can anyone help me organise a 1940s themed party for my grandmother's 90th please

[HeadFairy]

We're looking for some 1940s film footage to download (I don't mind paying) because we want to project it on to a wall of the venue we're hiring. Does anyone have any ideas where I can find some. I'm going to buy some old dvd's from the 40s (Casablanca and Brief Encounter) to have playing, but I'd quite like to mix it up with some other footage.

don't you have to learn to lindyhop?

Just looked at some lindyhopping archive footage on You Tube, that's kind of what I was thinking of. Is there anyway I can download from You Tube?

Oooh that sounds fabulous!

Do you have a large local library? They may have dvd footage of your local area 'back in the day'

That's a good idea DWP! I don't live where she used to live, but my sister still lives round the corner from her old house (and still goes to the same church my grandmother married in in 1942!) I might have to get my sister on to that task!

or at least photos, you could make a montage perhaps?

How about this? It's a bit expensive though.

The country was at war for half the 1940s, but I'm guessing you want some lighthearted footage rather than spitfires, bombs etc.

Is there a local history group where she lives? They may have an archive of films from the era. Or the museum?

Also ask around the wider family, and maybe even her friends of a similar vintage (or anybody born before or during the 1940s). If they are anything like our family, there may well be some old cine films around. Perhaps you'll find footage of family weddings etc. You can get them transferred to dvd fairly reasonably.

thanks for that link Besom, my mum's paying so I'm not too concerned about expense (hahahaha)

Pixie, I thought the beeb might do something like that, but I couldnt' get my brain in gear enough to work it out, thanks for that!

We're doing a large photo collage for her already, and we don't really have any cine footage in the family we can use.

Great ideas though, thanks. Keep 'em coming