Main Street on the March! (1941)

User Rating:

6.7/10   

Director:

Edward L. Cahn

Writer:

Karl Kamb (writer)

Release Date:

10 January 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Short | History

Plot:

The film begins in the spring of 1940, just before the Nazi occupation of the Benelux countries, and...

Plot Keywords:

WWII

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

John Nesbitt	...	Narrator (voice)
Raymond Gram Swing	...	Himself (voice) (archive sound)
Neville Chamberlain	...	Himself (voice) (archive sound)
H.V. Kaltenborn	...	Himself (voice) (archive sound)
Franklin Delano Roosevelt	...	Himself (archive footage)
Winston Churchill	...	Himself (voice) (archive footage)
George C. Marshall	...	Himself (archive footage)
William S. Knudsen	...	Himself (archive footage)
Admiral Harold R. Stark	...	Himself (archive footage)

Runtime:

20 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Movie Connections:

References Come Live with Me (1941)

Soundtrack:

Anchors Aweigh

A Little Film Of Great Significance

Roused from somnambulistic lethargy to defend herself against unspeakable evil, a mighty nation would make foreign tyrants fear the sound of MAIN STREET ON THE MARCH!

Here is a tremendous example of the power of film when expertly crafted. It is also an invaluable video document of the situation in America at one of the supremely pivotal moments of her history. Blending documentary footage with Studio shots, the film quickly paints a snapshot portrait of the country and its moods in the months leading up to active participation in World War Two.

Conceived by MGM as a stern warning against American neutrality in response to the threats of Axis aggression, the film was virtually ready for release when the Japanese Empire made its sneak attack against Hawaii on December 7, 1941. Producer John Nesbitt hastily rewrote & recorded the new narration, without altering the existing music or sound effects. The emotionally stirring result was considered so forceful that MAIN STREET ON THE MARCH! was awarded the Academy Award for best two-reel short subject of 1941.

A sequel, MAIN STREET TODAY, was produced in 1944.

After Pearl Harbor, Hollywood went to war totally against the Axis. Not only did many of the stars join up or do home front service, but the output of the Studios was largely turned to the war effort. The newsreels, of course, brought the latest war news into the neighborhood theater every week. The features showcased battle stories or war related themes. Even the short subjects & cartoons were used as a quick means of spreading Allied propaganda, the boosting of morale or information dissemination. Together, Uncle Sam, the American People & Hollywood proved to be an unbeatable combination.