STDIOCANAL has announced the release of a brand-new 4K restoration of Ealing Studios’ classic Blitz set comedy drama, THE BELLS GO DOWN,that will be available to own on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital from June 24.
An important part of Ealing Studios’ legacy, THE BELLS GO DOWN ,directed by Basil Dearden (The Green Man, The Gentle Gunman) and produced by Michael Balcon (The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets), is a masterful and vividly authentic depiction of the work of the A.F.S (The Auxiliary Fire Service) that, in a revolutionary move, utilized genuine footage of London in the grip of the Blitz.
Starring the music hall hero Tommy Trinder (Fiddlers Three, Sailors Three) in a rare straight role, a young James Mason (North by Northwest, Lolita), Philip Friend (Buccaneer’s Girl, Spy Hunt) and even a future television Doctor in William Hartnell(‘Doctor Who?, Brighton Rock), the film captures the urgency of the era and serves as a rare historical document of a city in the grip of war.
Notably, THE BELLS GO DOWN opened just a few weeks after another film concerned with the A.F.S, Humphrey Jennings' semi-documentary: FIRES WERE STARTED, was released. Jennings’ film, which utilised real firefighters in a fictional narrative, is included in this release as part of the extras materials.
“Fire Scenes That Scorch the Screen in a 5-Alarm Thriller!”
THE BELLS GO DOWN is a tribute to the wartime Auxiliary Fire Service, the dedicated band who kept the fires of London under control during the blitz and fire bombings of WWII.
At the outbreak of war, Bob (Philip Friend) signs up to volunteer for the A.F.S. The organisation is overseen by professional firemen led by MacFarlane (Finlay Currie) and Ted Robins (James Mason), who despise Bob and his rag-tag colleagues that include Tommy (Tommy Trinder), a kennelman and Sam (Mervyn Johns), a petty dockside thief. MacFarlane and Ted set out to break the spirits of the A.F.S. boys and give them some proper discipline but can Bob and his cohort fight back?
Seamlessly blending fictional settings with authentic wartime footage, the film chronicles the trials, triumphs, camaraderie and rivalry of the ordinary heroes of the A.F.S from the eve of the war to the relentless aerial bombardment of the Blitz.
The new 4K restoration of THE BELLS GO DOWN comes complete with brand-new extras and is the newest addition to the ever-expanding Vintage Classics Collection from STUDIOCANAL.
EXTRAS MATERIAL
London Auxiliary Fire Brigade Parade (1939)
Fires Were Started (1943) Directed by: Humphrey Jennings © 1943 Crown Copyright The British Film Institute
Save Your Shillings and Smile (1943)
Behind the Scenes Stills Gallery
Cert: U / Runtime: 90mins
Wonderfully restored by Studiocanal, and probably looking better than it did on its first release, The Bells Go Down serves not only as a as a wonderful time capsule of a time when Britain was under the onslaught of the German Blitz but also as a glimpse of Tommy Trinder, a name that will probably be unfamiliar to anyone born after the 60s, but who, at the time of filming in 1943, was one of the biggest stars in Britain.
As well as the main feature amongst the extras of newsreel and trailer is a lost gem from 1943, the same year as the main features release. Fires Were Started is a fictional documentary that used actual fireman instead of professional actors and is worthy of a release on its own.
Surprisingly gripping The Bells Go Down thoroughly deserves this immaculate restoration and with the added bonus of Fires Were Started is a great addition to Studiocanal’s vintage collection.
