Licking Hitler

As with Plenty, the events Hare places in the context of war are intended as a metaphor for the post-war betrayal of the collective ideals of pre-war society, with the necessary deceits of the disinformation broadcaster representing the corrupt values of modern England.[5]

The play's theme is the cruel relationship between Archie, the chief writer for an isolated black propaganda unit broadcasting to Germany in World War II, and his assistant and lover Anna. With the war won and the unit disbanded, neither Anna nor Archie can reconcile themselves to their new, mundane lives. Anna longs for the violent and abusive Archie, and for the excitement and meaning of her former work. Some critics have found this aspect of her character unrealistic, but Hare quotes poet Alan Ross to explain the spirit of the era: "The sadness and sexuality and alcohol were what everyone was wanting ... war was suddenly real and warm ... worth all the suffering and boredom and fear". To this he added his own romantic view of the period, with its undercurrents of violence and sexuality.[4] Feminist writers have attacked the depiction of Anna, the wartime heroine, as flawed in that she passively continues to submit to Archie. Hare dismisses this view as "a clamour for a simpler morality" that fails to take account of his characterization: a naive, vulnerable woman for whom sensuality is totally strange. It is in this abject predicament that she becomes "the conscience of the play".[4] After the war she establishes herself as a successful advertising copywriter but resents lying for no higher purpose than profit, a situation she comes to look upon as symbolising the post-war political life of England. Archie, formerly a campaigning documentary film-maker, becomes a writer and director of derivative and poorly regarded feature films.

Hare's immediate inspiration for the work was a chance encounter with Sefton Delmer, a former adviser to Winston Churchill and wartime broadcaster to Germany from Soldatensender Calais. Delmer's book Black Boomerang provided the factual basis for the play; but, using the same techniques he was to develop for his later verbatim theatre pieces such as The Permanent Way, Hare travelled Britain interviewing former propagandists and broadcasters to enhance his script.[4]

[6]

The film was shot during the Summer of 1977 at Compton Verney House, Warwickshire. This was Hare's first work behind the camera and he deliberately restricted himself to such camera techniques as were available in the 1940s. He notes that, as the writer, he had a clear idea of how scenes would relate to each other and so he shot no spare footage to allow for any adjustments while editing—a "highly dangerous" method.[7][6]

• Licking Hitler at IMDb