Name: An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Genre: Short, War
Duration: 5 min
Rating: 6.6
Cast: John Gielgud, Michael Powell

At the height of the Battle of Britain, a young pilot in the Royal Air Force left instructions that in the event he didn't make it back from a mission, a letter was to be forwarded on to his mother. She consented that it be made public and from an issue of the "Times" newspaper, John Gielgud reads the text whilst Michael Powell takes us on a tour of his bedroom at home. The things in this room give us some indication as to the lad's character and as we hear his words of hope and optimism, pride and realism and of succour and encouragement to his grieving mum, we can't help but think that here was a decent man who accepted the terrors of his calling with grace, stoicism and bravery. A letter that must have been received by many thousands of mothers, wives and sweethearts throughout 1941 and a poignant testament to a generation who gave without thought of themselves. It's quite an effective audio-visual pause for thought.

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

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The war genre features armed conflicts, both historical and fictional, and the experiences of individuals and groups involved in warfare. This genre explores the physical, emotional, and moral challenges faced by soldiers, civilians, and others affected by war.

Narrated by John Gielgud, the letter in question appeared in The Times of London, written by a pilot who had been killed in the war.

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An Airman's Letter to His Mother

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