So we can recognize you and thank you for your support of this great series. Thank you so much. Thank you once again, we extend our gratitude to the late Jerry Rosenblum, in whose memory. We are presenting the program and the hollywood versus history series. Its this uh, its its Jerry Rosenblum whos made this possible by a generous gift his estate tonight, military Historian Brian steed of, the Army Commanding general staff, college we have a special installment of the series its a little broader in scope looking at hollywood filmmaking during World War Two and its role in shaping nations response to and support of the war. Brian will, take a particularly close look at the best years of our lives, a seminal film released a year, the war that successfully departed from the flag waving norm. It earned eight Academy Awards, including oscar for best picture. Brian steed is an professor of military history at the commanded general staff college, where he since 2013 and was honored as a military educator of the year. In 2018, he served as an armor officer in middle east for an area officer in the u. S. Army. He retired from active as a lieutenant colonel. It was brian who actually helped us launch the hollywood versus series in january when he explored the 1975 swashbuckling film the men who would be king. And this is his 10th time that he has spoken at the library, starting back in 2014. So he is one of our stars here at the library. Please join me in welcoming brian steed back to the library library. Okay. So thank and welcome. I love here i love i love talking about movies. Im a fan not just as a thing to do for fun, but as art. So were going to talk about different aspects of film. Its going to be different as was already. Im not going to focus just on one movie, but we are going spend most of our time talking about the best years of our lives. So im going to use a lot of superlatives tonight. I think theyre all warranted. You might take umbrage with few, but thats okay because ill make you think why isnt the best or the greatest or whatever so im okay for you to argue with . Point okay. So were going to talk about world two and movies. So why this film . Well, at the beginning of last school year so back sometime september october, one of my students made the comment in almost a whimsical, even a a wistful of back in World War Two the entire nation was united behind the war effort. And wouldnt it be nice the entire nation was united today and and he said it in such a way that it was like it automatic, like organically wanted support the war effort and that time i told him like, whoa, it wasnt exact organic. Like a lot of that was manufactured. And it was created both by the government and, by hollywood. And its important to recognize that a lot of the country was not necessarily especially before pearl harbor was not support of World War Two or what was happening that we now know as World War Two. And even after the japanese bombed pearl harbor, a lot americans were not in support. The europe first strategy, because the germans bombers. So why are we focused effort on europe and helped shape this and it helps shape how we perceive World War Two even until today so the other part that i to bring up and you can like this one of those areas you could argue when im talking about film by the way im not counting silent film that doesnt count. I know that probably some people out there that will argue point im talking about synchronized sized sound and Motion Picture that film so this is the first war. World war two is the first global war or multi regional war that is fought in the age of film. Thats something to think about in our world today. I want to take back to imagine because i dont think even with all the non brown hair i see out there, i dont think anybody in this was born in an era where there wasnt a talkie okay, everybody here has lived a life where Motion Picture was a thing so i want you to go back to a world where Motion Picture wasnt a thing where you didnt see images and when did when you went to them, you only went one place like. In todays world you can watch movies on the television screen. You can watch movies on your phone right. Or if you dont want to watch a movie, you can play video games. Well talk that competition in todays theres so many different ways to get media but back in war two there was kind of one and it was the Movie Theater or the cinema. If want to be fancy about it. Okay so if we go back, the first synchro guys sound and Motion Picture the jazz singer 1927. Were going to talk Academy Awards a couple of times tonight. So the Academy Awards begin in 1927 and the first best picture winner is a silent picture winner, wings. Its after that that its the next year that the first sound synchrony sound Motion Picture gets best picture. And thats broadway melody. Now, whats interesting is and this is just totally but the first several years of the Academy Awards it was not based off calendar year. So you get this like 1928, 29 stuff in the Early Academy because it wasnt a calendar year system and i cant recall what year we went to it. I want to say it was early 30 spent anyway, eventually they went to the system have now where the Academy Awards are based off of release date in a calendar as opposed to how it was originally. Okay so when we think of big blockbuster movies, a lot of us might think of Avengers Endgame, one of the biggest grossing in american history. Okay. And so when we look at this, this isnt this is who saw and its interesting ticket sales. So these are people sitting in okay. And ticket sales are actually recorded not for the United States. Its recorded for United States and canada. So these population numbers are also states and canada. So as popular as Avengers Endgame was only about quarter of the population saw. That movie. Now we compare that to the next or the previous blockbuster before that, which was titanic and. Its about 44 of america saw and canada when i say america, just think north america, in this case, american canada. But now lets go back to this of the early talkies, right . Snow white and the seven dwarves, one of the biggest movies ever, 72 of america went and saw movie. Now anybody want to guess what the biggest all time ticket selling movie is is . Yes. Gone with the wind. A, 130 of america went to see that movie. Okay. So when were talking about blockbusters like these, dont even compare. But of course, in the gone with the wind age, you had one option, right . Its either theater or the radio. Guess two options, right . But if you want to see somebody moving, its one option. Right. But and today you have a lot. So movies are important. Now, i would argue one of the great est and most influential directors in history is the german film director, Leni Riefenstahl makes two great films. Most of you, even if you havent seen it youve seen it and im going to show you a couple of clips from them triumph of the will, which is the 1934 Nazi Party Congress movie. Well show a clip from that. And olympia, which is the 1936 summer olympic shown. She is so influential because she shapes how the world imagines film to be right. And almost every director copy her. Okay, so when we watch triumph of the will, you will have all seen these images. Some of these images. Look a whole lot like the award in the original star wars movie. You know, when luke and and chewbacca up to get their medals. Right, like. Thats right it is literally taken from their right youre going to see the march of the hyenas from the lion king as hitler. I think it was scar that was standing up on top right in the hyenas march in front of him thats what happens in this film theyre copying Leni Riefenstahls triumph of the will when frank capra, who makes the why we fight series to teach american soldiers. We fight for World War Two when he makes and when he starts in the production of that first film, he first watches triumph of the will for the first time in 1942. And he comes out of that viewing and he says the nazis are going to win this war because of the influence of this movie on public. Public will and how he knew that society would be shaped. He knew this is what he to compete against. Okay. Now, when we talk about not nearly as important in of shaping the war effort, but i think its really important movie for those of you who are sports fans to watch, im a huge track and field. So right now im kind of in heaven because we just had the us track and Field Championships and were about to have that the world track and Field Championships and cinematic Sports Coverage is pioneer ad by Leni Riefenstahl. Of course is the 100 meter. This is actually 100 meter semifinal with jesse owens. Its fascinating. Leni riefenstahl was accused of being a nazi and fought that in court Something Like 32 times and won every case on legal grounds because she never was a nazi, whatever else. And when you watch this movie, her portrayal of jesse owens is quite a positive one. Its like he breaks the world record, by the way. And in the semifinal, not in the final, but anyway. So hollywood is shaping or movies are shaping how people and see the world and now fdr will the same thing. Fdr here is a speech that he has and presented because at the Motion Picture or the academy by the academy of picture arts and sciences. They love watch films. So he gives this little film of himself, and this is whats shown at the 1941 Academy Awards. We have seen the american Motion Picture become famous in all the world. Weve seen it reflect our throughout the rest of the world. The aims and the aspirations and the ideals of a free people and of freedom itself. The Motion Picture industry is utilized its vast resources resources of talent and facilities. The nations effort to help the people, the hemisphere to come to know each other. Dictator those who enforce the total form of government think its a dangerous thing. They are unfortunate people to know. In our democracy, officers of the government are the servants and never the master of the people. So this is expressing the power. Hollywood. About nine months before pearl harbor, but its a little more than a year after the war has begun in europe. So hes addressing an audience that is dealing with war and is being torn about how to present the war to the American People, like the whole industry goes to war. Disney goes to war i wish i could show commando duck. I really toyed with the idea that i absolutely love it. Its fascinating that of all the disney characters that to war its donald who goes most often and and the only other one who actually goes pluto. Okay. And hes a dog, right . Like a legitimate dog. Not like a goofy dog, but a dog dog. But donald is the guy who goes he never joins the navy, which i think is misrepresent authentic himself. Right. Because i always thought he was a sailor, but he joins the air force and he joins the army. And in one, he becomes a special forces guy. Its pretty comedic one. Oc but disney also produces victory through air power, which is major this of air ski does a book titled victory through air power and this is where disney walt himself wants to present day severe skies theory about how air power can win the war fast or roosevelt doesnt watch this movie until churchill demands that he does and he makes roosevelt promise and roosevelt promises or then demands get his own set of the films brought to him. And he watches it. And supposedly, at least according to the disney, its only after roosevelt watches victory through air that he commits to the combined bomber offensive against the nazis in germany. So quite an influential movie the entire is is bankrolled by and distributed by disney. Its actual commercial flop. Okay why we fight disney. All the animation for that series. And then of course do the shorts that appear inbetween and before and after so many movies in theaters, a great series is available on netflix. Im not doing as promotion. I dont get a kickback from netflix. Its called the five came back. Its three part series and it talks about five american film directors, all Academy Award winners who go. And for those you guys, you know the man who would be king that i talked about last time i was here is directed by john houston, one of those five who came back. Were going to spend most of our time, most of the rest of our time talking William Wyler, who is another important on this. But a lot of hollywood actors, significant ones also go and join the effort in a significant and serious way. Like not just, hey, im doing as a liaison to military, but actually fighting, right. And so in the five came back, steven spielberg, whos a producer of the of the series and also a guy who comments throughout it makes this comment. And i think that this is something that was true, that hollywood recognized they needed to show that. So i want to into why. Okay. So lets talk about william. Hes our director of the film tonight. William wyler is actually willy wyler is in his name, isnt william . Its not made william until he comes to hollywood. And then make it longer. Because willy, i guess, was too casual for hollywood, which is kind of funny anyway. So William Wyler is a of french men from alsace, a Little Village in alsace and lorraine coleman, whos hes also jewish. He is sent to hollywood to work for his uncle in the movie industry, the twenties. And then william will become director. Maybe now second superlative of the evening, i think is i think he is hollywoods greatest director. Hes nominated for 12 best director Academy Awards. He wins three every hes the only director in an Academy Award history that every movie he wins for best director also wins for best picture. So hes not just a great director. He also directs great movies, which is something that him important. The other thing hes known for and its said two different ways, hes as 40 take willy hes also known as 90 take william a stick with 40. Take willy because i saw that more often than 90. Take willy. But because he would take after take after take, he was a very, very, very demanding director and that demand he produced just the most number of Academy Award winning actors and actresses in hollywoods okay he has more than any other direct heir that will get nominated and he has more than the next two directors who will win. So not only is a great director. He also great films and he directs great performances. I would also throw out that i think greatest movie ever made is 1959, is benhur, and thats his. Now, this is his joke that it took a to make a really great movie about. Jesus christ. And i actually do think that it is a great about jesus christ. So im with him all the way on that one. Okay. And my my list of his favorites, if you havent seen it, i highly recommend you go out and see big country with gregory peck, not of his Academy Award nominees, but fantastic film, great western. Okay. So. Mrs. Miniver and, the best years of our lives are bookends of William Wylers World War Two war experience. So, mrs. Miniver is the last movie he directs before he goes off to war. Best years our lives is the first movie he directs after he comes back from the war. And its great you can watch them in close proximity to each other because you will get a sense of how his view of war changes between two because William Wyler goes to war, he will film the Memphis Belle, my wife and i. We just had an opportunity two weeks ago, i think we were at the us force museum in dayton, ohio. Highly recommended, fantastic museum. And there they have the Memphis Belle, the b17 that he filmed, and he just jampacked that thing with cameras. And he flew on Bombing Missions with that aircraft. He loses his hearing flying in a b24. I think it is during the war doing similar filming because its just a much louder aircraft. He didnt the proper Hearing Protection he loses his hearing on one flight so he personally suffers as a result of his Wartime Service and and by the way the red font or the people who win the orange font to the people nominated and so this a very successful movie and what we get from mrs. Is the sense of what war the toll takes so he starts making this movie before pearl harbor and. He wants the American People to support the british in their war effort. So were not at war yet. But he wants america to commit to the war and to support the british. So he shows miniver just a regular relative speaking common british housewife wife whos dealing with the challenges of the war some give you some spoilers. This is an 80 year old movie. So at this point i dont feel bad but their house is going to get bombed and pretty much destroyed in the blitz and, the way their family deals with it. Her husband will take