Retro Ad #4 - Buy War Bonds - Get a House and Gold Digger

This poster is a bit of an oddity from the days of World War  II, when the easiest way to provide support to the war effort, was buying war bonds.  For those who are unacquainted with the world of war bond, they were documents issued by the government  promising inflated financial returns in the years beyond a country's imminent victory in war, in exchange for money.  This money was used to finance a country's war effort, and the influx of cash was also used as a means to control inflation by taking money out of circulation.  Canada, the United States, and Germany all had war bond programs during the first and second world wars.

While most North American war bond posters usually portrayed various glorious battlefield scenes or scenes from the war effort back at home, this one is just bizarre.  It features characters from Li'l Abner comic strips, who were very popular in the day.  Li'l Abner featured a cast of hillbilly characters, who speak in a barely recognizable form of english and, for the purposes of the world at the time, are on the war bond bandwagon.  However, according to this advertisement, war bonds are more a means to get a hot babe and a house and less about helping the war effort.

The most perplexing thing about this poster is not the message, but the goings on in the background of the illustration.  Why is that old woman with the corncob pipe holding that old man upside down and cutting his toenails?  What does that have to do with war bonds?  I get Daisy Mae in a classic pin-up pose, but was the toenail thing a recurring thing in the comic strip?  I'm also amused by the old woman's high heeled boots.  If not for the boots I would have though she was a man.

Hollywood Canteen - The Club and Film

Since, we're within a few days of Remembrance Day (or Veteran's Day if you're American), I though I'd shed some light on one of Hollywood's bigger contributions to the war effort during the second world war. The Hollywood Canteen was the brainchild of actors Bette Davis and John Garfield, as a club that would provide free food, dancing, and entertainment to the serviceman and women who were on military leave in Los Angeles.  Hollywood actors and actresses would volunteer at the canteen in their down time doing everything from washing dishes, serving food, dancing with servicemen to performing onstage.  No job was too small for these big stars as volunteering at the Hollywood Canteen was seen as an act of patriotism. Looking at the roster of stars who volunteered at the Canteen (you can find it here on the Canteen's Wikipedia Page) shows a veritable who's who of celebrities of the era and the few exceptions are those who were able to make the ultimate sacrifice of going overseas to help fight.   The Canteen was in operation from October 3, 1942 to (American) Thanksgiving 1945.

One of the more interesting artifacts from the history of the Hollywood Canteen is the film, Hollywood Canteen, which was released in 1944.  The story of the film is pretty sparse, a wide-eyed GI on sick leave goes to the canteen, ends up meeting a galaxy of stars, is named the canteen's one millionth customer, and romances starlet Joan Leslie.  Trust me, if you're looking for a deep film you won't find it here.  What does make it a worthwhile watch is the endless number of cameos by many of the great actors, actresses, and other popular performers of the day.  There are a several musical numbers performed by Andrews Sisters, Joe E. Brown, Jane Wyman, Dennis Morgan, and a host of others.  All and all it's a pretty entertaining movie.  Here's my favourite cameo, by my favourite actress...

Click Here to view the Hollywood Canteen Trailer at TCM.com.

Beware of Loose Women! - Classic Anti-VD Propaganda Posters

While searching the internet for inspiration for our modern take on the classic wartime Propaganda poster, I discovered that there were a ridiculous amount of propaganda posters directed towards preventing venereal disease.  So much so that all my google image searches returned 3 anti-VD posters to every anti-Axis, pro military posters.  I'm embarrassed to admit that up until now, I was completely oblivious to this form of propaganda.  But, looking back at all of the books and films that I have seen regarding the war it makes complete sense.  I guess those Gene Kelly-Frank Sinatra musical adventures while on shore-leave films (On The Town and Anchors Aweigh, if you're curious) had a dark side after all.

In general, the easy women portrayed in these posters take on the appearance of dangerous dames who would star in the pulp novels of the era, albeit a little more sinister.  The exceptions would be the ladies to the left who look like a bunch of catty bitches talking about a loose acquaintance behind her back.  The girl directly below has her shirt buttoned up to the collar, but who knows she maybe she's hiding a wild side - and a wicked case of gonorrhea.  Here's a sampling of the more entertaining posters, featuring the dreaded V-gals:

This gal looks about 15 - This should say beware of under aged Lolitas

This gal looks more like the illustrations of blow-up dolls in old magazine adds

I've always enjoyed the term Booby Trap

Love the phallic symbolism here.  This girl is so sinister they've compared her to a deadly snake.  She also sucking on a very phallic cigarette.   I also enjoy that the dance club is called Shorty's

Why don't they just paint a giant swastika on this gal?

I don't think they'd mind the cooking of the goose so much.  You also gotta love the slang for prophylactic.

Classic Romantic Comedies Vol 4: Ninotchka

Today we look at a film directed by a man synonymous with the great romantic comedies of yesteryear, Ernst Lubitsch.  Lubitsch brought a worldly sophistication to Hollywood comedies in an era when pratfall laden screwball comedies were the name of the game.  Wit and cynicism replaced a pie in the face  in the universe that exists in Lubitsch's films (although, there's still room for the odd pratfall if the set-up was intelligent enough).  Lubitsch was also known to comment on the state of the world and derive comedy from the politics of the time - in Ninotchka, released in 1939, communism is in his cross hairs.

As the film opens we are greeted by Paris and all the palatial aspects that make it the source of all too many romantic films and songs.  Three envoys from Russia arrive with the hope of selling the royal jewels of Grand Duchess Swanna, who fled Russia during the communist revolution.  Conveniently, the Grand Duchess now lives in Paris and soon learns of her chance to recapture her lost jewels.  She sends Leon (played by Melvyn Douglas), man-about-town (as well as her favourite boy-toy) to help recapture her jewels.  Leon goes to the hotel where the three envoys (who are completely inept and well on their way to being seduced into the life of luxury that the west has to offer) and stalls their efforts to sell the jewels by further luring them away from their communist values.

Time passes and the Russian begin to wonder what the delay is in the sale of the jewels.  They send a fourth envoy, Ninotchka (played by the legendary Greta Garbo) to help move things along in Paris and to retrieve the three failed envoys.  When Leon meets Ninotchka he is immediately fascinated by this cold, humourless Russian woman and starts insinuating himself into her life in Paris.  Though she is a tougher sell than her failed comrades, Ninotchka soon warms to Leon and western life, and her icy veneer starts melting away.  Surprise, surprise she and Leon fall in love, which complicates matters when the Grand Duchess gets wise to what's happening with her pet man, and wants to retrieve her jewels. 

As you would expect the outcome is happy (this is a Hollywood film, after all), however there are real stakes in this romantic comedy in which characters must make choices and sacrifices that aren't always pleasant.  The dialogue is wonderful and the screenwriters (including, the great Billy Wilder) sprinkle in some jabs at Stalin and the realities of life in the Russia for good measure, while never straying too far into the darkness of the nation during that era.  The film also culminates in a very touching spin on the fairy-tale motif of the prince rescuing the beautiful princess.  The outcome is a warm feelgood film that would put a smile on the face of the coldest Russian in the joint.

Here's the trailer if you're still not convinced...

Bombshell Photography Supports Our Troops!

As mentioned in an earlier post, a couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to shot on location up at Edmonton Garrison.  In return for their generosity in time and heavy artillery, we were asked to design a propaganda style poster featuring the tank we used for our shoot.  The result is the image directly above: a blend of World War II style with our modern day Canadian flag and message to support our troops.  In the days leading up to Remembrance Day this message becomes increasingly topical.  We at Bombshell Photography are grateful for all Canada's soldiers, past and present, have done to protect our liberties.

For those curious about some of the other photographs we took on that bone chilling day next to the windswept hill, take a look below.  Our model of the day is one-half Andrews Sister and one-half Marilyn Monroe.  I hope you like it!