The Influence of Film
This seminar has examined the way in which film plots and genres have responded to three eras of American history: World War I, The Great Depression and World War II. Yet, while film has managed to change in relation to its historic context and adapt to the shifting tastes of the American public, the question remains whether film itself has the power to shape public opinion.
In Session 2, for example, it was shown that films from the WWI era, such as In the Name of the Prince of Peace, were made to influence how American society viewed war. As World War I began, an increasing number of films were made about the merits of the Allied cause, and finally, films were produced to show how ordinary Americans became part of the war, both at home and at the front.  | | NARA [NWDNS-44-PA-286] | | Film poster for Combat America (1945), narrated and produced by Clark Gable. |
As World War II loomed, a large number of military build-up, anti-Nazi and pro-Allied films were produced. These were followed by numerous films that documented the American experience of the war, from harsh combat in films like Bataan to those that reflected everyday life, such as Since You Went Away. While increases in war-related movie production and genres show the film profession's ability to adapt and respond to current events, one must wonder whether these changing plots and genres were a direct result of the shift in American public opinion toward the war--everyone wanted to know what was happening both abroad and at home, and audiences could easily identify with the subjects of each of these films. Or did these films intend to shape the American public's perception of the war? During the Great Depression, the large number of musicals and comedies released attempted to elevate the public spirit during grave economic times, while at the same time examining social problems to raise awareness of conditions that needed to be changed. The light-hearted subject matter of Shirley Temple films and screwball comedies also attempted to provide viewers with an escape from the financial woes wearing on the country during the early 1930s. These films were considered important for uplifting the nation's mood throughout the Depression, as demonstrated by President Roosevelt's endorsement of Temple's cheerful onscreen presence. Such films clearly sought to shape public sentiment, much in the same way films sought to vilify the "horrible Hun" or the Nazis during World Wars I and II. There have been instances in which the motion picture industry has overtly helped to promote public policy. For example, many films produced in 1934 proudly included the NRA (National Recovery Act) logo and slogan--"We Do Our Part"--just as many films released during World War II displayed an end credits plea to "Buy War Bonds." Sometimes, efforts to shape public opinion have failed. During World War II, for example, two films produced to show the Soviet Union in a better light, Song of Russia and The North Star, were not successful, either popularly or dramatically. More than two decades later, The Green Berets proved popular at the box office, yet did little to sway public opinion about the Vietnam War.Film is considered a highly adaptable medium, because of the way that plots can respond, directly or indirectly, to current events and public sentiments. Whether the motion picture's influence stems from its ability to shape opinion, or simply through its ability to help interpret the world outside the theater is still open to debate. However, film has proven itself as a cultural, historical and artistic record of American history because of the motion picture profession's proven ability to shift to meet new demands from filmgoers, new technologies and new historic events.
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