'The True Story of Lili Marlene'

Written and directed by Humphrey Jennings of the Crown Film Unit (also known as GPO Film Unit), 'The True Story of Lili Marlene' was released in 1944 and given a 'U' Rating by the British Board of Film Censors. Introduced by the actor Marius Goring the film depicts how an obscure pre-war song recorded in German by Lale Anderson became the unofficial anthem of both the Axis and Allied Forces after being broadcast by the German Forces Radio Broadcasts from Radio Belgrade.

As the film correctly depicts the tune was adopted by the British Eighth Army, with the soldiers and others often adding their own words in English. Also seen in the film is a British propoganda version recorded by Lucie Mannheim, and interviews with men of the Eighth Army telling what the tune meant to them. As the film was made in 1944 it was probably just a little too early for any of 'The D-Day Dodgers' versions to be included.

Although 'The True Story of Lili Marlene' is probably rarely seen, it is now available on DVD. I viewed this for the first time in December 2007. Other Crown Film Unit films from the war years that are also available on DVD or video include 'The Story of an Air Communiqué' (1940), 'Britain Can Take It' (1940), 'Christmas Under Fire' (1941), Britain at Bay' (1940), 'Men of the Lightship' (1940) and 'Before the Raid' (1943). The latter film is released on the same DVD as 'The True Story of Lili Marlene'. Frank Humphrey Sinkler Jennings also directed 'The Cumberland Story' (1946) in which my father and uncle had small parts.