To Tell the Truth: The Strategy of Truth 2012
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Ali Pomeroy
Directed by David Van Taylor
DVD , color and b&w, 56 min.
Jr. High - General Adult
Documentaries, Films, History, Propaganda, Racism, U.S. History, World History, World War II
Date Entered: 04/18/2014
Reviewed by Margaret M. Reed, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, ARContrasting three very different approaches to the art of persuasion, The Strategy of Truth examines the fine line that separates documentaries and propaganda.
This third installment of the six-part To Tell the Truth series is an insightful analysis of documentary filmmaking in Germany, the U.K., and the U.S during World War II. Film historians shed new light on the wartime milieu in which Leni Riefenstahl, Humphrey Jennings, and Frank Capra created their landmark films. For the Germans, Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will (1935) set out to persuade an undecided public that the Nazi Party was the wave of the future. In the U.K., Jennings’ London Can Take It (1940) effectively blurred the lines of social class to unify Britons during the blitz. In Why We Fight (1942-1945), Capra galvanized American support for the war by juxtaposing scenes of American patriotism with clips from enemy propaganda.
This episode also uncovers the social justice impact of African American filmmaker Carlton Moss. Originally intended to be a military recruiting tool for African Americans, Moss’ The Negro Soldier (1943) nudged public opinion of blacks in a positive direction, paving the way for integration and equal rights.
Captivating and enlightening, The Strategy of Truth is an outstanding resource for courses in film history, mass communication, and political science. It is also an excellent selection for academic and public libraries.