http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052792/
The FBI Story (1959)
*** begin quote ***
The story of the FBI unfolds through the eyes of one of its agents. During his career he investigates gangsters, swindlers, the klu klux klan, Nazi agents and cold war spies.
*** end quote ***
I don’t why, maybe it was fate, but I was clicking around at found this “entertaining” piece of propaganda and watched a few minutes of it.
Again.
I remember seeing it it on the big screen decades ago. And, like most of the rubes I was sucked into it.
Now with many decades of life experience (translate that into the normal amount life meaning decades of heartache and sorrow), i see it for what it is.
A lie.
A bald face (whatever that is) lie.
Specifically, one scene nagged at me. Probably not quoted any where, but here goes from memory …
*** begin quote ***
(After their young only-son announces that he’s enlisted in the Marines at the start of WW2)
Lucy Ann Hardesty: “Chip, why? Why, Chip?”
John Michael “Chip” Hardesty: “Because when my son came to me and said he wanted to defend his country, I couldn’t think of why not.”
*** end quote ***
Very powerful stuff.
I’d now call that “stuff” for what it really is “barbara streisand” or a synonym for excrement!
We now know that the film was greatly influenced by J. Edgar and the Washington establishment.
But more importantly, we now know that at the very least FDR was, at least, culpable in picking a fight with Japan and, at worst, directly responsible for provoking a war to get the USA out of the Great Depression.
We, also, know now that the FBI — what the Dead Old White Guys would have called a “private militia” — was an un-Constitutional entitty that engage in all sorts of criminal activity.
But back to the pro-war rah rah, that I couldn’t see at the time, but is so clear as day now.
Now if the son, Mike “Buzz”Hardesty, was going down to the coastline to defend America from the ravages of the invading — <insert favorite ethnic slur> (I’ll disparage the Irish!) — invading Mic hoarde coming ashore to rape his mom and sisters, that might make some sense.
But we know he’s going “over there”, whether “there” is some Pacific Island or Viet Nam or “the sand box” or
the rock box”, he’s not going to the coast.
So here we have classic pro-war propaganda. All wrapped up in the flag. That this stupid young kid (me) watch on a Saturday afternoon and was deluded into not seeing it for what it was.
Propaganda.
As skillfully done as the Nazi or Communist propaganda that we learned about in school at the time.
There are none so blind as those who can not see.
I’ve unmasked my own stupidity in my magnus opus, “CHURCH 10●19●62”, some of the character “Sam” is found in my real life.
“He told us about the life expectancy of the combat patrols in movies. Yet, he doesn’t examine the propaganda value of the movies in shaping his belief system. He can’t, as a visual, cut out the messages and analyze them.” — character “John” speaking about character “Sam” in CHURCH 10●19●62 Volume 1 Page 236
How stupid was I for not seeing this war propaganda? And, how stupid for not seeing the pro-Big Gooferment propaganda as well.
Argh!
Someone should really offer subtitles with disclaimers; least a young impressionable mind get sucked in.
I remember my Mom consulting the Legion of Decency movie ratings in the Catholic News before I was allowed to go to the movies. “Morally Objectionable in Part for ALL” was the kiss of death. Since I was allowed to go see this, it obviously passed muster.
I’d have been better off watching a porn flick. Or at least one of those “naturalist” movies that advocated nudism.
Argh! What a rube I was. How stupid could one kid be? Very! Argh squared!
# # # # #
Like this:
Like Loading...
Reinke Faces Life 