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During the mid-20th century the outbreak of war proved to devastate and influence the globe into a mass war effort publication to engage the public into supporting the cause to victory. Upon the intervention of the imperial air force on the attack of pearl harbour in 1941 the U.S was sprung into the 2nd world war. However, the U.S needed more social support for the war in Europe in the effort to prevent fascism from being the dominating ideology. In a bid to get the public approval and to sell more war bonds for the war effort the U.S focused on American cinema. From this essay I am going to focus on film content, industry operation, audience reception and portray how the out break of war affected these fundamentals of American cinema from a positive or negative outlook. The focus of this essay will be to obtain a clear notion of clarity into how or if the out break of war helped or hindered industry operation and if film content was entirely influenced by the U.S government’s intervention. The way I will conduct my analysis is by researching a variety of films made in this era such as ‘the great dictator’ (1940) but also divulge and back up my research from different authors who specialise in this field, such as Lewis Jacobs, Colin Shindler and Walter L. Hixson.
Film content during the 1930s was the start of the golden age in American cinema due to the introduction of sound and colour rolling into the screens of new blockbusters. the American culture was being uplifted towards motion pictures after the working class was the main demographic to cinema and the first daily newspaper for the film industry had its debut in 1930, The Hollywood Reporter. However, film content would ultimately change during the out break of war to focus on the war effort. Film content began to showcase numerous war related films to entice the American public with the reality of war being abrupt and realism to set in. this best quoted by author Lewis Jacobs in his book ‘world war 2 and American film’ when he states ‘until 1942,most Hollywood movies were escapist entertainment, which aimed to distract the spellbound public from agonizing radio and newspaper reports about the axis partners expansion in Europe’. one such film being ‘Casablanca’ (1942) which would be regarded as one of the best films ever made. Directed by Michael Curtiz bought some quintessential themes throughout the film. The most important being ‘Neutrality’ which is codified in Rick Blaine’s attempts to remain politically neutral become increasingly futile as the film goes on. As ilsa and Laszlo’s bring the conflict to Ricks attention, he has the option to help or stay neutral and of course helps the couple. This protagonist of ricks character is juxtaposing to the American intervention into mainland Europe and the Pacific. This then coordinates with the theme of ‘sacrifice’ with Ricks character as he is seen as an isolationist and is quoted by saying “I stick my neck out for nobody” however due to his love for Ilsa opens his heart and unlocks his heroic nature. His love for Ilsa is seen as Americas love for democracy and anti-fascism.
After the attack on pearl harbour president franklin Roosevelt focused his attention on Hollywood claiming that motion picture was the most effective medium of informing the nation. Claiming of a no government intervention on the production of films, by June 1942 after some bureaucratic reshuffle ‘the office of war information’ (IWO) was formed to be the watchdog on film media and output. A major film company that ratified its content to engage the war effort was ‘Disney’ which saw an influx of iconic cartoon characters being placed in war scenarios. The U.S government looked to Walt Disney more than any other studio chief as a builder of public morale providing instruction and training for sailors and soldiers. Disney was and still is a staple of American culture which changed its content from playful and slapstick antics to then propaganda and dark humour portrayal. One such film titled ‘Donald Duck goes to war’ (1944) which shows him learning how to fight efficiently in the Asian pacific. Another is ‘der Fuehrer’s Face’ (1943) which portrays Donald in “Nazi land” being worked to death and his life being dictated by Hitler. The main theme of this film is ‘demonization’ of the enemy but also ‘glorification’ of the U.S mainland and of its democratic ideology. The U.S government green lighted the use of anti-German and anti-Japanese themes to portray these countries and their leaders as manipulative without morals whilst keeping the humoristic traits which were stapled into Disney’s animation.
The out break of war affected all proportions of the united states but also had a major change onto the film industry operations. After president Roosevelt wanted to “emotionalize” the reality of war over sea’s, so did the transformation of Hollywood and awareness of war in feature length films. The economic prospects of war favoured massively for the movie industry after the eight major movie production companies temporally merged together known as ‘the big eights’ in view of the war effort. This venture combined with the pre-war defence build-up initiated an economic upturn meant that revenue and profits soared over the course of the war. from about $20 million in 1940 to $35 million in 1941 and the Big Eight’s combined profits neared $50 million in 1942 with a peak of 60 million in the last 3 years of the war. however, although business was booming the feeling of uncertainty and dislocation to the movie industry. From 1941-42 the U.s and allies were suffering in the pacific theatre resulting in wartime restrictions and shortages affecting every sector of the film industry. This was also affiliated with the complexities of Hollywood’s relationship with the government and armed forces at the time. This is best backed up from the book ‘Hollywood goes to war’ where upon it shows the magnitude of stress caused by the arrival of war with its quote ‘For although the war time intrusion of the government was new, censorship and coercion was as old as Hollywood itself’.
Hollywood’s greatest contribution to the war effort was morale. Many of the movies produced during the second world war were patriotic rallying cries that affirmed a sense of national purpose and pride for American society. Combat films of the war years emphasized patriotism, group effort, and the value of individual sacrifices for a larger cause, which in turn enticed people into believing that the U.S was the only superpower nation to stop fascism. To attract a wider demographic, war films would include a diverse group of men from different ethnic backgrounds as well as social backgrounds to ensure that there was relatability and unity being proscribed for audience reception. As well as men being focused into protagonist fighting roles, women were also targeted into feature length films as well. Many wartime films featured women characters playing an active role in the war by serving as combat nurses, riveters, welders, and long-suffering mothers who kept the home fires burning. After the feminist movement fell silent during the 1930s depression, this was the first-time women was having more professional roles in society bringing a women-based target audience more acquired. In many ways the outbreak of world war two affected gender roles in American cinema, moving away from the ‘femme fatale’ and ‘damsel in distress’ roles to impowering and respected positions on the big screen. This point is backed up by Andrea S. Walsh when she sates ‘The films popular amongst female audiences in this period portray a view of womanhood as; strong, maternal, and sisterly; desiring yet distrusting and angry towards men’. The film ‘His Girl Friday’ (1940) shows this beautifully by introducing themes of ‘ambition’ and ‘gender’ through the remarkable acting of actress Rosalind Russell.
In conclusion from the on set of war being brought to U.S doorstep, which had a knock-on effect from all quarters of the country which made no exception to the American film industry. Film content would have been changed forever with many of feature length films being acquired to inform and promote Americas foreign policy with the pacific theatre and Europe. This in turn would have had a knock-on effect with the industry operation economic bounds after the merging of ‘the big eight. After the outbreak of war, the audience reception would be altered to bring a sense of unity amongst the masses to put aside any ethnic or gender related differences to be put aside to focus the war effort. This is very significant due to the fact that without the adaptation to new film audience, it can be said that America would not of had as much support for their involvement in the war and may of resulted in complete withdrawal in Europe. However, the economic gains made by the major production companies gave more momentum and support for the technological advancements that preceded the years to come.
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