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This film was probably inspired by William Le Queux's book The Invasion of
1910 or by the invasion literature of the time. British xenophobia and the
apparent ease with which spies and foreign troops wander over the British
countryside are clearly shown. The invaders are shown disguised as Jewish
tailors, reflecting fears of the large-scale immigration of eastern European
Jews which had led to the Aliens Act of 1905. Other soldiers, disguised as
female tourists, are also shown entering the country with ease, as is their
artillery, disguised as imported machinery.
Le Queux's book was finally turned into a film in August 1913, under the
title The Raid of 1915, but was not released until October 1914, re-titled If England Were Invaded.
Ironically, the NFTVA's copy of this film has German inter-titles, (as does the same year's The Peril of the Fleet), and the heroine becomes Dora Schmidt. While Germany was undoubtedly seen as Britain's main
rival (in terms of naval and commercial power, as well as in international relations), the film companies were not averse to increasing profits by distributing in Germany. Typically, the origin of the invaders is not
identified in the film (unlike the literature, in which the nationality of
spies and invaders depended on the international tensions of the time).
Simon Baker
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Complete film (8:35)
