I Am an American

Just watched this propaganda short on the Hollywood Canteen DVD. This one tells the fictional story of the Kanowskis, a family whose parents came to this country from the Polish-Ukraine. The father fights in the Civil War and loses an arm though he bears no ill will since he proudly served his country. And so when the Spanish-American War came, he summoned his grandsons to help fight which they gladly did. And then one of his sons continue the summoning after his father dies...The narrator points out that the immigrants that are presented here could have been any others from various countries looking for a new land to call their own and become what the title above says. He also says that the second generation became native Americans while the group we now call that-what he referred to as Indians-were originally from Asia. Later on, we see Dennis Morgan do a speech continuing the short's point that not all Americans were named Smith, Jones, or Brown but were also many other surnames that he admits aren't easily pronounceable. So obviously, this short was meant to tell immigrants to feel proud of their adopted country. And it's pretty heartfelt seeing how tolerant this country at the time was to different nationalities and cultures though one pauses when one realizes that segregation of African-Americans and Caucasians was legal then as well...

"For countless centuries, it waited for a people to call it their own." Fortunately, White people found only Indians here, starting with Leif Ericson.

Oh, dear. Well, that's just an indication of how people thought in 1944, when this one-reel movie was made. Once that's over, it tells the story of two emigrants from the Ukraine. My ancestors came from that area of the world: Poland and Lithuania and Rumania and even Silesia. And you know what? They came, thinking they would like to be Americans, away from European tyrants. And while this country is far from perfect, it was and is a lot better than where they came from. And, like the family of the two emigrants from the Ukraine in this movie, I remain grateful.

Propaganda was sometimes pretty heavy-handed during the WWII years and "I Am An American" demonstrates this point to perfection.

It's about as flag waving as you can get, but taken in the context of those war years, it's understandable that every major studio in Hollywood was coming up with films of this ilk.

It also happens to be a sketchy history lesson, encompassing so much of America's history in fleeting montages devoted to the discovery and building of a great country, peopled by all nationalities. It's obviously a "united we stand, divided we fall" kind of philosophy that sets the tone for the film.

DENNIS MORGAN is pictured at a morale boosting rally to sell war bonds and delivers a very patriotic speech in professional fashion.

Obviously, this was intended as Warner's salute to Americans during the height of WWII. It follows the history of a Polish family and its contributions to the war effort through the sacrificing of many young men to fight various wars.

I Am an American (1944)

*** (out of 4)

Propaganda piece is certainly flag-waiving but you have to consider that it was made during WW2. The film tells the story of two Polish immigrants who come to America and end up walking to Ohio where they start their family. The husband eventually loses an arm in the Civil War and every future war the family sends men off to fight for the land they love. This leads up to WW2 where more men must go and fight. This is certainly a very entertaining and uplifting film but I must throw in a nitpick because the movies main goal is to discuss how immigrants and great people come from all over the world yet the movie then overlooks blacks in this country who of course would have to deal with all sorts of negativity for the next few decades. For the film to preach yet leave out a group says quite a bit. With that said, this is a very good movie that certainly makes you feel patriotic, which was the entire point. Danny Kaye, Humphrey Bogart, Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan and Knute Rockne are all seen in the film as well.

Entertaining patriotic short film that follows the story of a family of immigrants from the time they arrive in the 1840s to the present day (1944). Unlike the other reviews I don't have any backhanded compliments to pay this short. Nor do I intend to use the word propaganda as a bludgeon against it for daring to be patriotic. Gasp! The horror of loving one's country! What were these primitives thinking back then? Didn't they know that for every good thing you say about the United States, you have to say two bad things as well? Anyway, it's a nice dramatic short with a positive message about the role immigrants played in shaping America. My favorite part occurred when the narrator was listing all the various noteworthy descendants of this family. He gets to one fat guy sleeping under a tree with his dog lying on his stomach. The narration goes: "There was one who never amounted to anything at all. But his dog loved him til the day he died. So he couldn't have been all bad." I love stuff like that. Also has some cameos from movie stars like Humphrey Bogart and Dennis Morgan.