Army-Navy Screen Magazine #17 is a short, black-and-white film produced for servicemen circa 1943. “Fighting French” (mark 00:30) looks at men of the French armed forces and shows us the French battleship Richelieu in New York Harbor after undergoing refitting in New York Navy Yard and returning to battle. Troops from Martinique are shown training in the United States at mark 02:30 and members of a French Air Force squadron attend an aerial gunnery school in Florida (mar 03:50). “Battle for Rubber” (mark 05:44) focuses on how rubber production was impacted during the war after the Japanese seized plantations in the Far East and Allies were forced to create syntheticc rubber (mark 06:30). “Bluejacket Holiday” (mark 09:22) reminds us of how the war impacted families especially at Christmas. Yet we learn how crewman aboard the USS North Carolina took up a collection and sent the money to Macy’s in New York City with instructions that the money be used to purchase gifts for 729 children of servicemen (mark 10:25). Each present included a gift card that read “Merry Christmas from your Dad and his shipmates in the USS North Carolina.” At mark 12:47 we see some of the families gathering for a holiday meal as they receive their gifts and talk about their loved ones. Mark 14:50 offered servicemen a visit from “Private Snafu” and the importance of ignoring rumors.
Rumors is part of the Private Snafu series of animated shorts produced by Warner Bros. during World War II. Released in 1943, the cartoon was directed by Friz Freleng. Plot: Private Snafu and his buddies begin talking about a recent bombing, but the story grows more exaggerated with each passing turn. Eventually, a panic breaks out on his base that a bombing is imminent. In the end, nothing happens, but the base is quarantined and Snafu is locked up.
Private Snafu is the title character of a series of black-and-white American instructional cartoon shorts, ironic and humorous in tone, that were produced between 1943 and 1945 during World War II. The films were designed to instruct service personnel about security, proper sanitation habits, booby traps and other military subjects, and to improve troop morale.
The series was directed by Chuck Jones and other prominent Hollywood animators, and the voice of Private Snafu was performed by Mel Blanc.
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