Country Lads

Short New Zealand patriotic propaganda film

Country Lads

Directed by| Stanhope Andrews
Produced by| Stanhope Andrews
Edited by| Stanhope Andrews

Production
company

National Film Unit

Distributed by| NZ Film Archives

Release date

* 1941 (1941)

Running time

| 9 minutes
Country| New Zealand
Language| English

Country Lads is a 1941 New Zealand patriotic propaganda film. It was produced by the National Film Unit for the New Zealand war effort.[1]

## Synopsis

[edit]

Adolf Hitler had referred to New Zealand soldiers as "poor, deluded country lads".[1] Country Lads shows the pride of Kiwi troops, emphasising ordinary men and women from all walks of life taking up the call to serve.[1] It shows the impact of war on the society of New Zealand in the 1940s.[1] The dockside goodbyes to loved ones are still poignant today.[1]

> Our army, ourselves ... civilian into soldier. It's an old story, but this time it is about us, and that makes it different. There is no goose-stepping here, just the swinging stride of free men who have put on their working clothes and got into step for the biggest job ever tackled.

... the narrator

## Production

[edit]

Country Lads was the first production by the newly reorganised National Film Unit.[1]

## Reviews

[edit]

* 1995 featured in New Zealand's contribution to the British Film Institute's Century of Cinema series - Cinema of Unease: A Personal Journey by Sam Neill.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f "Country Lads". NZ On Screen. Archives New Zealand. Retrieved 31 December 2022.
2. ^ "Cinema of Unease". NZ On Screen. Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Retrieved 5 August 2014.

## External links

[edit]

* Country Lads on YouTube