Author describes movies' role during nation's wars

Hollywood played a significant role during World War II, helping America form strong opinions about the enemy, encouraging unity within her own shores and building a solid support for the military.

Dr. Randy Roberts, a professor at Purdue University, said Hollywood's role continues, and he used clips from films to illustrate that point Wednesday evening in "Re-viewing World War II: Stories and Images from The Great War."

Roberts' presentation was the second annual Veryl L. Riddle Distinguished History Lecture held on the Southeast Missouri State University campus.

Southeast's Dr. Frank Nickell described Roberts' publication record as "one of the most amazing and diverse of any American historian working today." Author of 24 books, his subjects include World War II, Vietnam, sports figures and Hollywood figures.

In the audience of about 75 were Riddle, who is a World War II veteran, and Riddle's wife, Jan.

Roberts said many Americans get their most vivid images of history from films.

To help illustrate, he asked, "How many have seen 'Saving Private Ryan?'" When most in the room raised their hands, he asked, "How many have read a book by Steven Ambrose?" More than half the hands dropped.

When World War II broke out, "no one reacted faster than the entertainment industry," Roberts said. Tin Pan Alley soon had songs with lyrics like "we're going to find the fella who is yella and beat him red white and blue."

Some films were re-edited and rereleased to reflect wartime unity.

Frank Capra's "Lost Horizon," which began with a pacifist statement, was rereleased with added specific, hostile references to Japan.

And the U.S. government was happy to use films as a tool to reach the American public.

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt created the Bureau of Motion Pictures, and movie-making became a war-deferred industry. His theory was that actors could be more useful on the homefront, Roberts said.

One man who chose that deferment was John Wayne.

Movies during wartime have a tendency to show America in the best possible light: as a unified country with no class, racial or social barriers.

abuchanan@semissourian.com

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