Victory Through Air Power (film)

Last updated
Victory Through Air Power
Victory Through Air Power poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by
Animated sequences:
James Algar
Clyde Geronimi
Jack Kinney
de Seversky scenes:
H.C. Potter
Written byStory direction:
Perce Pearce
Story adaptation:
T. Hee
Erdman Penner
Bill Cottrell
James Brodero
George Stallings
Jose Rodriguez
Based on Victory Through Air Power by Maj. Alexander P. Seversky
Produced by Walt Disney
Starring Alexander de Seversky
Narrated by Art Baker
Cinematography Ray Rennahan
Edited by Jack Dennis
Music by Edward H. Plumb
Paul J. Smith
Oliver Wallace
Production
company
Distributed by United Artists
Release date
  • July 17, 1943 (1943-07-17)
Running time
65 min
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$788,000
Box office$799,000

Victory Through Air Power is an American adult animated documentary propaganda film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists on July 17, 1943. It is based on the 1942 book Victory Through Air Power by Alexander P. de Seversky. De Seversky appeared in the film, an unusual departure from the Disney animated feature films of the time. [1]

Contents

Edward H. Plumb, Paul J. Smith and Oliver Wallace were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Music Score of a Dramatic or Comedy Picture.

Production

Walt Disney read Victory through Air Power and felt that its message was so important that he personally financed the animated production of the book. [2] The film was primarily created to express Seversky's theories to government officials and the public. Film critic Richard Schickel says that Disney "pushed the film out in a hurry, even setting aside his distrust of limited animation under the impulses of urgency" (the only obvious use of limited animation, however, is in diagrammatic illustrations of Seversky's talking points; these illustrations featured continuous flowing streams of iconic aircraft, forming bridges or shields, and munitions flowing along assembly lines). It was not until 1945 Disney was able to pay off his $1.2 million ($17m 2021) war film deficit. After Disney's main distributor at the time RKO Radio Pictures refused to release the film in theaters, Walt decided to have United Artists (the distributor of many of his shorts between 1932 and 1937) release it instead, making it the first and only Disney animated feature to be released by a different film studio other than RKO or Walt Disney Studios.

Reception

On July 11, 1943, the New York Times devoted a half page, "Victory from the Air", to a feature consisting of pictures of scenes from the film with short captions. This was possibly the first time that such skilled use of visual description had been placed at the service of an abstract political argument.

It is one thing to hear someone say that against modern bombers, 'bristling with armament ... small single-seater fighters will find themselves helpless, for their guns are not maneuverable—they are fixed and can only fire forward'. It is quite another to have this accompanied by vivid animations of swastika-tailed fighters jockeying for position and being shot down by beam-like animated blasts of fire from a bomber whose guns are "always in firing position".

Schickel quotes film critic James Agee as hoping that:

Major de Seversky and Walt Disney know what they are talking about, for I suspect that an awful lot of people who see Victory Through Air Power are going to think they do ... I had the feeling I was sold something under pretty high pressure, which I don't enjoy, and I am staggered at the ease with which such self-confidence, on matters of such importance, can be blared all over the nation, without cross-questioning.

Thesis and impact

A still from Victory Through Air Power, showing a rocket-bomb destroying a Nazi German U-boat pen. Victory Through Air Power still2.png
A still from Victory Through Air Power, showing a rocket–bomb destroying a Nazi German U-boat pen.

On December 8, 1941, Disney studios were essentially converted into a propaganda machine for the United States government. While most World War II films were created for training purposes, films such as Victory Through Air Power were created to catch the attention of government officials and to build public morale among the U.S. and Allied powers. [3] Among the notables who decided after seeing the film that Seversky and Disney knew what they were talking about were Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt. [4]

Trailer for the film

The Disney studio sent a print for them to view when they were attending the Quebec Conference. According to Leonard Maltin, "it changed FDR's way of thinking—he agreed that Seversky was right". Maltin also adds that "it was only after Roosevelt saw 'Victory Through Air Power' that our country made the commitment to long-range bombing", although that is incorrect as the Allied Combined Bomber Offensive had already begun on June 10, 1943, two months before Roosevelt saw the film. [5] Roosevelt recognized that film was an effective way to teach and Disney could provide Washington with high quality information. The American people were becoming united and Disney was able to inform them of the situation without presenting excessive chaos, as cartoons often do. The animation was popular among soldiers and was superior to other documentary films and written instructions at the time. [6]

The film played a significant role for the Disney Corporation because it was the true beginning of educational films. [3] The educational films would be, and still are, continually produced and used for the military, schools, and factory instruction. The company learned how to effectively communicate their ideas and efficiently produce the films while introducing the Disney characters to millions of people worldwide. Throughout the rest of the war, Disney characters effectively acted as ambassadors to the world. In addition to Victory Through Air Power, Disney produced Donald Gets Drafted , Education for Death , Der Fuehrer's Face , and various training films for the military, reusing animation from Victory Through Air Power in some of them. [7]

One scene showed a fictional rocket bomb destroying a fortified German submarine pen. According to anecdote, this directly inspired the British to develop a real rocket bomb to attack targets that were heavily protected with thick concrete. Due to its origin, the weapon became known as the Disney bomb, and saw limited use as a bunker buster before the war ended. [Note 1] [8]

It also depicted the development of powerful ground-penetrating subterranean bombs which might trigger a seismic event to disable enemy factories, but in the event it was the above-ground atomic bomb that emerged to end the Pacific War. In retrospect, some of Seversky's proposals were derided as impractical, such as operating a major long-range air bombardment campaign from the Aleutians, a series of islands reaching westward from Alaska, which is a remote area with a highly volatile climate that makes for dangerous flying conditions. [9]

Home media

After its release and re-release in 1943 and 1944, there was no theatrical release for 60 years, perhaps because it was seen as propaganda, or perhaps because it was deemed offensive to Germans and Japanese. [10] It was, however, available in 16 mm prints and occasionally screened in film history retrospectives. Additionally, the introductory "history-of-aviation" scene was excerpted in various episodes of the Disney anthology series on TV. [11] In 2004, the film was released on DVD as part of the Walt Disney Treasures collection Walt Disney on the Front Lines . After the war, Disney's characters, especially Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck, were enthusiastically received in Japan and Germany, where they remain immensely popular today. [12]

As of 2024, Victory Through Air Power remains one of the very few Disney films not available through streaming via Disney+.

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Alice Comedies</i> Film series by Walt Disney in the 1920s

The Alice Comedies are a series of live-action animated shorts created by Walt Disney in the 1920s, in which a live action little girl named Alice and an animated cat named Julius have adventures in an animated landscape. The shorts were the first work by what ultimately became The Walt Disney Company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander de Seversky</span> Russian-American aviation pioneer

Alexander Nikolaievich Prokofiev de Seversky was a Russian-American aviation pioneer, inventor, and influential advocate of strategic air power.

<i>Victory Through Air Power</i> Book by Alexander P. de Seversky

Victory Through Air Power is a 1942 non-fiction book by Alexander P. de Seversky. It was made into a 1943 Walt Disney animated feature film of the same name.

<i>The Skeleton Dance</i> 1929 film

The Skeleton Dance is a 1929 Silly Symphony animated short subject with a comedy horror theme. It was produced and directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks. In the film, four human skeletons dance and make music around a spooky graveyard—a modern film example of medieval European "danse macabre" imagery. It is the first entry in the Silly Symphony series. In 1993, to coincide with the opening of Mickey's Toontown in Disneyland, a shortened cover of the cartoon's music was arranged to be featured in the land's background ambiance. The short's copyright was renewed in 1957, and as a published work from 1929 it will enter the US public domain on January 1, 2025.

<i>Walt Disney Treasures</i> Limited Edition 2-disc DVD Collection

Walt Disney Treasures is a series of two-disc DVD collections of Disney cartoons, television episodes and other material. They cover material from the studio's earliest days to its more recent work. There were nine waves, each containing two to four sets, for a total of 30 titles. All content is presented uncensored and uncut with digitally restored picture and remastered sound.

<i>The Spirit of 43</i> 1943 Donald Duck cartoon

The Spirit of '43 is an American animated World War II propaganda film created by Walt Disney Studios and released in January 1943. The film stars Donald Duck and features writer/designer Carl Barks' prototype for the character Scrooge McDuck. It is a sequel to The New Spirit. The purpose of the film is to encourage patriotic Americans to file and pay their income taxes faithfully in order to help the war effort. The repeated theme in the film is "taxes to defeat the Axis".

<i>7 Wise Dwarfs</i> 1941 Canadian film

7 Wise Dwarfs is a 1941 four-minute educational short animated film made by the Walt Disney Studios for Walt Disney Productions, for the National Film Board of Canada. The film was released theatrically on December 12, 1941, as part of a series of four films directed at the Canadian public to learn about war bonds during the Second World War. 7 Wise Dwarfs was directed by Richard Lyford and featured the voice talent of Pinto Colvig as "Doc".

<i>The Reluctant Dragon</i> (1941 film) 1941 Disney film directed by Alfred L. Werker and Hamilton Luske

The Reluctant Dragon is a 1941 American live-action/animated anthology comedy film produced by Walt Disney, directed by Alfred Werker, and released by RKO Radio Pictures on June 27, 1941. Essentially a tour of the then-new Walt Disney Studios facility in Burbank, California, the film stars Algonquin Round Table member, film actor, writer and comedian Robert Benchley and many Disney staffers such as Ward Kimball, Fred Moore, Norman Ferguson, Clarence Nash, and Walt Disney, all as themselves.

The second wave of Walt Disney Treasures was released December 3, 2002. This was the final wave with the tin's individual number embossed on the tin.

The third wave of Walt Disney Treasures was released on May 18, 2004. It was originally planned to be released in December 2003, but was delayed for almost half a year in order to meet an increased demand with a higher number of tins produced. This wave was the first to have a certificate of authenticity with the individual number of the tin on it, replacing the number embossed on the tin. This was the final wave released with side straps.

Between 1941 and 1945, during World War II, Walt Disney and his company were involved in the production of anti-Nazi propaganda films for the U.S. government. The widespread familiarity of Disney's productions benefited the U.S. government in producing pro-American war propaganda in an effort to increase support for the war.

The Grasshopper and the Ants is a 1934 American animated short film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by United Artists. Part of the Silly Symphonies series, the film is an adaptation of The Ant and the Grasshopper, one of Aesop's Fables. It was directed by Wilfred Jackson and stars Pinto Colvig as the voice of the grasshopper Hop.

<i>Wynken, Blynken and Nod</i> (film) 1938 American film

Wynken, Blynken & Nod is a 1938 Silly Symphonies cartoon, adapted from Eugene Field's poem of the same name. Like other Symphonies at the time, it utilized the multiplane camera. It was directed by Graham Heid, produced by Walt Disney Productions, and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures. The three children bore similarities to Michael Darling in the 1953 Disney feature film, Peter Pan.

World War II changed the possibilities for animation. Prior to the war, animation was mostly seen as a form of family entertainment. The attack on Pearl Harbor was a turning point in its utility. On December 8, 1941, the United States Army began working with Walt Disney at his studio, stationing Military personnel there for the duration of the war. The Army and Disney set about making various types of films for several different audiences. Most films meant for the public included some type of propaganda, while films for the troops included training and education about a given topic.

Reason and Emotion is a propaganda short film by Walt Disney Productions, released on August 28, 1943, by RKO Radio Pictures. It was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film in the same year. The short film is eight minutes long.

<i>Stop That Tank!</i> 1942 Canadian film

Stop That Tank! is a 22-minute 1942 instructional film created during World War II by Walt Disney Productions for the Directorate of Military Training, The Department of National Defence and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). Its purpose, akin to "edutainment", was to instruct Canadian soldiers in the handling and care of the Boys Mk.1 Anti-tank rifle for use in combat against Nazi tanks. The film presented information in an entertaining manner as well as providing an anti-Nazi propaganda message.

<i>The Thrifty Pig</i> 1941 film by Ford Beebe

The Thrifty Pig is a four-minute educational short animated film made by Walt Disney Studios for the National Film Board of Canada. A World War II propaganda film, it was released theatrically on November 19, 1941, as part of a series of four films directed at the Canadian public to learn about war bonds. The Thrifty Pig was directed by Ford Beebe. It is also a remake of the 1933 film of the same name.

<i>All Together</i> (1942 film) 1942 Donald Duck cartoon

All Together is a three-minute educational short animated film made by the Walt Disney Studios, for the National Film Board of Canada. The film was released theatrically on January 13, 1942 as part of a series of four films directed at the Canadian public to buy war bonds during the Second World War.

<i>Donalds Decision</i> 1942 Donald Duck cartoon

Donald's Decision is a four-minute educational short animated film made by the Walt Disney Studios, for the National Film Board of Canada. The film was released theatrically on January 11, 1942 as part of a series of four films directed at the Canadian public to buy war bonds during the Second World War.

Events in 1894 in animation.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ The development of a rocket bomb was discussed in the chapter entitled, "The Disney Bomb Project" in 92nd Bomb Group (H): Fame's Favored Few by Pat Spillman (1997). [8]

Citations

  1. ↑ Markstein, Don. "Victory Through Air Power", toonopedia.com, Don Markstein's Toonopedia. Retrieved: May 12, 2009.
  2. ↑ Gabler 2006, p. 390.
  3. 1 2 "Disney goes to war", Archived 2021-04-27 at the Wayback Machine skylighters.org. Retrieved: September 16, 2011.
  4. ↑ Gooch 1995, p. 16.
  5. ↑ Maltin, Leonard. "Introduction to Victory Through Air Power". Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines, [Collector's Tin], Dir. Walt Disney, 1941–44, DVD, Disney, 2004, Time code: 03:46–04:12.
  6. ↑ Combs 1984, p. 35.
  7. ↑ "Walt Disney Goes to War". Life magazine, August 1942, pp. 61–69.
  8. 1 2 Spillman 1997, p. 75.
  9. ↑ Tillman 2010, p. 23.
  10. ↑ "Walt Disney on the Front Lines DVD Review", UltimateDisney.Com, May 8, 2004. Retrieved: October 29, 2006.
  11. ↑ Erickson, Glenn (May 10, 2004). "Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines". www.dvdtalk.com. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  12. ↑ Patton, Phil. "Dr. Strangelove's Children". American Heritage, November 1998, p. 92.

Bibliography

  • Artz, Lee. "The Righteousness of Self-Centered Royals: the World According to Disney Animation". Critical Arts 18 (2004): 116–31. Literature Resource Center, October 30, 2006.
  • Combs, James. Film Propaganda and American Politics: Analysis and Filmography. New York: Garland Publishing, 1994. ISBN   0-8153-1322-5.
  • Delehanty, Thorton. "The Disney Studio At War". Theatre Arts: the International Magazine of Theatre and Screen, January 1943, pp. 31–39.
  • Gabler, Neal. Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination . New York: Vantage Books, 2006. ISBN   978-0-679-75747-4.
  • Gooch, John, ed. Airpower: Theory and Practice (Strategic Studies Series). London: Frank Cass and Co. Ltd., 1995. ISBN   978-0-7146-4657-2.
  • Grant, Joe. "A Conversation with Joe Grant" in Victory Through Air Power in Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines, [Collector's Tin], Dir. Walt Disney, 1941–44, DVD, Disney, 2004.
  • Hagen, Sheila. "Wartime Animation Exhibit: Panel Discussion on 'Victory Through Air Power'", Mouse Planet, November 6, 2003. Retrieved: 19 August 2010.
  • Hench, John. "A Conversation with John Hench" in Victory Through Air Power in Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines, [Collector's Tin], Dir. Walt Disney, 1941–44, DVD, Disney, 2004.
  • Lesjak, David. "When Disney Went to War". World War II 20, 2005, pp. 22–56. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Augustana Tredway Library, October 30, 2006.
  • Ross, Sherwood. "How the United States Reversed Its Policy on Bombing Civilians". The Humanist 65, 2005. Retrieved: November 2, 2006.
  • Schickel, Richard. The Disney Version. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968.
  • Spillman, Pat. 92nd Bomb Group (H): Fame's Favored Few. New York: Turner Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN   978-1-56311-241-6.
  • Tillman, Barrett. Whirlwind: The Air War Against Japan 1942-1945. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2010. ISBN   978-1-4165-8440-7.
  • Victory Through Air Power in Walt Disney Treasures: On the Front Lines, [Collector's Tin]. Disney Studios: Dir. Walt Disney, 1941–44, DVD, 2004.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.