Secure the Blessings (1951)

★★★★ · jews don't wear plaid. · Spuzz · 2004-08-21

In this terribly odd disconcerting short about What It Means To Have Democracy In America, every second person is wearing plaid (I guess their going hunting or going for Grunge Band practice after school?) and focuses on a number of individuals and how they come across problems at work/school/the house and how they can be solved, because, of course, they live in a DEMOCRATIC land. Several situations are old hat, such as the union foreman having a gripe with the oss and a committee of women getting together to talk about (horrors!) the broken chain on the swing, but the big curio here is the…

★★★★ · De-mocracy through education · Steve Nordby · 2003-09-27

This film stands out from most pro-America short films of its era because instead of rabid pro-capitalist and/or anti-communist hysteria, we get a look at how Americans solve shared problems by education, discussion, objective thought, and consensus. Produced by the National Education Association, it tells us that education is the key to the future of democracy and suggests regimentation and authoritarian teaching are anti-democractic. No mention of evil communists, instead rundown schools, crowded classrooms, and overworked teachers are the dangers to democracy. Yet it is still a viewpoint…

★★★ · Somewhat simplistic 1951 film · ERD · 2006-02-25

Maintaining a successful democracy through the way our citizens were taught in school. This film seems simplistic compared to the complex world of today.