
Radio Times
''Radio Times'' is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio programme schedules, with other features such as interviews, film reviews and lifestyle items. Founded in September 1923 by John Reith, then general manage ...
'' noted, "Richard Greene was seconded from the Army to star in this flag-waver, which bears a passing resemblance to ''
Foreign Correspondent''," and concluded that the film was "Diverting rather than involving, this is of primary interest nowadays for its splendid supporting cast."
References
External links
*
''Unpublished Story''at the
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves filmmaking and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Unpublished Story
1940s war drama films
British black-and-white films
British war drama films
British spy films
British World War II propaganda films
1940s English-language films
Films about censorship
Films about journalists
Films directed by Harold French
Films produced by Anthony Havelock-Allan
Films set in 1940
Films set in London
Films with screenplays by Anatole de Grunwald
Films with screenplays by Patrick Kirwan
Two Cities Films films
1942 drama films
1942 films
Films scored by Nicholas Brodszky
English-language war drama films