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Undescribable Perfection

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Great Film overall

It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

During WWII, many of America's best animators and cartoon studios went to work for the US government. So, instead of just producing normal everyday cartoons, soon very high quality cartoons were being made for consumption by the troops. Using cute but edgy characters, such as Private SNAFU, important lessons were now being taught to the soldiers, sailors and airmen. And, because the cartoons were very high quality and a bit racy, they were very effective and clever.While cruising around YouTube today, I found a similar sort of film but it was made a few years after WWII...and what a huge difference a few years would make!! Because I loved the cartoons so much from the war, I was eager to see this post-war offering to the troops.When this cartoon began, a 'Restricted' is emblazoned across the screen. I expected it might have a bit of raunchy humor of language like some of the SNAFU cartoons. Oddly, however, there is nothing adult about the cartoon at all. Sure, kids might be bored by it (as would adults!), but why restrict it?!As for the cartoon, it's a preachy and humorless film extolling the virtues of sailors remaining in the navy and re-enlisting because life outside the navy sucks. This seemed not only disingenuous and their point poorly made. Additionally, unlike the WWII cartoons, the animation quality of this one was in color BUT also very poorly and cheaply animated. Obviously the government was no longer using the best and brightest in the film industry. Overall, a very dull and unappealing film...probably not worth your time.

This was a United States Training Film with the goal of raising the spirits and morale of sailors and making them realize how good they have it. It starts out with a sailor that is down and annoyed with his menial tasks as a sailor. A shifty looking seagull encourages and tempts him to go off get drunk and quit. He daydreams about an unrealistic view of civilian life with no work and pleasures a plenty. After he is discharged he wakes up to the reality of civilian life and regrets his decision seeing all the benefits he previously had with the military. He then reenlists and has a new attitude while doing his assigned duties. It is revealed that in the end that the seagull works for the Navy and was tricking him the whole time just so he would realize how fortunate he was.While I have seen other propaganda films from this era, I don't see how this cartoon would be effective on adult men whatsoever. Most animated propaganda shorts were aimed at the general public who attended films at the theaters which included an audience of children to adults. It was interesting but not very imaginative, entertaining, or effective.