Design for Death
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Design for Death |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1947 |
| length | 48 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Richard Fleischer |
| script |
Theodor Seuss hostage Helen Palmer |
| production | Richard Fleischer Theron Warth |
| music | Paul Sawtell |
| cut |
Marston Fay Elmo Williams |
Design for Death is an American documentary from the year 1947 .
action
The filmmakers try to explain the Japanese aggression that led to the war with the United States through the history of Japan. Until the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, US citizens viewed the Japanese as gentle, polite people who love the outdoors and honor their families. After the war, opinions changed and the Japanese were considered bloodthirsty and crazy.
The film sheds light on the situation in Japan 700 years earlier. Feudal families fought their wars through paid mercenaries, the samurai . A samurai who could not do his job was forced to kill himself by hara-kiri . The samurai collected the taxes and punished the citizens who protested.
At the same time tyranny was ended in England. The idea of personal freedom took shape and spread. When these ideas reached Japan, a six-month revolt broke out in the course of which over 37,000 people died. To prevent a repetition, the country was sealed off.
In the meantime the French and American revolutions were over. In Japan the emperor was worshiped as the son of the sun. Shinto was made the state religion, the citizens were taught that they were members of a special human race. The Japanese army is regrouped and Manchuria is annexed.
This distant war was ignored by most of the Americans. Japan gave itself to the outside world to be peaceful and free, while the Japanese government continued to recruit soldiers and build weapons. Japanese who question spending on the army are silenced. Nationalism in Japan is growing. Japanese soldiers are convinced that their souls will live on after they die.
The film shows battle scenes to illustrate the escalation. Japanese attacks on China, Indochina, Pearl Harbor, Wake Island, Shanghai, Guam and other locations follow. Japan surrenders after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. The filmmakers conclude that it was not only Japan who paid a high price. Due to the long ignorance of events in Japan, Germany and Italy, the USA also has many human lives to answer for. Wars can only be prevented if educated people form strong governments around the world.
Reviews
Bosley Crowther of the New York Times criticized the film for apparently avoiding a thorough analysis of the social and political conditions in Japan.
Awards
In 1948 the film was awarded an Oscar in the category Best Documentary .
background
The film was produced by RKO Pictures . It premiered on June 10, 1948 in New York.
Screenwriter Theodor Seuss Geisel, the husband of Helen Palmer, who was introduced as an expert, later became one of the most popular children's book authors.
The film's speakers were Kent Smith and Hans Conried .
Web links
- Design for Death in the Internet Movie Database (English)