The Spirit Of ’45 Review

Director: Ken Loach

Running Time: 94 mins

Certificate: E

Synopsis: 1945 saw the end of the Second World War and the beginning of a productive community spirit emanate from the people of Britain. In a bid to rediscover this spirit, Loach uses film from Britain’s regional and national archives, along with sound recordings and modern day interviews, to tell the story of the unifying positivity displayed all those years ago.

This passionately in-depth depiction of life after World War II is as honest as it is refreshingly hopeful in its motives. Loach, one of few directors to avoid the lucrative lure of Hollywood, has always done exactly what he wanted, and this documentary is no exception. We should be grateful for his stubbornness, because the result is a body of work that’s remained untainted by money-hungry minds. Furthermore, it has allowed him to realise each project with a deep unmitigated love and genuine class that cannot be bought. THE SPIRIT OF ‘45 continues Loach’s tendency to cut to the core of serious subject matter with expert precision and thoughtfulness.

He interviews over thirty people from a diverse rang of backgrounds, whose lives were affected by the events of the time; from retired doctors and economists to working class miners and steel-workers. Loach methodically extracts what he needs to paint a clear and poignant picture of Britain as a whole, while allowing each person’s personal narratives to shine through. This deliberately unhurried style is infused into the pace and structure of the film as a whole, but is an attribute rather than a hindrance. It is an important and far-reaching story, so every painstaking detail is as crucial as the last.

Loach delicately manipulates colour, and often the lack of it, to emphasise the shifting moods of the populace throughout each era. When Thatcherism is ushered in during the late seventies, a dank grey fills the screen. This sensuous experience effectively complements the dense content of the film, which adds another dimension to it entirely. It also seamlessly reflects the changing tone of the stories, lives and memories of his interviewees.

The rousing themes and point of view evident throughout the film should resonate with anyone who feels the western world, particularly Britain and England, has lost its way. At a time where compassion and community spirit is increasingly being overlooked in favour of fear and ruthless capitalistic gain, Loach is the voice of reason.

When you consider humans are genetically hardwired to be competitive and society must, due to the laws of nature, become increasingly chaotic as time passes to avoid stagnation, you could argue THE SPIRIT OF ‘45 is too idealistic in its aims. However, it appears Loach is not suggesting we all have a hippie love-in and make daisy chains until the rapture, but rather we simply try to remember, from time to time, the only reliable constant in this fast paced and unpredictable modern world; humanism.

THE SPIRIT OF ‘45 is due for release in the UK Friday 15th March. You can find more information from our coverage by clicking here, and screening details from Dogwoof here.