Created by Calvin Productions in 1956 and directed by Robert Altman, “The Magic Bond” was commissioned by the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a promotional movie. Made at a time when generational shifts were beginning to threaten “traditional values”, the film challenges apathy and neglect. “Magic Bond” features actors Joe Adelman, Owen Bush, Kermit Echols, James Lantz and Keith Painton as soldiers in WWII.
The film presents the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a fraternal and social organization, with emphasis on their projects that benefit community life and cohesion. The movie begins with a wonderful, Altman signature type scene where a group of soldiers (with typical overlapping dialogue and tough, realistic script) discuss their brotherhood together as warriors. The film then shifts to a more presentational storyline, with war correspondents and a narrator promoting the Veterans of Foreign Wars. The focus of the VFW is to promote American values and comradeship, and help veterans, fight apathy, juvenile delinquency, and smugness. The group’s various community events (including marbles tournaments), voter registration and information campaign, assistance for disabled vets, and patriotic memorial events are shown.
Robert Altman made this film at the start of his career, while making industrial films in Kansas City. It is no surprise to find Altman making a film like this one, since in1943 Altman joined the United States Army Air Forces at the age of 18. During World War II, Altman flew more than 50 bombing missions as a crewman on a B-24 Liberator with the 307th Bomb Group in Borneo and the Dutch East Indies.
Having enjoyed a little success in Los Angeles and New York City as a writer after the war, in 1949 Altman returned to his hoem town of Kansas City, where he accepted a job as a director and writer of industrial films for the Calvin Company. Altman directed some 65 industrial films and documentaries before being hired by a local businessman in 1956 to write and direct a feature film in Kansas City on juvenile delinquency. The film, titled The Delinquents, made for $60,000, was purchased by United Artists for $150,000, and released in 1957. His career was launched from that moment.
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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, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
