The First Motion Picture Unit (1943)

User Rating:

5.1/10   

Genre:

Documentary | Short

Plot:

A documentary showing the functions of the Army Air Corps' First Motion Picture Unit, which made training and inspirational films for the Army Air Force during the Second World War. |

Plot Keywords:

Film Making | Editing | Ephemeral Film | Miniature Effects | Hollywood

Cast

John Beal	...	Member of the Unit at Attention (uncredited)
Ken Carpenter	...	Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Don Castle	...	Officer - Instrument Flight (archive footage) (uncredited)
Mark Daniels	...	Sergeant in Wardrobe Scene (archive footage) (uncredited)
Helmut Dantine	...	in 'Emergency Care of Air Casualties' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Guy Kibbee	...	Saint Peter - from Learn and Live (archive footage) (uncredited)
Robert Knapp	...	in 'Instrument Flight' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Ronald Reagan	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
James Seay	...	Joe - Learn and Live (archive footage) (uncredited)
Harvey Stephens	...	Major - in 'Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter' (archive footage) (uncredited)
Charles Tannen	...	Actor in Unidentifed Short (archive footage) (uncredited)
William Tannen	...	Officer in Wardrobe Scene (archive footage) (uncredited)

Also Known As:

First Motion Picture Unit: Army Air Forces

Runtime:

USA:21 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:Not Rated | USA:TV-14 (TV rating)

Filming Locations:

Culver City, California, USA

Company:

First Motion Picture Unit, United States Army Air Forces

Movie Connections:

Features Recognition of the Japanese Zero Fighter (1943)

Good Doc

First Motion Picture Unit (1943)

*** (out of 4)

Interesting WW2 documentary short teaches the viewer what went into making all of those shorts during the war, which were used to teach Americans what was going on in the war as well as train soldiers how to fight. There are countless documentaries out there showing us how movies were made in Hollywood but this is the first I've seen that really took a look at the WW2 shorts, which were being produced throughout the war. The entire function of getting a movie made is pretty much the same here but most of the workers were drafted, which is the major difference. There's no talk on John Ford, Frank Capra or other major directors who made these films at the time but instead we see some of the smaller people behind the editing, production design, art direction and stuff like this. There's nothing too ground breaking here but if you're interested in these films then this documentary should keep you entertained.