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Post by tufta on Apr 6, 2010 17:14:51 GMT 1
An interesting book, I think I will get one. During World War II, Hollywood studios supported the war effort by making patriotic movies designed to raise the nation's morale. They often portrayed the combatants in very simple terms: Americans and their allies were heroes, and everyone else was a villain. Norway, France, Czechoslovakia, and England were all good because they had been invaded or victimized by Nazi Germany. Poland, however, was represented in a negative light in numerous movies. In Hollywood's War with Poland, 1939-1945, M. B. B. Biskupski draws on a close study of prewar and wartime films such as To Be or Not to Be (1942), In Our Time (1944), and None Shall Escape (1944). He researched memoirs, letters, diaries, and memoranda written by screenwriters, directors, studio heads, and actors to explore the negative portrayal of Poland during World War II. Biskupski also examines the political climate that influenced Hollywood films.www.amazon.com/Hollywoods-Poland-1939-1945-M-B-B-Biskupski/dp/0813125596 |
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Post by valpomike on Apr 6, 2010 18:26:16 GMT 1
Tufta,
I think you are a very smart man, what is your own thinking on this? And why?
Most of this took place before many of us were even born, so I would like your input on this, and I will check into it more.
Mike
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Post by tufta on Apr 7, 2010 7:24:42 GMT 1
Tufta, I think you are a very smart man, what is your own thinking on this? And why? Most of this took place before many of us were even born, so I would like your input on this, and I will check into it more. Mike Valpomike, scroll down the page in the link www.amazon.com/Hollywoods-Poland-1939-1945-M-B-B-Biskupski/dp/0813125596there're some excellent reviews there. You are right the WWII was before most of us where born, and American Poles didn't mean much at that time. But now American Poles are the 5th most succesful economically ethnical group in the USA. But still they are totally insignificant in terms of political. social life, unable to exaggerate any pressure on their country's state of the mind. Exactly opposite is with the American Germans, American Jews etc. What do you think Mike, why is it so? One of direct result of this Polish American insignificance are articles which attribute German Nazi death and concentration camps to Poland. It is usally done out of ignorance, very rarely out of bad intentions. In both cases a great occasion to unite for Polish Americans and to act. www.parade.com/news/2010/04/04-the-last-nazi-hunter.html |
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Post by valpomike on Apr 7, 2010 16:19:34 GMT 1
I think we must keep up our search to find any and all Nazi Germans who were responsible to the death to so many. They must, yet, pay for their actions.
I also, think the truth must be searched out, and told to all.
Mike
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Post by Bonobo on Apr 11, 2010 14:33:58 GMT 1
An interesting book, I think I will get one. During World War II, Hollywood studios supported the war effort by making patriotic movies designed to raise the nation's morale. They often portrayed the combatants in very simple terms: Americans and their allies were heroes, and everyone else was a villain. Norway, France, Czechoslovakia, and England were all good because they had been invaded or victimized by Nazi Germany. Poland, however, was represented in a negative light in numerous movies. In Hollywood's War with Poland, 1939-1945, M. B. B. Biskupski draws on a close study of prewar and wartime films such as To Be or Not to Be (1942), In Our Time (1944), and None Shall Escape (1944). He researched memoirs, letters, diaries, and memoranda written by screenwriters, directors, studio heads, and actors to explore the negative portrayal of Poland during World War II. Biskupski also examines the political climate that influenced Hollywood films.www.amazon.com/Hollywoods-Poland-1939-1945-M-B-B-Biskupski/dp/0813125596That is strange. I thought in the film To Be or Not To Be Poles are portrayed as patriots who cleverly oppose the Nazi occupation. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Be_or_Not_to_Be_%281942_film%29 |
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Post by tufta on Apr 11, 2010 17:53:19 GMT 1
I think threre're some hints about possible controversy in the 'Reception' section of the Wiki link.
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Post by Bonobo on Apr 11, 2010 22:19:44 GMT 1
I think threre're some hints about possible controversy in the 'Reception' section of the Wiki link. But it doesn`t concern the negative portrayal of occupied Poland. It`s is quite the opposite. The portrayal is warm and positive. I remember I watched the remake of the film made by Mel Brooks in 1983, it was shown on Polish state TV in communist times. I am sure they wouldn`t have shown it if there was sth against Poland in it. That is why I read your initial post with a bit of surprise.
Reception
To Be or Not To Be, now regarded as one of the best films of Lubitsch's, Benny's and Lombard's careers, was initially not generally welcomed by the public, many of whom could not accept the notion of making fun out of such a real threat as the Nazis. It was said that, during the premiere, Benny's own father walked out of the theater early in the film, disgusted that his son was in a Nazi uniform, and vowed not to set foot in the theater again. Benny convinced him otherwise and his father ended up loving the film.
The same could not be said for the critics, however. While they generally praised Lombard, many scorned Benny and Lubitsch. To one critic Lubitsch wrote, "What I have satirized in this picture are the Nazis and their ridiculous ideology. I have also satirized the attitude of actors who always remain actors regardless of how dangerous the situation might be, which I believe is a true observation. It can be argued if the tragedy of Poland realistically portrayed as in To Be or Not to Be can be merged with satire. I believe it can be and so do the audience which I observed during a screening of To Be or Not to Be; but this is a matter of debate and everyone is entitled to his point of view, but it is certainly a far cry from the Berlin-born director who finds fun in the bombing of Warsaw," (Courtesy TCM). The critic Mildred Martin reviewed another of Lubitsch's films and referred derogatively to his German birth and his comedy about Nazis in Poland.
The critics were especially offended by Colonel Earhardt's line: "Oh, yes I saw him [Tura] in 'Hamlet' once. What he did to Shakespeare we are now doing to Poland." However, the film has since become a comedy classic. |
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