“Hushed Up Wartime Tragedy Inspires Film”
A new movie called Blitz is inspired by a wartime disaster at a tube station that Sir Steve McQueen, the Oscar-winning British film director, has brought to life on the screen. McQueen, known for his impactful films like 12 Years a Slave, turns his focus to the London Blitzkrieg during World War II. The film tells the story of London’s perils during the German bombing campaign to subdue Britain in the 1940s.
The movie star, Saoirse Ronan, plays an East End mother trying to keep her son safe amid the chaos of war. With a strong cast including Paul Weller, Kathy Burke, and Stephen Graham, the film portrays the struggles and fears of Londoners during the war.
Inspired by a tragic event at Bethnal Green tube station, where 173 people lost their lives due to a crush during an air raid warning, McQueen wanted to shed light on this forgotten piece of history. The disaster, attributed to a chain of accidents, had been shrouded in secrecy during the war to prevent panic.
Millie Bobby Brown, of Stranger Things fame, also drew inspiration from the Bethnal Green disaster for her bestselling novel, Nineteen Steps. A monument, Stairway to Heaven, now stands near the station to honor the lives lost that night.
Blitz, now available on Apple TV+, aims to honor the resilience of Londoners during one of their darkest times, portraying the true spirit of the working-class families who persevered through the blitz.
