Give Yourself The Green Light (1954)

★★★★★ · A stunning work of Doublethink. Patronizing and insidious. A must see! · SkyCaptain · 2005-11-23

This may be the most amazing piece of doublethink propaganda that I've ever seen. The first 12 minutes of the film are devoted to an agonizingly dumbed-down (though largely accurate) depiction of the rampant industrialization and expanding reliance on personal automobile transportation that characterized America's post-War boom. It is a situation which, as the film suggests, "Soaks everybody from the farmer right down to the family budget." We are treated to views of highways littered with cars, a scene one driver calls "an ulcer route" and another, "agony alley." We watch as once-fertile…

★★★★★ · A paved America is a beautiful America · Steve Nordby · 2003-09-02

Another Jam Handy celebration of the wonderful automobile and its totally positive effects on life and the environment, this time in gorgeous color. This film argues that America's roads are neglected and urges public construction of city streets, country roads, super highways, and parking lots to fulfill the American Dream. Even "fabulous futuristic" highways can be "erected" by an "aroused public." American's must fight for their right to drive unhampered by lights, traffic, or school crossing guards. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the film being sponsored by General Motors. No, this…

★★★★ · 50 Years Down the road.... · Yamamoto · 2004-09-20

The ultimate in irony here. Now we have all the ginchy freeways in the film, and things are not one bit better. I love the "Parking Hell" segment where Mom and little Suzy can't find a parking space so they can go and do their daily consumption!

★★★★ · Gee, Beav.... · adios · 2005-10-02

Have to love the irony of all those homely shots of Main Street America - soon to be decimated by the onslaught of the superhighway, pulling trade to the urban fringe and sending cross-country traffic zipping around countless downtowns, bypassing their essential businesses. On the other hand, all those overpasses did provide endless camping possibilities for those made homeless by the decay of the inner city.... Lord Have Mercy - it's Bob Moses, pilloried in Caro's superb 'The Power Broker' for his role as #1 promoter of urban demolition. Winning an award, yet, from GM (deserved).

★★★★ · Why They Paved Paradise and Put Up a Parking Lot · Christine Hennig · 2005-02-08

This is another 50s film about the problem of bad roads. Since it was sponsored by General Motors, the solution, of course, is to build lots and lots more roads. Huge superhighways! Huge parking lots! Everywhere! This was supposed to solve the problem of traffic jams. Well, all the roads got built and the amount of cars seemed to expand to fit them. This is a great film for learning how we got where we are today in terms of huge freeways and parking lots everywhere. It would take building all the roads encouraged in this film before people would start to notice any downside to paving paradise…

★★★ · Not A Fan of Interstates · JayKay49 · 2012-12-31

It would take people another 10 years or so to learn how to dodge freeway traffic jams by juggling through surface and even residential streets. At least ya kept on moving. The business about farm to market and secondary highways, and the needed upgrades they talk about would take decades to tackle - way beyond the construction of the interstate system. In fact, it's only been the last 20 years or so that just about every road made up to the 1920's has finally been improved to the point that it is hard topped and maintained and has adequate signage. I fail to see the propaganda side of this…