Baptism Of Fire DVD

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary in 1944, this US Army training film starring Elisha Cook, Jr. focuses on the basic psychological human questions of all soldiers everywhere: How will I do under enemy fire? Will I run away, or will I do what I’ve been trained to? The film depicts character Bill telling Jim to think of his buddies and his weapon, rather than of his own fears and of home. Killing an enemy from afar with a rifle is vividly contrasted with close-in hand-to-hand combat, butt strokes, and bayonet thrusts. Shown to both GIs and home front industrial workers, the film worried the War Department because of its portrayal of vulnerable GIs, so its availability was stringently restricted; a realistic, bloody shocker.

USA, B&W, 35 minutes.

NTSC Region 0 encoding (Entire World)