a TURKISH PRISONER OF WAR CAMP
This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: IWM 4).
Synopsis
The prisoner of war camp at El Maadi (or Heliopolis ?) in Egypt for Turkish other ranks prisoners, 1917 (?).
Views of the camp, showing that "prisoners have ample room for exercise". The prisoners' band of mandolins, violins and drums plays to an audience of prisoners in the open. Prisoners help to unload a ration wagon. Prisoners march "to their dinners" across the compound. The "shower baths and washing places". A wrestling bout staged for entertainment between two of the prisoners, while others watch. Half way through this is speeded up (for comic effect ?) by undercranking the camera. The same audience watches two prisoners dancing. The film ends with two prisoners kicking a football about.
Notes
Summary: the appearance of the camp is consistent with descriptions of both El Maadi and Heliopolis, but closer to the first.
Remarks: fairly mild propaganda, consistent with the British approach of 'the propaganda of facts' in handling prisoner of war subjects which can be seen in IWM 436 and IWM 441.
Titles
- a TURKISH PRISONER OF WAR CAMP
Technical Data
- Year:
- 1917
- Running Time:
- 15 minutes
- Film Gauge (Format):
- 35mm
- Colour:
- B&W
- Sound:
- Silent
- Footage:
- 894 ft
Production Credits
- Production Countries:
- GB
- Sponsor
- War Office Cinema Committee (?)
- cameraman
- Hurley, Frank (?)
- cameraman
- Jeapes, Harold (?)
- Production company
- Topical Film Company (?)