When the Wind Blows

Synopsis: With the help of government-issued pamphlets, an elderly British couple build a shelter and prepare for an impending nuclear attack, unaware that times and the nature of war have changed from their romantic memories of World War II.
Director(s): Jimmy T. Murakami
Production: Kings Road Entertainment
  1 nomination.
 
IMDB:
7.8
Rotten Tomatoes:
83%
Year:
1986
84 min
1,361 Views


So long, child

I'm on my way

And after all is done

After all is done

Don't be down

It's all in the past

Though you may be afraid

So long, child

It's awful dark

And I've never felt the sun

I dread to think of when

When the wind blows

When the wind blows

When the wind blows

When the wind blows

Life burns a savage wound

Angry and wrong

Trusting a twisted word

You'll run, run away

You'll take him home

You'll spit and taunt him

But they won't believe you

No matter what you say

So long, child

It's awful dark

I've never felt the sun

I dread to think of

when the wind blows

When the wind blows

When the wind blows

When the wind blows

- Hello, dear.

- Hello, love.

- Did you have a nice morning, dear?

- Oh, all right, thanks.

Rather uneventful.

My life isn't very

fast-moving or dynamic.

Well, you are retired, James.

You do seem a bit down, dear.

Yes, well... I've been reading the papers

in the public library all the morning.

Oh, those things! Full of rubbish.

I never look at them. Except the stars.

We must keep abreast of the

international situation, ducksie.

Decisions made by the powers

that be will get to us in the end.

Politics and sport,

that's all they're full of.

Could affect us all, the...

ultimate determent, an' that.

They say there may be a

pre-emptive strike, dear.

Oh, not another strike!

It's wicked! I'd have them all

locked up. Blessed communists!

Well, it all looks pretty umpty.

It's not that sort of strike, duck.

- Sausages or beefburgers, dear?

- Sausages, thanks.

It looks as if the balloon

could go up at any moment.

What balloon?

- Mashed or chips?

- Chips, thanks.

Oh, I don't know.

The balloon.

Or is it a maroon? I can't remember.

What are you talking about, James?

It looks as if there's

going to be a war, dear.

Yes, they say it might

break out at any time now.

Well, at least you won't be

called up, James. You're far too old.

Well, thank you, my beloved.

I'm still two years younger than you.

Well, if the worst

comes to the worst,

we'll just have to roll up

our sleeves, tighten our belts,

and put on our tin hats

till it's V-E Day again.

It won't be like

that this time, love.

I think this one is called

the "Big Bang Theory."

It's all worked out by

brilliant scientists.

Well, we survived the last one,

we can do it again.

It'll take more than a few

bombs to get me down.

Yes, yes, we... we must...

must look on the bright side, ducks.

- Better go over to Radio 4.

- I like Radio 2.

Radio 4 is better for the

international situation.

Good evening, this is Radio 4, with the

news at six o'clock this Thursday evening.

The Prime Minister, speaking a few

minutes ago in the House of Commons,

has warned that the international

situation is deteriorating rapidly,

and that war could break out at any

time in the next two or three days.

Crumbs!

What's the matter, dear?

Have you burned yourself?

This is it, ducks! This is really it!

Another sausage, dear?

I shouldn't worry too much.

It'll probably all blow over.

- Three days! Blimey! Three days!

- Language, James! Language!

Crumbs! It's lucky I got more leaflets

from the public library only this morning.

Here we are, see?

"Protect And Survive" and...

"The Householder's Guide To Survival."

Now, this one should

be really authoritative.

It's printed by the County Council.

We'd better commence the construction

of a fallout shelter immediately.

We must do the correct thing.

There's treacle tart and custard

or cold bread and butter pudding.

- Treacle tart, please.

- Fallout?

- I thought they did that in the army.

- No, dear, it's fall in in the army.

Fall in. Thank goodness I got

all those official leaflets today.

I gave the others to our Ron.

Suppose I hadn't?

We'd have been totally non-prepared.

I mean, just think!

Will you have to dig a hole, like the

old Anderson shelters in the war?

No, dear, that's all old-fashioned.

With modern scientific methods, you just

use doors with cushions and books on top.

Where on earth are we going

to get doors from, James?

Well... you just

unscrew them, dear.

You don't mean off our own house!

Well... yes... dear.

You're not going to ruin

the paintwork, James!

Oh, don't worry. I can soon touch

it up after the bomb's gone off.

Well, mind you do.

Just you be careful, James!

Mind that paint, James!

I hope you know what you're doing.

I'll put the screws in a plastic bag.

You'll only go and lose them.

Remember, they're in the

right-hand jug on the dresser.

It's going to be very

draughty with no doors on.

I expect it's a safety precaution.

It'll let the...

blast go straight through.

It says here...

"The inner core or refuge should be placed at

an angle of 60 degrees for maximum strength."

I should place it up against

the wall, if I were you, dear.

Yes, but which are the degrees?

We haven't got any angles.

I think we did it at school. You...

You had angles with degrees in.

Only I can't remember.

I think I'll ring our Ron. He'll know.

Hello, son. All right?

Beryl and the baby?

Good. Look, I'm building this

governmental inner core or refuge,

and it says, "Place it at

an angle of 60 degrees."

Well, what's that mean, exactly?

It's not cobblers, son.

It's in the governmental directive.

You mean you're not constructing

an inner core or refuge?

I gave you the leaflets especially!

But what about baby Jim?

Don't start singing!

What do you mean, "We'll all go

together when we go"? It's not funny.

No, but it's our duty to carry out

governmental instructions in time of war, son.

Stop laughing, will you?

I'm surprised at you.

You're supposed to be a

responsible father now.

A protractor?

The angle at the bottom?

Yes, yes, I see.

OK, son. Thanks.

Now, listen.

Just you start that inner core or refuge.

It's your bounden duty, son.

Cheerio, son.

Now, remember what I said.

I am your father.

I do know a bit about war.

Love to Beryl and baby Jim. Ta-ta.

Yes... Ron says I need a protractor.

He says I can get one at Willis's.

He was killing himself laughing,

and he was singing songs!

I can't understand it.

I think it's nerves.

He's gone a bit hysterical.

- He can't be drunk at this time of day.

- Our Ron doesn't drink.

Oh, no, no, no. No, no,

of course not, dear.

Ron is not going to make

an inner core or refuge.

I remonstrated with him,

but he was adamant.

He says if London cops it, he'll cop it.

And not to worry, Dad.

It's an irresponsible attitude.

I'm a bit disappointed in him,

adopting that attitude.

He was always a very responsible

boy when he was in the Cubs.

It was going to that art

college that spoiled him.

He met some dreadful people there.

Huh! Blessed beatniks!

I don't suppose it'll make a terrific

amount of difference, the exact angle.

It'll probably all fall down anyway.

What with the bomb, an' that.

If a job's worth doing,

it's worth doing well, James.

Yes, dear. But it is only temporary.

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Raymond Briggs

Raymond Redvers Briggs, CBE (born 18 January 1934) is an English illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist and author who has achieved critical and popular success among adults and children. He is best known in Britain for his story The Snowman, a book without words whose cartoon adaptation is televised and whose musical adaptation is staged every Christmas.Briggs won the 1966 and 1973 Kate Greenaway Medals from the British Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book illustration by a British subject. For the 50th anniversary of the Medal (1955–2005), a panel named Father Christmas (1973) one of the top-ten winning works, which composed the ballot for a public election of the nation's favourite.For his contribution as a children's illustrator Briggs was a runner-up for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1984.He is a patron of the Association of Illustrators. more…

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