During, and after World War Two Essay

In the era preceding, during, and after World fight Two, docu handstaries and real-life depictions about the war, veterans, patriotism, post-war combat injuryetc., exploded on the home front. John Hustons Let in that respect Be Light and Frank genus genus Capras serve To fight are both docuwork forcetary takes about World contend Two, heretofore filmed for very divergent projects and in very different angles. This paper will attempt to explore and compare the differences of both war epoch documentaries, and evaluate the intensity level of their balance between artifice and authenticity.Hustons 1946 film Let there Be Light was filmed with the intent to document the treatment and renewal of psychologic bothy damaged World War Two veterans. However, due to the expressed images of stumbling, shell-shocked spends, the United States War Department forbade civilian circulation on grounds that the film was demoralizing and detrimental to military participants.While Huston battl ed US officials for permission to eat up Let There Be Light, Capras film Prelude To War was paid for by the government. This 1942 documentary was a abilityful propaganda number which chronicled the events spark advance up to World War Two, including the rise of fascism in Germany and Italy, and the Japanese attack on China. The film was intended to stir up victuals for the war effort.Let There Be Light conveys a vagabond of viewpoints and purposes 1) To create a sympathetic documentary on the recovery of the psycho-neurotic soldier which would educate civilians to accommodate and accept them into society. 2) To depict post-war conditions which were more horrific than the battlefield. 3) To process that neurotic problems could be successfully treated, but at the same time the audience is left to ponder the fate of those patients who did not recover.Huston brought his cameras to Mason commonplace mental hospital in Long Island, where the patients interactions with the psychiat rists were recorded and filmed. Huge 35 mm cameras and sound recording equipment were permanently set up attended by a large crew of technicians. Opening statements make  release of Hustons intention of being a storyteller No scenes were staged. The completely direction was tactical. Where do you put your cameras? Then how to tell the story? Or how to let the story tell itself? I didnt impose anything. The stories were sufficient.A ship branded by a large Red pass across streams into the opening scene of the film. Narrating the film is Walter Huston, Johns father. Curious men glance out toward the hopes of the shores. Nurses and male attendants fill the decks, and as patients struggle to disembark, they draw their heavy shadows move across the side of the ship. The cameras track their anguished souls, their timorous hearts, and some lost faith in humanity. Here are men who tremble men who cannot sleep men with pains that are so far real because they are of a mental origin. Men who cannot remember deactivate men, whose paralysis is dictated by the mind. . . The psychiatrists listen to the stories of the men, who tell them as silk hat they can. Through all the stories runs one thread death, and the fear of death.These fears were evident in the mens testimonies and in their eyes. One man was even paralytic by fear, literally, which impaired his ability to walk. The treatment was an injection of sodium amytol to shift a state similar to hypnosis which allowed the patient to explore his fears on resign terrains. In a captivating scene, the doctor told him to walk over to the nurse, all by yourself. Thats a boy. Youre just a olive-sized woozy, but thats the medicine. Now come back to me. Open your eyes. Thats a boy. Now isnt that wonderful? The young man, amazed and overjoyed, walked. Huston use flashbacks at the end of the film to bare a shark agate line between the weak, battered faces and the same men who looked happy and healthy. An extraordina ry switch took place and they were put back on their legs again- which was a wonder and a miracle.In comparison to the sensitive filming production and the soft sting of peaceful sentiment from Hustons Let There Be Light, Capras Prelude to War was distinctly more dynamic, aggressive, and propaganda-like, in which the purpose was noticeably clear 1) To depict Japan, Germany, and Italy as nations taken over by evil political leadership. 2) To depict Americans as a people leading the world to justice and infuse a sense of patriotism. 3) To drum up war effort support.Through stirring music, forceful editing, and scenes of the Japanese, Germans, Italians ignorantly cheer for their respective political and military leaders, the film left one soupcon immense jingoistic pride. The film featured some women sewing wordlessly but voluntarily, and other women assisting in other areas of work. These scenes were empowering, and they make the statement that it is everybodys war, not jus t the soldiers.Benito Mussolini gesticulating on a balcony in Rome, Hitler hailing hatred and racial divide, and the Japanese military taking over political powerthese sequences were compelling because they were a foreign concept to the American people who scorn dictatorship, adore freedom, and enjoy peace. This film also allowed the concept of conflict for world peace to prevail, even though pacifism was a popular political theory at the time. The documentary also featured a street crown of whether Americans should enter war. The woman at the window who cold-heartedly screamed no, and shut her windows was juxtaposed against warm, patriotic people who explained the need to fight for justice.Comparing both World War Two films and its balance between artifice and authenticity, Let There Be Light is conspicuously more authentic than artificial, while Prelude To War leave some skeptics doubtful with government war propaganda. To put them in distinctive categories, Hustons film exud es a feminine glow which radiates post-war true(a) realism, a soft sense of rehabilitation, and a maternal sense of nursing. Capras documentary is in contrast much more manful with its strong messages and forceful sequences. It emits a warrior-like attitude that exhibits qualities of invincible strength, responsibility, and an unassailable fighting spirit.Although Prelude To War features many authentic scenes, there is very pocketable room for those to expand its impact due to its propaganda nature. Let There Be Light is in comparison very real as all anglesthe battered, the recovered, the fear, and the braveare all shown.