The Rear Gunner (1943)

User Rating:

5.4/10   

Director:

Ray Enright

Writer:

Edwin Gilbert (writer)

Release Date:

10 April 1943 (USA)

Genre:

Short | Drama | War

Plot:

Documentary-style drama on training of aerial rear gunners in World War II. Private PeeWee Williams...

Plot Keywords:

WWII | Propaganda | Aerial Gunner | Machine Gunner | Military Training

Cast

Burgess Meredith	...	Pvt. L.A. Pee Wee Williams
Ronald Reagan	...	Lt. Ames
Tom Neal	...	Instructor Sergeant
Dane Clark	...	Benny (as Bernard Zanville)
Jonathan Hale	...	Commanding Officer
Knox Manning	...	Narrator (voice)

Also Known As:

Broadway Brevities: The Rear Gunner (USA) (series title)

Runtime:

26 min | USA:20 min (shortened version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Company:

U.S. Army Air Forces

Trivia:

Vitaphone production reel #A1111

Movie Connections:

Featured in Warner at War (2008) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Army Air Corps Song

Great example of how Hollywood helped to win the war

Following Pearl Harbor, Hollywood rushed to turn out films that would help to win the war. They produced more than features. There were countless cartoons and short subjects that were intended to inform the public, boost morale, encourage support of the Red Cross and other organizations that were helping at home and over seas or recruit men into the service. There were also films that were shown only to members of the armed forces. These films either trained them or entertained them.

"Rear Gunner" is one of the best examples of how Hollywood pitched in and worked to boost morale and also recruit men into the service. It has a mission and it does it with pride and a very solid conviction. This film is a real time machine of its era showing the American attitude towards the war. It is also interesting to get a glimpse of just what a rear gunner did and how he learned to do it.

Burgess Meredith was one of the finest and most versatile film actors of the 20th century. Unfortunately most people today know him only for his appearance in the "Grumpy Old Men" films. In "Rear Gunner" he takes a part that is about as standard as they come. There's very little in the words to indicate anything about Pee-Wee's personality. But Meredith takes this shallow part and makes Pee-Wee a real guy. He's quiet and smart without a hint of arrogance, exactly the kind of guy Americans at least claimed to admire then. And Pee-Wee's gentle stutter works well because Meredith soft pedals it thus making it seem real.

"Rear Gunner" allows us to reach through the screen and touch the American mind from WWII. It also happens to be entertaining.