One year after the Battle of Arnhem, Brian Desmond Hurst, arguably Northern Ireland’s greatest film director returned to Arnhem in the Summer of 1945 to tell the story of the battle on film. Like his mentor, John Ford, Hurst had helped portray the Second World War on film throughout the dark years of the war. His documentaries for the Ministry of Information guided the UK and his films entertained the public. Hurst is better known for his big box office successes like the Christmas classic Scrooge, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and Malta Story but his Arnhem film Theirs is the Glory was his favourite film. Hurst defied the Rank organisations convention and would not use any actors- only veterans of the battle back on their battlefield.

He made possibly the most authentic UK war film ever made which was the biggest grossing UK war film for a decade after its release on 17 September 1946. In this documentary the Arnhem veterans discuss their role in the film and the battle - and Hurst himself is both seen and heard again. The release of this documentary by Northern Ireland Screen in conjunction with the Hurst Estate marks the 80^th anniversary of the Premiere of Theirs is the Glory and the 40^th anniversary of Hurst’s death and coincides with the date aniiversary of the battle itself.

Brian Desmond Hurst is commemorated with blue plaques at The Strand Cinema in East Belfast (he was born and bred nearby) and the QFT. One of the massive Titanic Studios in named after him. As Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen said at the opening of the Titanic Studios, Hurst remains the pathfinder in film for all who follow in Northern Ireland.

Click to view Voices from Arnhem