Henry Fonda narrates this Oscar-nominated propaganda piece about a small town's reactions to the fall of the Philippines in the Second World War.
The War begins to touch the town even before it starts; its National Guard unit is called up for training, and is shipped out to the Philippines. The town reacts spasmodically at first, but by the end of the film, is firmly committed to the effort.
This is the image that Hollywood presented to its audiences, as indeed, did all media: a sleeping giant waking slowly to fight evil enemies, confident of victory. It was also the image that the Japanese cinema offered to its audiences, Germany to its audiences.... every nation did much the same; no one wished to think they were fighting a hopeless cause, so this was the standard line.
This movie did not win the Academy Award in its category. It lost to a four-way tie and similarly-themed short subjects.
The War begins to touch the town even before it starts; its National Guard unit is called up for training, and is shipped out to the Philippines. The town reacts spasmodically at first, but by the end of the film, is firmly committed to the effort.
This is the image that Hollywood presented to its audiences, as indeed, did all media: a sleeping giant waking slowly to fight evil enemies, confident of victory. It was also the image that the Japanese cinema offered to its audiences, Germany to its audiences.... every nation did much the same; no one wished to think they were fighting a hopeless cause, so this was the standard line.
This movie did not win the Academy Award in its category. It lost to a four-way tie and similarly-themed short subjects.
