A Letter From Ulster: 80 years on documentary film by Brian Desmond Hurst can help boost Northern Ireland tourism

That’s the view of the nephew of acclaimed director Brian Desmond Hurst who made ‘A Letter From Ulster’ during the Second World War, focusing on US troops based in Northern Ireland.

The film, which premiered 80 years ago today in the Imperial Cinema in Belfast, was in response to rumours being spread by Nazi spies in Dublin that the Americans in Northern Ireland were beating up the locals and acting like an army of occupation.

Allan Smith, who looks after his uncle’s film and literary estate, said that the descendants of American soldiers who came to Northern Ireland during the Second World War will get a fascinating insight thanks to the film, which is believed to be the first documentary film shot in the Province.

‘A Letter From Ulster’ was released in 1943 by the Belfast-born director who went on to direct Christmas classic ‘Scrooge/A Christmas Carol’ in 1951.

Hurst made the film along with Bangor's William MacQuitty, who went on to co-found Ulster Television and produce ‘A Night to Remember’, and Cambridge University's Shaun Terence Young, who went on to direct James Bond films ‘Dr No’, ‘From Russia With Love’ and ‘Thunderball’.

They received a commendation from then-president Franklin D Roosevelt for the 30-minute film – which can be viewed via the following link to YouTube

Allan said: “Over 300,000 US troops trained in Ulster for the war and this film will show their next generations what their father, grandfather or great grandfather experienced and what they saw.”

The film features Carrickfergus, Strabane, Cultra (acting as Coleraine railway station), St Mary’s in Belfast, Tynan, the Sperrins, Bellarena as well as the barracks, Red Cross dance halls, assault courses and firing ranges.

Allan said: “It’s a superb piece of documentary making but I also think it could help Northern Ireland tourism when you think of the millions of grandchildren who want to trace their grandparents’ steps.”

Asked which was his favourite film in the archive he said: “It’s a film called ‘Theirs Is The Glory’. Most people know of ‘A Bridge Too Far’ by Richard Attenborough, well Brian did the first version in 1945 before the lavish remake when he took 120 veterans back to Arnhem.

“They’d taken a pasting there, it was a heavy defeat. The last thing anyone wanted to do was make a film about Arnhem, but Brian did it.

“It’s a superb film, he’s getting soldiers to replay their roles. The reason it worked was Brian was a soldier himself. He fought at Gallipoli where his Royal Irish Rifle Battalion got wiped out.”

Allan said his uncle, who was trained in Hollywood by the legendary director John Ford of ‘Quiet Man’ fame, was flamboyant and extremely talented person who took pleasure in sharing his wealth.

He said: “When I was a student in Manchester in 1982 he thought that I should have a London residence so he gave me the keys to his three-storey house in Belgravia.

“You had this little fella from east Belfast, a linen worker, who used to pick bread up off the street because he was so hungry and he ends up in Belgravia.”