Margaret Ellis

When Canada entered World War II, the National Film Board suddenly had an urgent new mission—and hundreds of women stepped forward, helping to create Canadian cinema as we now know it.

This documentary examines some of the important events in Canada during the Depression years: the Moose River mine disaster, the great drought on the prairies and the introduction of a transatlantic air service between Canada and Europe. The film also looks at the major world events that influenced Canada: the abdication of the king of England; civil war in Spain; Hitler's rise to power and Canada's declaration of war on Germany. Part of the Between Two Wars series.

The young nation of Canada comes of age after the worst conflict in human history. In the years that follow the First World War, visits from movie star Rudolf Valentino and the future King Edward VIII grab the headlines, while former prime minister Sir Wilfried Laurier is laid to rest. Political shifts, an economic boom, female emancipation, air travel and risqué dances signal a new era.