‘The Next of Kin': How Secrets Travel

A WWII instructional film shows how unrestrained talk can affect national security.

This patriotic poster by Frank Neubold, 1942, encouraged Brits to protect their homeland. This British film shows how careless gossip could often weaken national security. Public Domain

NR | 1h 42m | Mystery, Thriller, War | 1942

The year 1942 brought a unique kind of World War II terror. On the home fronts of free countries was the fear of the invisible listener. In pubs, train stations, and living rooms, the casual exchange of news became a potential death sentence. “The Next of Kin” functions as a grim documentation of this reality.