Walt Disney has applied every resource of his art to make the screen treatment of Major Alexander P. de Seversky's book, "Victory Through Air Power," an achievement fully worthy of his name. All the devices of the animator's craft have been employed with powerful effect to bring home the message contained in the Seversky tome — namely, that only the right use of aerial might will gain us the decisive triumph in our struggle against the Axis.
Despite the fine job Disney has done in transferring Seversky's ideas to celluloid one cannot get away from the question of whether the film represents entertainment in the sense that picture fans have come to accept it. Humor is at a minimum and is confined to that portion of the film dealing with the history of aviation. "Victory Through Air Power" is Disney in a more serious mood — which is understandable considering the vital significance of the subject. The timeliness of the film and the publicity that has accrued to the Seversky book provide exploitable points in selling the picture to the public.
"Victory Through Air Power" is a picture that calls for the abandonment of oldtime notions of entertainment in its evaluation. It must be weighed by maturer standards for the sake of its message — in this instance a message of supreme importance — a message that touches the welfare of every individual arrayed against the Axis powers. Every person seriously interested in victory against the Axis owes it to himself to see the film. This is a point the exhibitor can stress with profit to himself in selling the picture to his patrons.
Despite its seriousness the film manages to be absorbing at all times. It puts over its message with remarkable clarity and commendable simplicity. Diagrams have never been used with more striking effect, nor with greater cleverness. Disney uses them dramatically to illustrate Seversky's concepts of air force as a weapon of victory.
After the film has sketched the development of the airplane the screen is given over to Seversky himself. The heir to General Billy Mitchell's theories on the value of air power expounds his ideas with an incisiveness and an authority that make it easy to see why through the air lies the United Nations' path to victory. Seversky shows in detail how long-range bombing by land-based aviation will blast the Axis out of the war. He presents his case impressively and eloquently, driving home his argument with devastating logic. Seversky explains at length why trying to lick the Axis by any other means than air power properly applied will be a long and arduous task calling for a heavy cost in lives and gold. He points out the need for a united American air force under separate command.
The film, in which Technicolor has been used to fine alvantage, represents a grand job of animation.
Hats are off to all who had a finger in the making of the picture.
CREDITS: Producer, Walt Disney, Production Manager, Dan Keefe; Scenes with Major Seversky directed by H. C. Potter; Animation Supervisor, David Hand; Story Direction, Perce Pearce; Story Adaptation, T. Hee, Erdman Penner, William Cottrell, Jim Bodrero, George Stallings, Jose Rodriquez; Sequence Directors, Clyde Geronomi, Jack Kinney, James Algar; Cameraman, Ray Hennehan; Art Director, Richard Irvine; Sound Recorders, C. O. Sly field, Lodge Cunningham; Film Editor, Jack Dennis; Interior Decoration, William Kiernan; Narrator, Art Baker; Musical Score, Edward Plumb, Paul J. Smith, Oliver Wallace.
DIRECTION, Fine. PHOTOGRAPHY, Fine.
