Propaganda can be a powerful tool, and when you're going up against the tendrils of the Nazi war machine, you need to send the best. That's part of the subject matter covered in new documentary Five Came Back, which will be available via Netflix.
Based on Mark Harris' excellent book, the documentary chronicles what happened during World War II when the US Armed Forces gathered some of the greatest working filmmakers – Frank Capra, John Ford, George Stevens, John Huston, and William Wyler – and sent them on assignment to make propaganda reels to show in American cinemas to boost morale and underline the necessity of the war effort.
The impact was felt on both the culture of the States and on film history itself, as the time spent in the theatre of war had its own effects on the directors who were chosen.
Written by Harris, and featuring both archive material with the likes of Capra and new interviews with directors including Paul Greengrass, Guillermo del Toro, Lawrence Kasdan and Francis Ford Coppola, the documentary, narrated by Meryl Streep, will be on the streaming service from 31 March.