Once you got past the Robert Benchley shorts, the best short subjects that MGM turned out were those which Pete Smith produced and narrated. Originally a publicity man, he had the sour-sounding, nasal voice of a man who has seen all the nonsense and has to convince you that it's either wonderful or didn't happen -- or both.
While this short is not one of his best, it is by no means a waste of time. In the aftermath of the outbreak of World War Two and the first major air battle in history -- the London Blitz -- aviation was no longer the wave of the future or the toy of the rich. It was something that would be needed when the US joined the war, something which people knew was coming. And between the clowning of Dave Barclay and Pete Smith's snarky narration -- well, it's fun.
While this short is not one of his best, it is by no means a waste of time. In the aftermath of the outbreak of World War Two and the first major air battle in history -- the London Blitz -- aviation was no longer the wave of the future or the toy of the rich. It was something that would be needed when the US joined the war, something which people knew was coming. And between the clowning of Dave Barclay and Pete Smith's snarky narration -- well, it's fun.
