Uncle Sam: The Movie Collection, Vol. 1

Propaganda has always been a major force in wars, especially on the "home front," where people often get their knowledge of combat and politics from second‑hand sources. Patriotic films, designed to stir emotions and open wallets, have been a staple of American entertainment since they really came to the fore during WWII, and Uncle Sam is a noble effort to present the best of these documentaries, cartoons, and training films. Crude as they may seem to us today, during the dark days of the war, the seven films collected here were a major source of information on the progress of the war. If James Cagney or Frank Sinatra told us something, we tended to believe it, even if Hitler and the other Axis leaders were mercilessly parodied in cartoons. Some of the most creative people working in the motion picture industry--Frank Capra, Mervyn LeRoy, the Warner Brothers animation studios--poured their talents into producing short films (ranging from 5 to 40 minutes in this anthology) portraying the grim realities of war. Sitting in air-conditioned theaters, audiences could see actual footage of the battle for Iwo Jima, fly with pilots of the 57th Fighter Group in the skies over Italy, and witness the devastation wreaked by Hitler's forces in Europe. They could laugh at the antics of Private Snafu, the "everyman soldier" who could have single‑handedly lost the war for the Americans because of his Gilligan‑esque goofs, and chuckle at a truly inspired cartoon showing the agonies of basic training. Today's sophisticated viewers might be incredulous at the heavy‑handed tactics employed almost sixty years ago (1942's Divide and Conquer is the prime example of over‑the‑top propaganda films in this volume), which is one of the major reasons why this series should be considered for purchase. Movies have become subtler, but in a time of crisis most Americans still rally around the flag, primarily because of what they see in movies and on television. "Uncle Sam" is a potent reminder of the power of the entertainment media in the shaping and molding of public opinion. Recommended. Uncle Sam, Vol. 2 and Uncle Sam, Vol. 3, containing seven short films each, are also available at the same price. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Carlson)