"What these films showed was that the working man would come up trumps - they were salt of the earth, they were feisty, they were resilient, and they were going to pull together to prove their worth"

  - Juliet Gardiner

Ealing was one of only three major pre-war studios in Britain to continue production throughout World War II. Michael Balcon's studio turned over virtually all its production - even comedies starring George Formby or Will Hay - to war stories, stressing ordinary heroism and the shared struggle across all communities, classes and regions. Thanks to this 'people's war' agenda, Ealing found itself in tune with the public mood.

In this revealing short film, historian Juliet Gardiner and BFI curator Mark Duguid take us back to wartime Britain. We explore Ealing's key themes, people and films, and uncover how the studio forged a distinctive style and identity which carried it through the war years and well beyond.

We would like to thank the following for their generous contributions to these films: Nigel Algar, Jo Botting, Mark Duguid, Dr Juliet Gardiner, Dr Matthew Sweet and Studiocanal.