France Televisions - The Hollywood War 1939-1945 (2013) Part 2 Confronting the Dictators

– Original title “La guerre d'Hollywood 1939-1945” – While the world is about to be thrown into the Second World War, the American studios are going to put in place a unique mobilization in the history of cinema. At the end of the 1930s, Hollywood was indeed experiencing its golden age an average of eighty-five million Americans went to theaters each week. It is therefore through the cinema that the American government will address the entire nation to ask it to participate in the war effort. Responding to the call of President Roosevelt, the eight major Hollywood studios devoted their resources and talents in the service of the war effort. Feature films, documentaries, cartoons thousands of films are produced for the general public or the different branches of the military. All serve a purpose to motivate the commitment of new recruits, assist in the training of troops or to the organisation of the home front and denounce the Nazi ideology; to exacerbate the patriotic feeling… The greatest male stars of the time put on the uniform Clark Gable, James Stewart and Tyrone Power all actively participate in combat while Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis and Rita Hayworth mobilise to raise funds or entertain the troops. All producers, actors and directors, from the most famous stars to more anonymous technicians answer the call of the government to set up a giant propaganda machine and produce hundreds of films to support the American War effort. Largely unpublished archives, belonging mainly to the collections of the National Archives, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, UCLA (University of Los Angeles), the Library of Congress as well as private collections, “making-of shots”, rushes, but also excerpts or trailers of feature films, photographs, posters, promotional material, magazine covers… retrace this extraordinary adventure. THE HOLLYWOOD WAR portrays this unique venture and offers an original look into the Second World War, the history of America and the cinema.

Part 2 Confronting the Dictators

When the USA joined World War II, it wasnt just ordinary citizens who enlisted. The biggest names in Hollywood - from producers, stars, artists, technicians - joined the war effort. From making shows commercials to get people to buy war bonds to creating films that demonized Hitler Nazism, to actually fighting in the war - thereby blurring the boundaries of reality and fiction. From its entry into the war, America must celebrate its allies many films praise the power of the Russian nation, the resistance of Great Britain and denounce the invasion of China by Japan. By contrast, Japan is set up as a sworn enemy of the United States Pearl Harbor must be avenged, through propaganda bordering on racial hatred.

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