I am reaching the tail end of 1940 and had a mini-marathon to work through some of the Academy-nominated Short Subjects. All these films were first viewings and seen on YouTube, where the complete shorts can easily be found by searching for the titles. These are less than – some well less than – 30 minutes long.
Eyes of the Navy
Written by Herbert Hoffman
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/YouTube
Nominated for Best Two-Reel Short Subject.
This is basically a recruiting film for Navy pilots, largely showing the cadets’ idyllic life – long weekends! short days! – at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. One scene shows them practicing for landing on aircraft carriers, something these men would be risking their lives doing soon enough. It’s routine stuff..
Training at Pensacola Naval Air Station
Service with the Colors
Directed by B. Reeves Eason
Written by Owen Crump
Warner Bros.
First viewing/YouTube
Nominated for Best Two-Reel Short Subject.
This is an Army recruiting film. This time though it is a drama. Robert Armstrong plays a tough but fair drill sergeant and William T. Orr is a wiseguy slacker recruit something along the lines of James Cagney in The Fighting 69th. After Orr attempts to desert, the wise old Colonel straightens him out by ordering him to carry the regimental colors in parade. Nothing great but more interesting than “Eyes on the Navy”.
Quicker’n a Wink
Directed by George Sidney
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
First viewing/You Tube
Won Best One-Reel Short Subject.
This film demonstrates stroboscopic photography which “freezes” fast moving machinery and other action. Some of the shots are interesting – I particularly liked the cat lapping up milk (did you know they did this with the bottoms of their tongues?) – but the narration is cheesy.
London Can Take It!
Directed by Humphrey Jennings and Harry Watt (both uncredited)
Written by Quentin Reynolds (uncredited)
GPO Film Unit/Ministry of Information
Nominated for Best One-Reel Short Subject
This has some moving footage of London during the Blitz and is a testimonial to the indomitable courage and resilience of Londoners. Worth seeing if you have an interest in the period.
Siege
Directed by Julien Bryan
RKO Radio Pictures
Nominated for Best One-Reel Short-Subject
American journalist Julien Bryan stayed behind after most foreigners fled and somehow managed to film the heartrending human and material wreckage of Warsaw in the three weeks immediately following the 1939 Nazi invasion. Sad, sad, sad but worthwhile.
Polish boy in the ruins of Warsaw September 1939
The Milky Way
Directed by Rudolph Ising
Written by Maurice Day (uncredited)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Rudolph Ising Productions
Won Best Cartoon Short Subject
The three little kittens who lost their mittens are sent to bed without supper for their carelessness. They rig up a basket and balloons which carry them to the Milky Way where they drink their fill. Gentle humor aimed at the younger set.
Puss Gets the Boot
Directed by Joseph Berra, William Hanna, and Rudolph Ising
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Rudolph Ising Productions
Nominated for Best Cartoon Short Subject
This was the first “Tom and Jerry” cartoon made back when they were known as “Jasper and Jinx”. The housemaid (?) threatens to throw Jasper the cat out of the house if he breaks just one more thing. Jinx the mouse uses this to his advantage during Jasper’s daily attempt on his life. Funny.
A Wild Hare
Directed by Tex Avery
Written by Rich Hogan
Leon Schlesinger Studios
Nominated for Best Cartoon Short Subject
This was the first cartoon with Bugs Bunny in his final redesign and the first real teaming of Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny. It also introduced both Bugs’ and Elmer’s catchphrases – “What’s Up, Doc?” and “Be vewy quiet…I’m hunting wabbits” respectively. And so began Elmer’s ritual humiliation at the hands of the wascally wiseguy wabbit. If I had been a voter, this is the cartoon I would have gone for the year 1940.
