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" Photography Fights " Wwii Photographic Interpretation Unit (1944)

1944 · Short film · 16 min

  • War
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Synopsis

Created for the U.S. Navy by the Treasury Dept. as part of the 6th War Loan drive, "Photography Fights" is a docudrama that showcases the role of a naval photographic interpretation team in theater. The film begins and ends with a "typical" American couple who openly doubt the value of photography in the war, and then shows an interpretation team working on the front lines at Guadalcanal in the Pacific. An aerial photograph is analyzed to reveal that Japanese troops are constructing an air strip on an adjacent island at Munda. The film then suggests the destruction of the strip by showing scenes of aerial and naval bombardment. The film (according to a 1944 guide) "shows how under enemy action photographic crews work precious minutes getting and scanning pictures to search for signs of enemy emplacements and evidence of his movements. It shows what happens when well trained, discerning photographic interpreters can read from pictures shot by the crew." Make sure to check out the pin-up calendars and other girlie images in the background of the interpretation unit's command post at the start of the film and at the 4:40 mark! 00:00 Home front: a conversation between a man and his wife, expressing their enjoyment of having the radio on. The wife mentions possibly getting a new stove, complains that their current stove isn't heating well enough to make pancakes. 1:10 - 2:00: The discussion shifts to confusion about the location of Japanese-controlled islands, and a mention of…

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Details

Running time
16 minutes
Collection
Ephemeral Films
Internet Archive item
26414usnavyphotographyfightsprint2vwr

Subjects on the Internet Archive

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