The Monroe Doctrine

ONCE AGAIN WE are indebted to the folks over at TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES cable channel for bringing us yet another non-comedic short from the bygone days of a very different Hollywood. Rather than using series such as Laurel & Hardy, the Three Stooges or Leon Errol to warm up an audience by tickling the proverbial funny-bone, the Historical Short uses its one or two reels of allotted time to examine and shed light on any one of a plethora of terms and incidents from our many faceted past.

WHEN ONE TAKES for consideration the subject of today's review, "the Monroe Doctrine", just what does this actually mean ? Surely everyone has run across this phrase many times, but what was or is it in actuality ? The film provided us with at least a fundamental and beginning explanation.

WE ARE MAGICALLY transported via the medium of film to the White House during the Administration of James Monroe (1817-25). We find that certain European Powers have designs on now what were free and independent republics in the Americas. Spain was named as the number one offender in this matter. It was the decisive and bold move by use of Executive Order, as penned and published by President Monroe that gave notice and fair warning to such would be aggressors. By this measure, the United States recognized the newly independent Latin American Republics of Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Chile and Mexico-declaring that any aggression toward these nations or other newly formed independent states, would constitute an act of war against the USA.

WHILE THESE NEWLY free, independent countries were protected, the caveats did not pertain to any then existing colonies. They could remain dominions of any European power (Spain to be exact), but expansion would not e tolerated.

THE FILM THEN cites examples of various invocations of the Monroe Doctrine down through the years. The most famous application of the policy was probably the situation of the French invasion of Mexico during our Civil War, with Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III) bringing in the Hapsburg Prince, Maximilian, to be Emperor. (Skillfully dramatized in feature film, JUAREZ (Warner Brothers, 1939).

ANOTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEM in the short, THE MONROE DOCTRINE, is the casting of actor Sydney Blackmer as President Theodore Roosevelt. It would seem that Mr. Blackmer was indeed doing a good business in the Teddy impersonations; which seemed to be a most common occurrence in film.

THE REAL VALUE of these historical short dramas is not that they provide such a deep and scholarly view of our history; but rather that they give us what is at least a starting point. We can always follow up our movie going with a trip to the public library.

Hilarious propaganda short defending America's right to defend the rest of the western hemisphere from everyone else. (OK, the right to stop other nations "interfering" in them, with their dastardly foreign "despotism". Glad to see how democratic & liberty-loving the South Americans, especially, became). Sorry, but I'm Canadian. and it's difficult to watch a movie about this without making with the wisecracks. Henry Clay, a slave owner, is is shown eloquently defending democratic rights. Teddy Roosevelt emotes rather violently (the poor actor looks like he's about to pop his clogs) over America's peaceful intentions - and of course, not over his 3 different plans to invade Canada. One of these involved Britain's dispute about Venezuela - but it's interesting how she's never named (just called "a foreign power").

In fact the most interesting aspect of this movie is they way it attacks all European countries EXCEPT Britain. No mention of 1812 or the other disagreements in our history Why? Because it's 1939 folks & the British are now America's most valued allies. In fact they will have to be the ones stopping foreign despotism for nearly 2 years before America got involved. Anyway, the film itself is fast and fun to watch - for different reasons, depending where you come from. And Nanette Fabray & George Reeves make a wonderfully appealing couple whose love transcends national boundaries. Watch it and debate the ideas inside.

Here's a Warner Brothers Technicolor short about the Monroe Doctrine. Why did they think it was a good idea to make a short subject about it at this time?

Well, Warners had been making various historical short subjects for several years at this point, both to show off their skill in the color system and to offer a subject worthy of study. But even more, there was a War going on in Europe and this was a reminder to European powers to not bring their fighting to the New World. That was our balliwick, and we would respond to any overt move against anyplace from Tierra del Fuego on north.

As usual for their color work at this time, great care has been taken to offer excellent costuming, and nice ivory sheen, like aged parchment, is apparent throughout.

A Warner Brothers Short Subject.

THE MONROE DOCTRINE asserts the rights of the Americas to be left alone from all European entanglements.

This little film gives a good look at the reasons behind the Monroe Doctrine and how it was defined by succeeding American governments. It moves briskly and is well acted, especially by Grant Mitchell as John Quincy Adams and Sidney Blackmer as Teddy Roosevelt. Nanette Fabray & George Reeves very briefly portray young lovers caught up in history's flow.

Often overlooked or neglected today, the one and two-reel short subjects were useful to the Studios as important training grounds for new or burgeoning talents, both in front & behind the camera. The dynamics for creating a successful short subject was completely different from that of a feature length film, something akin to writing a topnotch short story rather than a novel. Economical to produce in terms of both budget & schedule and capable of portraying a wide range of material, short subjects were the perfect complement to the Studios' feature films.

Seen today the Monroe Doctrine is a short subject that casts that piece of foreign policy issued in an address to Congress. The new republics of Latin America shook off the increasingly weakening rule of Spain when the country was preoccupied with its own survival during the Napoleonic wars. The powers in Europe not wanting any more of this revolution business wanted to see Spanish rule destroyed, a really mind boggling proposition when you think about it.

One power did not and that was Great Britain. They wanted to open up those new markets in South America to trade and as a sea power that was their living. They wanted to make it joint declaration.

President James Monroe and his Secretary of State and successor John Quincy Adams said thanks but no thanks. Nevertheless in 1823 we could make a bold declaration, but it was the British fleet at that time that gave it some teeth.

Charles Waldron plays Monroe and Grant Mitchell is Adams and we get to see Sidney Blackmer doing his patented Theodore Roosevelt imitation. I really was amused when the Venezuelan boundary dispute is cited and it only says "a foreign power" was trying to take over Venezuela in 1894. The unnamed power was Great Britain, but President Grover Cleveland decided to negotiate this one and cooler heads prevailed in Great Britain as well. No way was Hollywood going to put out anything bad about Great Britain in 1939.

The Monroe Doctrine has been also used to justify intervention in these Latin American republics, the latest being in 1965 when Lyndon Johnson went into the Dominican Republic which was of course after this film was made.

The film is certainly an attempt to give the rosiest possible interpretation of the use of this famous statement of foreign policy.