Once We Were Four (1942)

The Secrets of Life series (1934-50) may not conform to modern expectations of nature filmmaking, inclined as it is towards giving cute fluffy creatures human names and characteristics. But it couldn't be accused of shielding kiddies from the harsher realities of the food chain, as this exercise in ruthless Darwinism demonstrates to unintentionally hilarious effect. A more than usually eccentric narrator introduces us to the newborn bunny quartet of Donald, James, Charles and Clifford, but as the film's title gives away, "the boys" aren't all long for this world as they face an assault course of hungry owls, predatory badgers, shotgun-happy gardeners and aerial bombardment (no harm in a little anti-Nazi detour, this is 1942 after all). (from http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-once-we-were-four-1942/)

Director: Mary Field
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 9 min
Release Date:

Cast

Production: Gaumont-British Instructional
Country: United Kingdom
Language: English
Original Language: en

Keywords

animals, war propaganda, woman director

More Films by Director: Mary Field
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Once We Were Four about?
The Secrets of Life series (1934-50) may not conform to modern expectations of nature filmmaking, inclined as it is towards giving cute fluffy creatures human names and characteristics. But it couldn't be accused of shielding kiddies from the harsher realities of the food chain, as this exercise in ruthless Darwinism demonstrates to unintentionally hilarious effect. A more than usually eccentric narrator introduces us to the newborn bunny quartet of Donald, James, Charles and Clifford, but as the film's title gives away, "the boys" aren't all long for this world as they face an assault course of hungry owls, predatory badgers, shotgun-happy gardeners and aerial bombardment (no harm in a little anti-Nazi detour, this is 1942 after all). (from http://player.bfi.org.uk/film/watch-once-we-were-four-1942/)
Who directed Once We Were Four?
Once We Were Four was directed by Mary Field.
Who stars in Once We Were Four?
Once We Were Four stars E. V. H. Emmett.
How long is Once We Were Four?
Once We Were Four has a runtime of 9m (9 minutes).
What genre is Once We Were Four?
Once We Were Four is a Documentary film.
Where was Once We Were Four produced?
Once We Were Four was produced in United Kingdom.