Victory Theater: Hollywood And World War II

Rita Hayworth. Bette Davis. Jimmy Stewart. Clark Gable. Marlene Dietrich. These classic movie stars found themselves cast in new roles after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. WWII affected all Americans, including stars. They enlisted, entertained or danced with soldiers at the Stage Door Canteen. Today, the War continues to capture our imaginations with stars like Tom Hanks and Brad Pitt in wartime roles. Watch, discuss and read about the Dream Factory at war.

30.3.09

Confessions of a Nazi Spy

In 1939, two years before Pearl Harbor, Warner Brothers released Confessions of a Nazi Spy, which marked its first attempt to deal with the growing menace posed by Hitler. Previously, the studios had been reluctant to anger the lucrative German export market. Edward G. Robinson plays the an FBI agent tasked with breaking up a secret ring of German-American fascists. The film was received well in the U.S. but banned in Germany and Japan.