Best Documentary Movies of 1941

Rey Scott received an Honorary Academy Award for this documentary "For his extraordinary achievement in producing Kukan, the film record of China's struggle, including its photography with a 16mm camera under the most difficult and dangerous conditions."

Chronicles combat action of Hitler's elite bodyguard regiment from 1940 to 1941. From Rotterdam to Greece, German frontline cameramen captured footage of early victorious campaigns. Scenes of camp life and ceremonies convey an impression of the comradeship, pride, and elan of this mighty military formation.

This was one of the annual "blooper" reels screened by the Warners Club, an organization of Warners actors, crew and executives. It was meant to poke fun at the flubs and bloopers that occurred on the set of some of the major Warner Bros. pictures of 1941.

Surrealism, avant-garde sound montage, and irreverent wit might be the last thing you'd expect from a government-sponsored film about wartime cookery. But director, artist, animator and all-round firework of a man Len Lye specialised in the unexpected. A simple tale of a mother cheering up her daughter with a pie from her rationing-stricken pantry (interestingly the war is never directly referred to) is skilfully crafted into a work of real artistic depth, while retaining an unpretentious charm.

This Traveltalk series short spotlights the natural beauty of the Northwestern United States. Our first stop is Mount Saint Helen's and Spirit Lake in the state of Washington. As we admire the majesty of the scene, visitors are picnicking on the shore and canoeing on the lake. These scenes were filmed many years before the volcanic mountain erupted in 1980. We then take a boat trip on the southern shore of Alaska to see the Columbia Glacier.

How Britain coped with a Christmas during the war.

Documentary by Humphrey Jennings

Edward R. Murrow narrates Humphrey Jennings' short documentary about life in England during wartime.

A line from Whitman, "There was a child went forth every day," starts this film: a visit to a farm that's a summer camp and progressive school for exploration and discovery. The children, as young as two or three, have room and time to question, wonder, and learn. We build a wading pool, use tools, climb and swing, bath a dog - and learn to live together. There are spats, and little adult interference. A tree house sparks children's imagination. They visit a neighboring farm, play with the animals and ride on a tractor that's plowing. They eat and nap. There's story time, easels for art, and a lollipop. It's the perfect place for city children to be safe from bombardment, says the narrator.

Footage of the actual planning and execution of a bombing raid on Germany.

The film is set to the music of Franz Schubert and is very strange. Much of it consists of disembodies arms and legs all moving about to the music. There are also folks in body suits moving rhythmically to the tune. Occasionally, there are shots of a guy in full color with multiple exposures.

In this somewhat whitewashed documentary on Manhattan's Bowery a newcomer to the area takes his first step toward redemption after a meal, bed, and inspiring talk.

This Best Short Subject Academy Award winning film begins in the spring of 1940, just before the Nazi occupation of the Benelux countries, and ends immediately after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It chronicles how the people of "Main Street America", the country's military forces, and its industrial base were completely transformed when the decision was made to gear up for war. Original footage is interspersed with contemporary newsreels and stock footage.

This Traveltalk short visits the ports of Algiers and Monaco in the Mediterranean.

Documentary examining the conflicts between the coming of modernization and the traditional culture of a small Mexican village.

Using edited archive footage, mockery is made of Italy's dictator Benito Mussolini.

This Pete Smith Specialty short focuses on the young men who have signed up for the U.S. Army. The film uses the analogy of the speed, accuracy, and teamwork of sports and how these qualities are translated into the weapons training of American soldiers. We watch target practice by Army personnel with shoulder weapons, mortars, and various artillery pieces.

This Traveltalk series short looks at what was then the Alaska Territory, which according to the film, was being looked at as a potential home to millions of refugees from World War II.

The people of Britain resist the German air force and navy with help from North America.

Inner city squalor in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is the subject of this documentary, which focuses on a child returning from school to his home, a cramped and squalid apartment in a rat-infested slum neighborhood.

World War II propaganda short which focuses on the dangers of inadvertent dispersal of military information.

Short documentary extolling the virtues and necessity for women to participate in America's preparation for war, showing women working in scientific, industrial, and voluntary-services activities.

This Traveltalk series entry takes the viewer to a number of locations throughout the state of Florida.

This short starts out as a documentary. In a dramatization, Eadward Muybridge's photographic experiments prove that when a horse gallops, there are times when all four of the animal's feet are off the ground. We are then brought to the present, where MGM directors and their cinematographers are shown working on current productions. The film closes with closeups of the studio's major stars and a tribute to the studio's actors who have joined the armed forces.

This short film examines the Japan that emerged at the beginning of the 1900s and was firmly established as an industrialized nation by the outbreak of World War II. Facing the greatest threat in their history, the democracies of the Pacific took careful stock of this new Japan and its strength, and erected a vast system of defence across the world's greatest ocean.

This short film portrays Nostradamus as having predicted the horrors of WWI and Hitler's rise to power, as well as the eventual triumph of "the daughter of the English Isles" against these forces. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-Reel.

Documentary short demonstrating the process of building a medium bomber for the United States Army Air Corps.

In this Pete Smith Speciality, the audience is asked a series of multiple-choice questions on various subjects.

A short in the WB Hollywood Novelty series (production number 7301) about the training of polo ponies. Buddy Rogers buys one of the ponies in training, and later uses him in a match where Jack Holt and Joe E. Brown are among the players. Edward G. Robinson and Jack Oakie are among the spectators who see Joe. E. Brown knock in the winning score.

Forty Boys and a Song is a 1941 short documentary film directed by Irving Allen. The film is about the Robert Mitchell Boy Choir, consisting entirely of boys aged 8 to 14. The choir, run by organist Robert Mitchell, appeared in Hollywood productions for over thirty years. Accordingly, the boys were recruited to go to a special school where they would go through regular classroom instruction until 1 PM, after which they'd do choir practice. The kids are also shown performing in a church on Sunday as well as camping, as they are all part of the same Boy Scouts troop. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Subject, One-Reel.

Kings of the Turf is a 1941 American short documentary film about horse racing, directed by Del Frazier. This entry in The Sports Parade series shows us how Mortimer, a Standardbred horse, is trained for harness racing. It was nominated for an Academy Award at the 14th Academy Awards for Best Short Subject.

A British documentary depicting the manufacture of a ship, demonstrating the moulding and the hammering of the steel and the gradual creation of the vessel.

Documentary about an average day during the Blitz.

Stars past and present gather to take part in the ceremonies at the dedication of Republic's new sound stage to the memory of Mabel Normand.

Two evacuee children living in the United States receive a letter from their mother, Mrs Taylor, telling them of her life in Blitz-era London. Glimpses of the events of Mrs Taylor's typical day, including ration shopping and fire warden training, belie the letter's innocuous statements.

This Traveltalk series short celebrates the beauty of Yosemite National Park. Besides the majestic mountains, we see Bridal Veil Falls and a giant sequoia with a road cut through its trunk. Tourist activities, including horseback riding and fishing, are also highlighted.

Compilation of footage from three Frank Buck films about his adventures capturing animals for the world's zoos: "Bring 'Em Back Alive" (1933); "Wild Cargo" (1934); and "Fang And Claw" (1935).

This documentary follows painter A.Y. Jackson on his canoe trips and on foot to the northern wilderness of Canada in autumn. This leading member of the Group of Seven discusses his approach to his subject matter and shows some of his paintings.

The manufacture of kerosene tins in an Indian factory.

A short film warning the unaware housewife of the dangers of “dry cleaning” with gasoline at home.

Childcare for working women during the Second World War.

Communicating simultaneously to all 53 of the FBI’s field offices from his headquarters in the Department of Justice, this issue puts J. Edgar Hoover right at the heart of America’s fight against internal espionage during the war. Featuring footage from the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia, the film follows the progress of a new officer, dramatically depicting the investigation of a murder case involving the theft of top secret materials from a gas mask factory.

John Nesbitt's "Passing Parade" purports to show how the behavior of mice can be studied in relation to the interaction of school children.

This Traveltalk series short introduces the viewer to Alaska.

This Traveltalk series short highlights such Maryland destinations as Baltimore, Johns Hopkins, Annapolis, and Fort McHenry.

In this Pete Smith Specialty short, two lion cubs escape from the zoo and go on an adventure.

This Traveltalk series short visit to Kentucky starts with a view of the Cumberland River, which flows for about 700 miles through the state. The first stop is Old Fort Harrod State Park, which has a replica of the original fort, the first permanent white settlement in the state. We then visit the grave sites of two of Kentucky's favorite sons, Henry Clay in Lexington and Daniel Boone in Frankfort. At My Old Kentucky Home State Park, we see the mansion and grounds that inspired composer Stephen Foster to write the song most associated with the state. We then visit three horse farms in the area of Lexington, the state's horse racing capital: Spindletop Farm; Faraway Farm, where we are introduced to Man o' War, the greatest racehorse of the 20th century; and Elmendorf Farm, where Man o' War's sire and dam, Fair Play and Mahuba, are buried.

Also known as Prince of Wales Island, Penang is a British colony located off the west coast of the Malay peninsula. As it is an island, many residents make their livelihood off the water, such as in fishing or port activities as it serves as both a vital link in the chain of British colonies and one of the major ports of entry into the Malay. Penang's major city and capital is George Town, with approximately 160,000 inhabitants, primarily Chinese, Malay or South Asian. The Chinese dominate life on the island, economically, culturally, and in sheer numbers. Because of the diverse racial mix, there are also an associated number of different religions, one which specifically worships the snake, the nocturnal and poisonous adder roaming freely through its temple at night. Also because of the diverse racial mix, there is also often a blending of cultures, such as in the cuisine of the island.

In this FitzPatrick's Traveltalk short, a trip to Haiti serves as a portal into its history, mainly under 19th century ruler Henri Christophe.