Mr. Blabbermouth! (1942)

Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, America was rife with rumors about the size of Japan's armed forces and how well-equipped they were to wage war against the U.S. Using animation, ... See full summary »

Director:

Basil Wrangell

Writers:

Manchester Boddy (newspaper editorial), Walter Selden (screenplay)

Stars:

John Nesbitt, Kai-Shek Chiang, Adolf Hitler

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
John Nesbitt	...	Narrator (voice)
Kai-Shek Chiang	...	Himself (archive footage)
Adolf Hitler	...	Himself (archive footage)

Storyline

Following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, America was rife with rumors about the size of Japan's armed forces and how well-equipped they were to wage war against the U.S. Using animation, the first part of this film dispels these rumors by showing that the U.S. had more raw materials and more fighting ships. The narrator also cautions moviegoers against spreading rumors (which are often initiated by enemy infiltrators to create fear and dissention) and believing everything they read in the newspapers. Just because "they say" something, that doesn't make it true.

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Plot Keywords:

rumor | world war two | part animation | barbershop | fbi | 

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Genres:

Short

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

8 August 1942 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

19 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The following public service announcement is shown at the end of the film (following the "The End" title card), with a statue of a soldier surrounded by various battle scenes: "America needs your money. Buy War Bonds and Stamps at this theater."

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Crazy Credits

Narrator Nesbitt identifies Hitler and Chaing Kai-Shek.

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Connections

Edited from Coffins on Wheels (1941)

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Soundtracks

"Deutschland, Deutschland Über Alles"
Performed by orchestra

User Reviews

timeless advice, in a way

Wartime or peacetime, the basic idea of this film still applies: "for safety's sake, please engage brain before putting mouth in gear"; and don't assume that the guy you're listening to has followed that rule!

As Ray Bolger observed in "The Wizard of Oz" back in 1939, "Some people without brains do an awful lot of talking!" And while such people usually only damage themselves by looking ridiculous in front of people who actually do know something about the subject under discussion, sometimes they do manage to do major damage to others, whether by innocently ruining a reputation over something they've misinterpreted or by "only trying to help!" (case in point on that last: the Mr. Blabbermouth who invited himself along on a camping trip some friends and I had planned--he nearly laced our trail stew with "perfectly harmless wild mushrooms" which my friend D correctly identified as death angel mushrooms and intercepted in the nick of time!)

War or no war, Mr. Blabbermouth lives and can be hazardous to your health!