"Joe Smith, American" is a quaint WW2 propaganda piece with the steady Robert Young as the eponymous lead character.
Joe Smith is an aircraft factory worker who is selected to work on the installation of a top secret bombsight. He's just a regular Joe alright with a drop-dead gorgeous wife, "Mary" (Marsha Hunt) and an "adorable" 9 yr old moppet of a son, "Johnny" (Darryl Hickman). While being driven to school, Johnny extols his father with his admiration for the Revolutionary War patriot, Nathan Hale, and continues to exhibit a steely determination to keep secret from his parents how he spent his allowance despite being punished for his refusal to reveal. Upon reaching the school, Joe is treated to the sight of Johnny and his classmates reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (in its original form prior to its inclusion of "under God") and singing "My Country tis of Thee." Joe's face beams with patriotic pride as he heads towards work.
His son's determination not reveal his secret, the story of Nathan Hale, and the exhibits of patriotism at the school, all serve Joe in good stead to stay silent when he's kidnapped by dastardly spies who are determined to get the bombsight plans from Joe by either bribery, torture or threats of death. Of course, Joe endures and eventually is able to outwit his tormentors, but what do you expect from a WW2 propaganda piece- for the bad guys to actually get away with it?
The best one can say about this film is that it's earnest. It truly wears its patriotic heart on its sleeve. Plus, Robert Young approached the role with his usual likable aplomb. Unfortunately, Marsha Hunt is given little to do except look pretty which she does very well. (Although how old was her character supposed to be when she got married and had a kid? 13? 14? Miss Hunt was just 23 or 24 when she made this movie.) However, Darryl Hickman was a truly annoying child actor. He's just so cloyingly cute that it makes one's teeth ache. Usually, I give kid actors some leeway, but Mr. Hickman gave a similar annoying performance in 1945's "Leave To Her Heaven" in which many in the audience were undoubtedly pleased when Gene Tierney's character didn't lift a finger to save his irritating character. So, how he acted here wasn't just a one-off performance.
It was a different world. The unabashed patriotism and pride in being an American exhibited in this film is something that is NOT taught in our schools today. How many American school kids today can recite Nathan Hale's once famous final words?
Joe Smith is an aircraft factory worker who is selected to work on the installation of a top secret bombsight. He's just a regular Joe alright with a drop-dead gorgeous wife, "Mary" (Marsha Hunt) and an "adorable" 9 yr old moppet of a son, "Johnny" (Darryl Hickman). While being driven to school, Johnny extols his father with his admiration for the Revolutionary War patriot, Nathan Hale, and continues to exhibit a steely determination to keep secret from his parents how he spent his allowance despite being punished for his refusal to reveal. Upon reaching the school, Joe is treated to the sight of Johnny and his classmates reciting the Pledge of Allegiance (in its original form prior to its inclusion of "under God") and singing "My Country tis of Thee." Joe's face beams with patriotic pride as he heads towards work.
His son's determination not reveal his secret, the story of Nathan Hale, and the exhibits of patriotism at the school, all serve Joe in good stead to stay silent when he's kidnapped by dastardly spies who are determined to get the bombsight plans from Joe by either bribery, torture or threats of death. Of course, Joe endures and eventually is able to outwit his tormentors, but what do you expect from a WW2 propaganda piece- for the bad guys to actually get away with it?
The best one can say about this film is that it's earnest. It truly wears its patriotic heart on its sleeve. Plus, Robert Young approached the role with his usual likable aplomb. Unfortunately, Marsha Hunt is given little to do except look pretty which she does very well. (Although how old was her character supposed to be when she got married and had a kid? 13? 14? Miss Hunt was just 23 or 24 when she made this movie.) However, Darryl Hickman was a truly annoying child actor. He's just so cloyingly cute that it makes one's teeth ache. Usually, I give kid actors some leeway, but Mr. Hickman gave a similar annoying performance in 1945's "Leave To Her Heaven" in which many in the audience were undoubtedly pleased when Gene Tierney's character didn't lift a finger to save his irritating character. So, how he acted here wasn't just a one-off performance.
It was a different world. The unabashed patriotism and pride in being an American exhibited in this film is something that is NOT taught in our schools today. How many American school kids today can recite Nathan Hale's once famous final words?