Le Mans 1955
Documentary covering the 1955 Le Mans endurance race – the one with the terrible crash that influenced the future of motor racing.
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Start 30-day free trialDocumentary covering the 1955 Le Mans endurance race – the one with the terrible crash that influenced the future of motor racing.
Narrated by Paul Scofield, this incredible documentary focuses on Winston Churchill’s life as a painter. The film revolves around the paintings that Churchill produced during his years in opposition, revealing the often forgotten or unknown artistic side of the most iconic prime minister of all time.
By the late 1930s, Pathé had refined its way of filming performers by mixing in evocative filmed locations such as London, Port Talbot, Ireland, Scotland and even the Queen Mary. Pathé also filmed real workers who became professional singers and miners who trained to be a team of high-wire walkers! Sit back and enjoy this time capsule celebration of a long-lost classic era of British variety!
Narrated by Allen Leech, this unique documentary tells the story of the Irish Easter Rising, why it happened and how it happened. Utilising incredible newly-colourised original footage, this film shows the Irish revolution as people at the time saw it – in colour.
What makes Agatha Christie such a successful writer? On the 75th anniversary of the creation of her immortal character Miss Marple, this documentary introduces viewers to new fields of scientific inquiry using sophisticated computer analyses of Christie’s every written word, her sentence structure, story arcs, poisons used, red herrings, clues and more.
Actress, model and singer Marilyn Monroe was the original blonde bombshell who found international success in motion pictures during the 1950s. In this episode, we meet the photographer Elliot Erwitt, who took the classic “Seven Year Itch” image, and Magnum photographer Bruce Davidson who worked with Marilyn on “The Misfits”.
Anne Frank is one of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Her wartime diary, “The Diary of a Young Girl”, has been the basis of several plays and films, and is an inspiration to young people. In this episode, we meet Eva Schloss, Anne Frank’s step-sister, and visit the Anne Frank museum.
Not only considered among the greatest heavyweights in boxing history but arguably the greatest sports personality of all time. We meet George Lois, the man behind the legendary Esquire cover, and Lawrence Lusting who photographed many of Ali’s fights.
In this episode: Britain’s Hugh Grant gets caught with his trousers down – Jonathan Edwards triple jumps to a world record – The Grand National – Japanese town of Kobe brought to its knees by an earthquake – France sinks in world esteem because of nuclear bomb tests.
In this episode: Peace talks in the Middle East, South Africa and Northern Ireland – War in Bosnia and Somalia – Linford Christie leads Britain’s list of world athletic champions – The Grand National ends in fiasco – The Princess of Wales at home – Royal shocker.
In this episode: Royal family under fierce media spotlight – War in Bosnia – The 50th anniversary of the D-Day landings – Tony Blair is elected leader of the Labour party – Historic breakthrough between the IRA and the British government – The American superstar O.J. Simpson on trial for murder.
In this episode: India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassinated – Boris Yeltsin is the new face on the Soviet Union scene – Years of South African isolation from the sporting word come to an end – An outbreak of rioting in several British provincial cities – USA wins the Ryder Cup – Rugby World Cup.
In this episode: George Bush becomes president – Japan: Emperor Hirohito, the world’s longest-serving monarch, dies – The Soviet occupation of Afghanistan comes to an end – 95 soccer supporters die in the terraces of Sheffield Wednesday’s ground – Peking students fighting for liberty and their lives – 200th anniversary of the French Revolution.
In this episode: Australia’s 200th anniversary of the arrival of the country’s first settlers – Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day – Aborigines continue their campaign for land rights – The Soviet Union begins celebrating a thousand years of Christianity in their country – Hurricane Gilbert smashes its way across the Caribbean – Gold fever is taking men and women deep into the heart of the Amazon.
In this episode: The kidnapping in Beirut of Terry Waite – Barbados: Mick Jagger’s friend, Jerry Hall, gets into trouble with the local police – Liberace dies at the age of 67 – Princess Diana opens Britain’s first purpose-built ward for AIDS patients – Richard Branson flies across the Atlantic in a hot-air balloon – Native American’s meeting with the pontiff.
In this episode: The Channel Tunnel – Dictator Marcos toppled after ruling the Philippines for 20 years – Rupert Murdoch decides he could take on the print unions of Fleet Street – The Chernobyl nuclear disaster – 30 million people round the world set out to run for Africa – The World Cup in Mexico with much excitement and some tension.
In this episode: Environmental awareness is growing: Acid Rain – Lebanon erupts into civil war – Margaret Thatcher vs the unions – Britain breaks off diplomatic relations with Libya – Philippines: Three quarters of a million people march in the capital – The LA Olympics proves golden for Britain
In this episode: Thousands of migrant workers pour out of Nigeria – The Queen makes her first visit to Hollywood – Reagan announces plan to build “Star Wars” – Gandhi film steals the show at the Oscars – America’s first woman in space returns home safely – Developments in Poland with the lifting of martial law.
In this episode: Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer engaged – The Yorkshire Ripper – Frank Sinatra reapplies for his casino licence – President Anwar Sadat of Egypt assassinated by his own soldiers – Violence continues in Northern Ireland and IRA bombs go off in Oxford Street – Mrs. Thatcher greeted in Scotland with a shower of eggs.
In this episode: The Shah of Iran is driven into exile – The end of 30 years of hostility between Egypt and Israel – Top Tory MP Airey Neave dies in IRA car bomb – The annual university boat race – The deposed Prime Minister of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto is hanged – Thatcher becomes prime minister.
In this episode: The Soviet Union consolidates its invasion of Afghanistan – India: Indira Gandhi wins the election and becomes prime minister – UK: An insurance broker flies around the world on airline flights faster than anyone before – USA’s turn to host the Winter Olympics – Prince Andrew with the Royal Marines – The worst ever North Sea oil disaster.
In this episode: A mass exodus of tourists in Rhodesia – Super tanker Amoco Cadiz splits in two in heavy seas – Prince Charles parachuting – Cow chip throwing contest in Oklahoma – Switzerland: Grave robbers steal the body of Charlie Chaplin – Argentina wins World Cup.
In this episode: Northern Ireland: More than 150 prisoners are released – A belated knighthood for P.G. Wodehouse – Cricketing hero Gary Sobers knighted – The world’s biggest mass wedding: 1,800 couples in South Korea – King Faisal of Saudi Arabia is assassinated by a nephew.
In this episode: John Currie wins the men’s figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics – The big landowners in Rhodesia increase security around their homes and farms – Harold Wilson stuns the political world and resigns – Argentina: President Isabelle Peron is deposed in a bloodless coup – Portugal’s first parliamentary elections in 50 years.
In this episode: Pablo Picasso dies at 91 – The world’s largest uncut diamond, the star of Sierra Leone, on show in London – Muhammad Ali vs Joe Bugner in Vegas – The plight of Native Americans and Marlon Brando – Bobby Charlton comes out on his final home game for Manchester United – The Watergate scandal overshadows Nixon’s presidency.
In this episode: John Wayne on a publicity trip to London – Cleaning up the Suez Canal – Violence in Northern Ireland – The round-the-world yacht race – West Germany wins the World Cup – A military coup in Cyprus forces President Makarios to fly to Britain.
In this episode: Britain joins the common market – Bloodshed in Northern Ireland continues – Egyptian treasures draw massive crowds to the British Museum – Vietnam: communist troops from the North launch their biggest offensive in four years – Charlie Chaplin returns to America for the first time in twenty years – The Munich Olympics: Terrorist attack on Israeli athletes
In this episode: The Harrier jump jet – Frazier snatches the world heavyweight crown from Cassius Clay – A massive volcanic eruption from Mount Etna in Sicily – Music lovers in NY pay homage to Louis Armstrong – The IRA and riots in Northern Ireland – The two-week war between India and Pakistan.
In this episode: Eden resigns: Harold Macmillan becomes the leader of the Tory Party and the Government – New styles in furniture – Egypt digs up their own history – The technological frontier and “Space Race” – Russians launch their first successful Sputnik satellite – The Monaco Grand Prix.
In this episode: The emergence of a rival to NATO – The signing of the Warsaw Pact – Nationalist South African party continues to put legal bite behind its policy of apartheid – Colonial unrest in Cyprus and Algeria – Further clashes between Egyptian and Israeli forces in Gaza – Sir Alexander Fleming dies – Sir Winston Churchill resigns – Donald Campbell sets land speed record.
In this episode: The conflict continues in Indochina between the Communist rebels lead by Ho Chi Minh and the French resistance – A treaty that officially divides the country into North and South Vietnam – Senator Joe McCarthy’s career of purging the country of supposed communists comes to a sordid end – Suez terms agreed.
In this episode: Queen Elizabeth’s coronation – Britain’s Le Mans triumph – President Eisenhower warns the world that the Soviet Union is out for global domination – Yugoslavia’s war hero Tito elected president – Britain deals with the last outpost of its fading empire – Russia mourns as Stalin dies.
In this episode: USA’s first H-bomb test and Britain’s first atom bomb – Korean war continues: fears that China might intervene in the Asian conflict – Britain’s presence in Egypt and around the Suez Canal questioned – Churchill visits President Truman in America – The funeral of Eva Peron – John Cobbs, the fastest man on water, dies.
In this episode: In America, anti-communist hysteria gathers pace – Stalin and the new Chinese leader sign a pact of friendship – USA decides to build the Hydrogen Bomb – Prince Rainier III ascends the throne of Monaco, Europe’s tiniest state – Communist forces attack the Republic of Korea – Korea: No chance for reconciliation in the first major military conflict of the Cold War.
In this episode: Hopes for new improvements in Anglo Russian relations fly high – Truman declares war on Soviet Russia – The invention of the press button car park – Al Capone dies – Palestine problem handed to the U.N. – Australia’s 20,000,000 pounds for Britain.
In this episode: Hitler shoots himself at news of the Russian advance on Berlin – American and Russian troops shake hands across the ruins of Germany and the war is over – FDR tragically dies within sight of victory and Harry S Truman, his vice president, takes over – The post-war order is born.
In this episode: Nations turn their attention to reconstruction and the prospects for the future – Winston Churchill makes his famous speech in which he describes an iron curtain falling across Europe – The first verbal battles of the Cold War are fought – In China, civil war rages between Mao Zedong’s communist forces and the Nationalists led by Chiang Kai-shek.
In this episode: The Normandy landings, the world’s biggest combined land, sea and air operation – The Allies take complete control of Normandy – Paris is liberated after courageous work by the French underground resistance – Those around Hitler begin to doubt his claims – The first German city falls into Allied hands.
In this episode: The year in which the Allies made steady progress against the Nazis – In Russia, the bloody siege of Stalingrad comes to an end with the surrender of German forces – In Northern Africa, the forces unleashed by the Allies sees success – The Allies take 110,000 prisoners of war – Regular meetings between Roosevelt and Churchill take place.
In this episode: The Germans widen their operations – Hitler orders the bombing of Dublin and other Irish towns – Mussolini’s army suffers a string of setbacks – Roosevelt secures a record 3rd term as president and introduces the lend-lease scheme – Hitler throws Panzer divisions against Russia – Pearl Harbor is bombed and the USA enters the war.
In this episode: USA joining the Allied forces marks a turning point in the war – A significant victory prompts Churchill to make one of his most famous speeches – The Battle of the Coral Sea – Hitler’s troops fight the vicious Battle of Stalingrad – The Germans formulate their plans to rid Europe of its 11 million Jews.
In this episode: Finland: Stalin’s Red Army has been fighting a dogged opposition – The progress of the Germans pushes British forces back to the sea – A massive evacuation operation is mounted – Coventry is bombed – The King receives a decoration – First woman naval doctor
In this episode: WW2 seems inevitable and yet unreal – Spain: The civil war ends – Hitler parades in Prague amid the jeers and tears of the beaten Czech nation – Hitler surprises the world by signing a non-aggression pact with Russia – The coronation of Pope Pius XII – New York’s World Fair opens.
In this episode: The threat of war – Spain: A bloody civil war rages between a left wing republican government and fascist nationalists led by Franco – Far East: Imperialist Japan fights to conquer China – Europe: Hitler’s aim of enlarging Germany’s borders – Neville Chamberlain resolves to negotiate with Hitler – German troops march into Austria.
In this episode: The tragedy of the Spanish Civil War intensifies – The year of Guernica – Japan and China are at war – USA: Franklin D. Roosevelt begins his second term as president – Edward VIII has resolved to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson – Prince Albert, father of Elizabeth and Margaret, becomes king
In this episode: Spain: Civil war breaks out – Germany: Hitler hosts the Olympic games – Politically, Germany begins to strain against its borders – British attention firmly focused on a new King – Edward VIII succeeds George V, who died at the beginning of the year – Edward, when Prince of Wales, has met and fallen in love with Wallis Simpson.
In this episode: Mussolini puts his imperial ambitions into practice – USA: Depression effects are still felt – USA: The infamous dust bowl scars the land – India: An earthquake kills 20,000 people – The San Francisco Bay Bridge opens which will be the largest in the world – Europe’s fragile stability begins to crumble.
In this episode: The consolidation of the fascist heart of Europe – Hitler takes the title of Fuhrer – Night of the Long Knives – Aviation’s latest plane, “The Umbrella”, makes successful test flight – France: The government faces riots and strikes – Europe begins to take the fascists seriously.
In this episode: FDR’s New Deal – Amelia Earhart hailed as world’s foremost aviator – Hindenburg re-elected as president of Germany – Washington hunger marches – Germany: Adolf Hitler, with growing support on the streets, waits in the wings – Glendale, US aviation’s latest wonder.
For more than half a century, the film and newsreel company British Pathé documented almost every aspect of everyday life in Britain and around the world. Covering everything from major world events and exotic foreign locales to the pageantry of state occasions and gritty social issues, the company amassed a unique documentary record of 20th-century life.
Musical and comic turns include The Beverley Sisters, Flanagan & Allen, Gracie Fields, Tommy Trinder, The Crazy Gang, Arthur Askey, Laurel & Hardy, Bob Hope, Richard Hearne (Mr Pastry), Max Miller, Anna Neagle, Richard Murdoch, Wilfred Pickles, Vera Lynn and many, many more. The 1940s American film star and comedian, Danny Kaye, is seen here in rehearsal for his 1948 Royal Command Performance.
A nostalgic celebration of a rich diversity of variety entertainers. There are balancing acts, jugglers, dance bands, jazz bands, organists, strongmen, comedians, musicians, dancers – modern and ballet, roller-skaters, actors, singers and even a Bird Circus.
A programme full of performances by the morale-boosting variety acts and singers of the Second World War. Artists who helped frontline troops and home front civilians alike to keep smiling through the dark days of war. Including Flanagan & Allen, Gracie Fields, Robb Wilton, Sydney Burchall, Tommy Trinder, Peter Sinclair, Vera Lynn, Cyril Fletcher, Tommy Handley and Mantovani, among many more!
This programme includes performances by The Peters Sisters, Leslie Henson, The Hillbillies, Douglas Byng, Issy Bonn, Lorenzi, The Four Aces, Sydney Burchall, Mr Penny, Eric Woodburn, Billie Hale, Ronald Frankau and many, many more. Come 1939, war with Germany was looming, but, as the famous phrase goes, “The show must go on!” – and it did!
The French New Wave directors, including François Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, cause massive controversy and manage to get the event cancelled in 1968. Sophia Loren becomes the new queen of the festival and the Golden Boys of American cinema, including Martin Scorsese and Robert Altman, become regular winners of the Palme d’Or.
The festival is established as a response to Mussolini’s control of the Venice Film Festival. It becomes an inspiration to a generation still recovering from the impact of WWII by attracting the biggest stars of the time including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and director Orson Welles. Its reputation spreads worldwide alongside that of its most famous regular visitor, Brigitte Bardot.