Filmed during the World War II election season of 1944, This Historic footage does a brilliant job of walking viewers through the structure of the federal government and the election process. Important moments like the conventions, presentations to the public, public debate and of course voting are all explored. The footage focuses mainly on the process only noting details of the Roosevelt win almost in passing, but the excitement of his supporters is vividly captured. A must watch for any news, history or policy lover.
Election Film
Produced by the United States Office of War Information
2:43 Election Oath is said
3:52 The milkman voting with a stamp on sheet in the voting booth
4:13 The Constitution, breaks down vintage animation that explains the three separate branches of government and their responsibilities, starting with a detailed review of the executive branch. This is followed by congress and it’s two houses We examine the Senate and then the House of Representatives. The Supreme Court is introduced as a final check on the balance of power on the other two branches.
9:35 It’s voting day all over America and we see lines of crowds casting their ballots, including the presidential candidates.
10:26 Absentee ballots are shown in the home and in military zones overseas
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Produced in 1945 for the Office of War Information, TUESDAY IN NOVEMBER shows the World War II election season of 1944 and the November 7th poll as it occurred in Riverton, California. Intended for both American and foreign audiences alike, the film walks viewers through the structure of the American federal government and the election process. Important moments like the conventions, presentations to the public, public debate and of course voting are all explored. The footage focuses mainly on the process only noting details of the Roosevelt win almost in passing, but the excitement of his supporters is vividly captured. A must watch for any news, history or policy lover.
Election Film
Produced by the United States Office of War Information
2:43 Election Oath is said
3:52 The milkman voting with a stamp on sheet in the voting booth
4:13 The Constitution, breaks down vintage animation that explains the three separate branches of government and their responsibilities, starting with a detailed review of the executive branch. This is followed by congress and it’s two houses We examine the Senate and then the House of Representatives. The Supreme Court is introduced as a final check on the balance of power on the other two branches.
9:35 It’s voting day all over America and we see lines of crowds casting their ballots, including the presidential candidates.
10:26 Absentee ballots are shown in the home and in military zones overseas
The Wikipedia describes the film this way:
Tuesday in November was a propaganda short about the 1944 United States presidential election produced by the Office of War information for overseas distribution. It is meant to explain how the democratic process in America works.
The film begins with a small town schoolteacher who takes the day off to supervise the local election committee with representatives of the two major parties. Their first visitor is the local milkman. The camera stops at the booth curtains, because every election in America is secret, but then takes an “imaginary” look about what goes on inside the voting booth.
The film then follows standard civics book descriptions of the three branches of government, checks and balances, and the political parties. The narrator notes two previous war time elections, 1864 and 1916, and the vigorous debate over important issues that has gone on in the country for this contest.
Tuesday in November is a film in simple language made primarily for overseas audiences, many of whom did not enjoy the right to elect their own governments. It dramatizes both the participation of citizens in the electoral process and the 1944 campaign for the Presidency, linking these two threads into a quasi-religious quest characterized by unchallenged belief, ritualistic behavior and culminating in a mass announcement before a large crowd. The simplicity expressed in the understated narration and many of the images was a conscious choice dictated by the non-English-speaking intended audience, but for us now underscores the film’s stature as a morality play.
This film shows the same mythical, small-town America that Norman Rockwell portrayed on the covers of the Saturday Evening Post. The domestic upheaval of the Depression and the war obviously led to a lot of nostalgia for a past that never was, even on the part of the otherwise sophisticated director John Houseman. The cities, where elections were messier and more problematic, get shorter shrift in this film. Still, it’s interesting to note that Election Day was a holiday then. Too bad that’s not the case now. And too bad there aren’t more fair-minded people like Mrs. Dawson around to make sure each vote is counted. A fascinating bit of ephemera.
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example like: “01:00:12:00 — President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.”
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
