There is much confusion surrounding the film The Battle of the Somme, which has arisen as a result of the recurring debate concerning both the purpose of the film itself as well as the truthfulness of its content. The first issue is that of the rationale behind the creation of the film, with one side arguing that it was created for propaganda purposes and the other arguing that it was not. The second issue is that of the authenticity and subsequent significance of the film, with one side arguing that the film offers an honest portrayal of the horrors of warfare and the other, again, arguing that it does not. In light of this debate, this essay will, through the fair analysis of both sides, critically assess whether The Battle of the Somme was indeed a British propagandist ploy aimed at bolstering support for the war effort, as well as whether the film’s reputation - for conveying the realities of warfare on film for the first time in the history of cinema - is in fact legitimate. Following its premiere in the theatre district of London (the West End) on the morning of the 10th of August 1916, the general reaction to The Battle of the Somme was unanimous. As professed by Bioscope, the leading journal in cinema trade at the time, nothing – not even the description of an eye-witness nor the illustration by an artist – could compare with the film’s depiction of modern warfare through its “marvellous series of pictures.” Furthermore, the film’s producer stated that it made any other films look very small, whilst a secret propaganda organisation asserted that as per the general opinion of the public, The Battle of the Somme was the greatest film ever to be produced in Britain. Given that all newsman and photographers had been expelled from the Western Front (by the Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener) in 1914, for a fear that still photographs and their captions might aid the enemy, it is fair to deem it miraculous that such a poignant film was created. Propaganda, by definition, is information (often of an impartial nature) that is designed to promote or legitimise a political cause or further an agenda. Evidence to support the view that The Battle of the Somme is an example of British propaganda includes its being published by a newsreel producer supported by the War Office, several of the film’s criticisms concerning its use of music and its depiction of the number of British casualties, as well as the film’s use of fake material. Even before WWI, cinema was a form of mass entertainment that had experienced pre-war propaganda success. New forms of mass media (such as films) had already been identified by governments as a means through which the ideologies and attitudes of many people could be manipulated. Thus, film was excessively used for wartime propaganda, because it had the ability to blur the distinctions between fact and fiction. The British Topical Committee for War Films, backed by the War Office, sent two cameramen to France in November 1915 whose task it was to capture some film, no doubt worthy of news value and historical permanence. What these two cameramen captured, either by luck or through skill, was a film so valuable that it is still considered, even today, to be a “haunting masterpiece.” The success of the film granted, it would be ignorant to deny that in being supported by a military-aligned government department, the film was undoubtedly subject to some form
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Whilst some of the scenes in the film are in fact false, it would be harsh to label these scenes as the only reason behind the film’s widespread appeal. Its inclusion of some true depictions of the harsh realities of the war is what garnered it such popularity. Critics of the film, it must be said, scrupulously searched for mistakes in The Battle of the Somme simply because they were jealous of the film’s success. Many people also cried ‘fake’, in reference to several scenes, which only did the film a severe discourtesy. Then again, it could be argued that all successful feats, such as the propaganda film The Battle of the Somme, need to be nitpicked in order to ensure both their accuracy and their
Whilst some of the scenes in the film are in fact false, it would be harsh to label these scenes as the only reason behind the film’s widespread appeal. Its inclusion of some true depictions of the harsh realities of the war is what garnered it such popularity. Critics of the film, it must be said, scrupulously searched for mistakes in The Battle of the Somme simply because they were jealous of the film’s success. Many people also cried ‘fake’, in reference to several scenes, which only did the film a severe discourtesy. Then again, it could be argued that all successful feats, such as the propaganda film The Battle of the Somme, need to be nitpicked in order to ensure both their accuracy and their