Monday, June 19, 2006

"THE TOWN" A PROPAGANDA WAR FILM THAT WAS FILMED IN 1943 IN MY BIRTH PLACE: MADISON, IN

http://history.hanover.edu/news/iah2006.html



I happened upon this tonight when I was surfing the Internet. I cannot believe that my birth place was selected as the Mayberry town for a war propaganda film after World War I. But then I can believe it because I cannot think of a more perfect town to live in as a child where a person's word was as good as a signed contract.

The following is taken from this Hanover College link that was discussed at a Historical Conference earlier this year in Hanover, Indiana (Jefferson County where Madison is located, as well):

"The making of this film was part of a two-pronged effort by the United States to give public understanding of the war. The first prong was a desire to show that there was an evil that still lurked out there. This was accomplished by depicting an American town and then allowing the people to compare it to the towns of other countries. The second prong was to illustrate the four freedoms of America: freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. All four of these freedoms were depicted in the film in some manner. After the film there was a panel that discussed some of the background and general information about the film.

The film was translated into 32 languages. It was only publicly shown in the United States when it was initially shown in Madison, IN for the townspeople to see. The reason it was translated into 32 different languages was to be shown to the citizens of other countries the reason for the fighting. It was primarily shown to countries that were fighting a new democratic order. The U.S. government wanted to show them what a democratic country would look like. One last fun fact that was mentioned is that the producers had to keep putting off the filming of the children swimming until September so that it would be warm enough."

2 comments:

KAT said...

BeeBee:
Where may I download or access the movie? I have found tons of material on Archive.org as well as Earthstation1 (dealer in rare old films).

Thanks and congratulations
KAT

BEEBEE said...

Kat,

I do not know where you can download the film. Why don't your write to the History Department at Hanover College? In the meantime, I will see if I can do some magic surfing and find it. Ha! I have got to get to work before my clients fire me. They just do not understand that I am on a mission in life to find a greater purpose and meaning.