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During World War II, films were used as propaganda to provoke nationalistic feelings and motivate citizens to engage in the war. The governments, especially of the United States, United Kingdom, and Nazi Germany, considered cinema an excellent tool for manipulating the narrative and boosting public morale. In Britain, the studios collaborated with the government in creating films that inspired love for the country and supported war-related policies.

One of the most important films of its time was “The First of the Few” (1942).By the late 1920’s aircraft designer R.J. Mitchell feels he has achieved all he wants with his revolutionary mono-planes winning trophy after trophy, but a holiday in Germany shortly after Hitler assumes power convinces him that it is vital to design a completely new type of fighter plane and that sooner or later Britain’s very survival may depend on what he comes to call the Spitfire. Produced and directed by the acclaimed english actor Leslie Howard, the role of his screen wife was portrayed by Rosamund John.

At the age of nineteen, John had been introduced to actor–director Milton Rosmer, who cast her in several minor stage roles before casting her in his film “The Secret of the Loch”(1934).Following several more years of stage work she was cast opposite Leslie Howard in “The First of the Few” (1942). This led to her being cast in Howard’s next film as a director, “The Gentle Sex” (1943). Howard cast John in her next film “The Lamp Still Burns” (1943), which he produced, but he was killed during the film’s production when his plane was shot down returning from Lisbon.

John became one of Britain’s most popular screen stars, second only to Margaret Lockwood as Britain’s favourite female star in 1944, and credited her career ascendance to Howard. She next starred in the rural wartime comedy “Tawny Pipit” (1944), made by Two Cities Films, which, according to John, went on to be popular with American audiences as “it was everything the Americans thought of as being English.”

John co-starred in Anthony Asquith’s wartime drama “The Way to the Stars” (1945), following which she appeared in the medical wartime thriller “Green for Danger” (1946). 1947 saw her star with James Mason in “The Upturned Glass” (1947), with Michael Redgrave in the Boulting Brothers’ political drama “Fame is the Spur” (1947) and with Patricia Roc in the drama “When the Bough Breaks” (1947).

John’s final film was a B movie, Operation Murder (1956), but she had long virtually abandoned her acting career for politics and for marriage.

John was twice married, first to film editor Russell Lloyd, from 1943 to 1949, with whom she had a son named John, and then to politician John Silkin from 1950 to 1987, with whom she had her second son, Rory. Silkin served as the Labour Member of Parliament for Deptford (1963–1974) and for Lewisham, Deptford (1974–1987) until his death from a heart attack. Rosamund, who had always been keenly interested in politics, could often be seen at the House of Commons supporting her husband.

She died at a nursing home in Clapham, London in 1998, aged 85.