You, John Jones! (1943)

Best movie ever!

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

Given the context for when and why this short film was made, it is a masterpiece. The film debuted during WWII and was intended to mobilize Americans in favor of the war effort--and as such, it was brilliant and incredibly successful.The short stars three major stars--all borrowed from their home studios to make this free film that was distributed to theaters across the country. The lead is played by James Cagney and he is amazingly normal and restrained in his role as an "everyman". His wife is played by Ann Sothern and his daughter is played by Margaret O'Brien. Choosing the adorable O'Brien was a brilliant move, as once John Jones (Cagney) begins wondering what life would be life for his family had they lived in war-ravaged portions of the world, the cute kid is tossed into some horrific situations that are bound to make a strong impact on the viewer. Imagine the impact when the cute co-star of such schmaltzy family fare such as MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS and OUR VINES HAVE TENDER GRAPES is shown in various scenes either being killed, starving and even with a leg blown off! For the 1940s, this was akin to having Shirley Temple (circa 1934) going through the same torments. The audiences must have been sobbing as they saw these very realistic scenes.Now the only part that seemed a bit too heavy-handed was O'Brien reciting the Gettysburg Address through the film. This was great for 1943, though viewers today might feel this was a bit too much and detracted from the central message of the film. But, for its day, this film just can't be beat.

James Cagney, Ann Sothern and Margaret O'Brien all star in this Mervyn LeRoy-directed "wartime short," as they called them. Cagney plays an aviation worker who comes and sees his young daughter rehearsing the Gettysburg address.The man ("John Jones" played by Cagney) then gets called out on a security watch. As he sits on his park bench post, he starts talking out loud to God, saying "I don't think there will ever be a raid on the United States of America but people on our side are being bombed somewhere - England, Russia or China. It's just terrible, horrible....but I just want you to know I appreciate that it's not happening here."God talks back to him, asking him if he truly does appreciate it, and then Cagney sees pictures of what it would be like if he were in England, Greece, China, Yugoslavia, France and other war-torn areas. In each case, we see his daughter (O'Brien playing her) physically harmed or starving. The man returns home, asks his wife "Mary" (Sheridan) if she's okay, then gets another phone call with an "all-clear" message, goes to the door, looks upward and says "Thanks, God." Their daughter then finishes Lincoln's famous speech.The father kisses his daughter and adds, "Ain't it the beautiful truth?"This short was part of the 2-disc special-edition DVD of "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

A mechanical engineer working on planes that soon will be taking part in WWII is seen at the assembly plant. As he arrives home after a day's work, his wife points to their daughter who is seen on a raised platform performing the Gettysburg address for a school presentation. The man, who is on security watch that night in his area, leaves to his tour that night.As he sits on a park bench, his thoughts go to several areas where the conflict has affected different parts of the world. In each of those images, he sees his young daughter being the victim of the war around her. When he gets home at the end of his shift, he is welcomed by his lovely wife and his daughter that have been secured in the bosom of their safe home. He is a lucky man indeed!Mervyn LeRoy directed this short propaganda film of 1943. WWII found an important ally in Hollywood, as the industry realized what was at stake and cooperated by turning films in which patriotism and doing the right thing for one's country took center stage. In this short, but effective picture, we are given a bird's eye view about the suffering experienced by other people throughout the world, where the conflict touched their lives.James Cagney, who was borrowed from Warner Bros. to make this film, was at his best conveying what he felt for the innocent victims. Margaret O'Brien, appears as the daughter who is rehearsing the Gettysburg address for school in her usual enchanting manner. Ann Sothern plays the wife.

This 1943 short film (included as a supplement on the 2-Disc Edition of "Yankee Doodle Dandy") is nothing short of amazing. It was produced my Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios as a contribution to United Nations Week. It follows a few minutes in the life and imagination of John Jones (the stunning James Cagney), an engineer at an airplane factory that works for Civil Defense. As he comes home, he finds his wife (Ann Southern) watching their daughter ("Meet Me in St. Louis"'s Margaret O'Brien) reciting the Gettysburg Address, as practice for a school play. John revels in the words of the speech and goes to his Civil Defense post, watching for an air raid (remember, this was made during World War II). He prays to God, thanking him for letting him be in America, and not in countries where the fighting is more severe. God seems to reply to John, and John imagines what it would be like if his wife and child were in England, France, Greece, China, Yugoslavia, etc. (where the film becomes slightly gruesome). Jones then imagines a fictional air raid in America. The film flashes to John in real life. He rushes home to find his daughter and wife save, and the film fades out on the face of the adorable Margaret O'Brien reciting the final words of the Address. This thouroughly marvelous short oddly stands the test of time, making one feel that he or she should be glad to live in America where there is (for most of us) enough to eat and drink, and for Americans to feel safe when they go to bed at night. And "ain't it the beautiful truth."