When the Wind Blows

When the Wind Blows is a British animated drama about Jim and Hilda Bloggs, an elderly couple living in an isolated cottage in the countryside. The government has distributed pamphlets explaining what citizens should do in the event of a nuclear attack. Trusting their country and drawing on their memories of the Second World War, Jim follows the instructions closely and builds a shelter, while Hilda concerns herself with ordinary domestic matters. The war they have heard about on the radio proves to be something other than what they expect.

The film was directed by Jimmy T. Murakami, whose earlier features in chronological order are Battle Beyond the Stars and Humanoids from the Deep, both from 1980, and Heavy Metal from 1981. The screenplay is by Raymond Briggs, adapting his own graphic novel, and John Coates produced. Jim and Hilda are voiced by John Mills and Peggy Ashcroft, with Robin Houston, James Russell, David Dundas and Matt Irving providing additional voices.

Released in October 1986, the film runs 84 minutes. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.7 from around 15,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.5 from 355 votes. A critics' rating of 7.1 from eight reviews places it somewhat below the audience scores, though the three figures sit within a similar range.