War Film 50, an industrial incentive movie titled “Yankee Noodle” shows how and what the ‘American Noodle’ has been able to create in wartime and in peace. The first innovative example is a washing machine (1:37) crafted from old wheels, hacksaws, nuts, bolts and improvised tools that could be used anywhere. Next, we see an old grappling hook, ropes and grenade launcher being used to blow mines (1:53). Another example is how a parachute was used to help land a plane with only one wing safely (5:00). The confiscated footage follows (5:47) and the narrator informs it shows how the Japanese soldier was born and why the American worker “must keep making until the Jap empire is brought to it’s knees.” These pictures are from five years before the bombing of Pearl Harbor (6:13).Training begins at the Japanese equivalent to West Point (6:29), which can hold about 2,000 students. At age 14, the healthiest are chosen and of the many that will take exams perhaps one will be selected and move to a junior military academy (6:38). After two summers, they move into the final phase and the C.O. is pictured welcoming those who made it (6:57). They will work 17 hour days, seven days a week beginning at dawn and including practical excersizes (7:35) jiu jitsu (7:46) and in the classrooms will learn chemistry, trigonometry, history and languages including German, English and Russian (8:33). Eventually, students will specialize into fields such as the Calvary, armoured forces, engineering, artillery or to join the Imperial Air Force (9:46). After graduation ceremonies (10:18) they will spend 8 months in the ranks before becoming a lieutenant.
“What’s your name?” is the next segment from the Combat Film Unit (11:32). Here the focus is on the infantry men of the American Army (11:57). Included in their 17 weapons are grenades, machine guns, mortars, bazookas, a multitude of knives and more (12:42).
We see some of the infantry men wading in water from landing craft (13:23) and others coming in behind enemy lines on glider planes (13:23). The narrator informs us of the importance of each of these nameless men as if one falters, another may die (14:30).
Upon receiving these films, caption sheets (15:58) are also delivered describing who, when and where; yet for the footage of these men, the sheets will only refer to them as foot soldiers (16:12). This is due to there being so many soldiers and so little time to catch names in between flying bullets (16:37). The film is ending with the comparison of the infantry men and the workers at home; the identities lost among lines of workers and soldiers (19:03). We see the gravesite of an unknown soldier (20:39) and the question “Are you doing your share to build this movement of production?” (20:39) is posed before the ending screen (20:59) reading “The End” and “War film #50”.
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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
