Released in 1946 on the second anniversary of the Battle of Arnhem Theirs is the Glory became the biggest grossing war film for nearly a decade. It vividly recaptures the battle of Arnhem but there are no credits before or after the film. All we see at the start of the film is a short foreword Theirs is the Glory has been produced entirely without the use of studio sets or actors. Every incident was either experienced or witnessed by the people who appear in the film.This is followed by a short statement by the narrator This film is a tribute to every man who fought at Arnhem and is an everlasting memorial to those who gave their lives.Importantly and selflessly the men selected to star on the big screen received no individual credits as they were representing the 10,000 men of the 1st Airborne. The Director, Producer and crew also declined credits in the film for the same reason. Who were these men we see on screen? Did they really deserve the accolade Theirs is the Glory? The director of Theirs is the Glory was Brian Desmond Hurst, Northern Irelands greatest film director. As Brian's relative and biographer I have long realised the significance of Theirs is the Glory as both a piece of art (with film as the canvas as Brian was previously an artist) and a piece of military history (Brian was a veteran of the First Worl War) . Therefore at a blue plaque unveiling for Brian Desmond Hurst in Belfast (April 2011) I selected Theirs is the Glory as the film to be shown to help celebrate the event. The honour being bestowed on Hurst was only the fourth cherished blue plaque to be awarded by the Directors Guild of Great Britain. Before the film began I offered the audience one simple piece of advice Look into the eyes of the men as you watch the film unfold and those eyes will take you as close as you will get to experiencing Arnhem.Interestingly A Bridge Too Far and Theirs is the Glory were compared in the battlefields magazine Against All Odds (published in October 2010) and the comparison is stark and revealing "A Bridge Too Far is a slow moving epic, well worth a viewing with some authentic scenes, but is unconvincing in its portrayal of the battle of Oosterbeek...'Theirs is the Glory' is the only feature film currently released that accurately portrays the events at Oosterbeek in atmospheric and chronological terms, despite its jerky portrayal of events. This is a film to watch.Theirs is the Glory was jointly produced by the J. Arthur Rank Organization and the British Armys Film and Photographic Unit. The film had premiered on the second anniversary of the start of the battle, 17 September 1946, and became a blockbuster of its day. Dr Leo Enticknap based his thesis, in part, on Theirs is the Glory. During his research he discovered a poster for the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate held by the British Film Institute describing it as The biggest-grossing was film since Theirs is the Glory implying that Theirs is the Glory held this distinction for a decade.Brian, in his unpublished autobiography Travelling the Road, explains about the idea for the film. Castleton-Knight, head of Pathe News, came to me soon after the war ended and asked me if I would like to make a film about the Arnhem drop When I heard what the film company proposed to do with the story, using stock shots, and a few jokes, I said to myself: This is not on. It was also suggested to me by the producer of the Rank Organisation that we should use their most popular male star. I said No, he doesn't know one end of the rifle from another.There was nobody who appeared in the film, officer or soldier, who had not fought at Arnhem it is a true documentary reconstruction of the event. In the scenario we just followed the battle day by day.I hope you enjoy watching this film. As Brian Desmond Hurst said "it is a true documentary reconstruction of the event". Even more importantly I have had the pleasure of meeting many 1st Airborne veterans and they all agree! This is, indeed, a film to watch.Allan Esler Smith

One of my fellow-contributors giggled at the stereotypical British calmness displayed in this film. I was born in the UK before World War 2 and I can attest that, rightly or wrongly, most British people of that time were brought up to show restraint under pressure. It was a characteristic that served this country pretty well for a long time (though largely abandoned in recent years). So I found the level-headed attitude of the Arnhem participants entirely convincing (even if the acting was not up to professional standard). I knew plenty of people of that generation for whom making a drama out of their difficulties would have been anathema. Theirs Is The Glory is far truer to life as it was than any number of Hollywood war epics.

This film was done with the real veterans reenacting the events of the battle of Arnhem. They used the real town and the real equipment. The story was sculpted by the rememberances of the soldier/actors. If you are not familiar with the story and characters this film may seem a bit confusing. The acting is often not great -- usually when they open their mouths. Yet they certainly knew how to handle the battle scenes. This film is typical of the period as there is no blood not gore. Look for the real Panther tank. It is a good contrast to A Bridge Too Far. I recommend you read a few books on the subject before watching the film.

One of my all time favourite war movies. The film re-enacts the famous paratroop landing at Arnhem by the British and Canadians the agonising and bitter fight while surrounded by the Germans.What makes this film of interest is that the actors in this film are the actual Allied troops who fought the battle. As an added bonus the re-enactment was filmed on location in Arnhem and features the local inhabitants playing themselves.The films opening sequence was shot in a Nissan hut and as the camera pans down a row of beds with soldiers lying on them while the narrator introduces them by name, occupation and town of residence.Most of the movie proper is a series of re-enactments combined with actual footage shot during the battle. The standard of acting is pretty good but a couple of the speaches made to the men are well wooden to say the least. But by the same token I've seen a lot worse.One thing that amazes me is how closely many scenes in the famous movie A Bridge Too Far resemble those in Theirs is the Glory. A co-incidence perhaps?During the closing scenes of the movie it is mentioned that of the 10,000 troops who landed, scarcely 2000 survived. Bearing this in mind the closing scene is not only harrowing but also one of the most moving I've ever seen as the view pans down the same barracks but showing empty beds and a few disheveled tired men with the haunting words 'just ordinary men'