Think of America and you immediately think of the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, The Bill of Rights, and Chevrolet Motors, who produced four of the seven shorts in this 9th volume of our Lifestyles USA. series.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELLING (b&w) is a celebration of Capitalism, 1952. A montage of Americans buying things from stores, catalogs, and vending machines is meant to convey the Ultimate Freedom democracy has to offer: "Thee freedom to decide whether, when, what and which to buy!" And in the 1950's postwar economic boom, the salesman is actually seen as not only something good, but an important national figure. So go ahead. Its your patriotic duty to buy that washing machine!
THE HEAD MAN (b&w) stars fussy, prune-faced Hollywood veteran EDWARD EVERETT HORTON ("Here Comes Mr. Jordan") as Henry Witherspoon, a man beset by bad service -- a waitress ignores him, a slimy suit salesman cons him, the butcher favors a pretty woman over him - until Henry becomes so angry that his wife fears he’ll become violent. In fact, there’s actually a truly bizarre hallucinatory moment when the severed heads of the waitress, suit salesman, and butcher are stuffed and mounted like deer heads on Henry’s wall! But relax, ifs all just a way for Chevrolet to demonstrate good customer service.
THE VELVET GLOVE (b&w) extols the joys of Chevrolets new mechanical wonder, the "Powerglide" automatic transmission: "Full engine power under tip-toe control!" And look, there’s even a new gear shift position: "Park!" Ah, yes there’s nothing as magical as "N, D, L, and R," and there’s never been an auto as elegant and as easy to handle as a clunky old ’51 Chevy.
VOTING PROCEDURE (b&w) first shows bad actors who sound like zombies with Indiana accents demonstrating voter registration, before we get careful explanations of how voting machines work and how to make a proper "X" on a paper ballot. Of course, nothing here applies to Florida.
WHAT MR. BELL HAD IN MIND (b&w) features DON AMECHE recreating his famous movie role as Alexander Graham Bell in a short made by Chevrolet about proper telephone etiquette. Which is Chevy’s way of explaining that, hey, you can’t buy cars over the damn phone!
WHAT IS A HOUSE? (color) basically says that houses made in the good old days were lousy, while today’s modern homes are better, especially if there expensive, glamorous, individualistic, custom-designed show-palaces. Presented, no surprise, by "The American Institute of Architects."
Help Yourself (b&w) has an average American couple walk into a surreal auto showroom and "custom design" the perfect car. "Panoramic visibility" and "smooth sure stops" all add up to only one thing: why, a 1959 Chevy, of course!
Defining Democracy (b&w) compares democracy with despotism by contrasting us with those scary countries overseas: PAUL FORD sits calmly in a seat of government here while Hitler yells and screams over there. But watch out, the enemies of a democratic society are lurking right in Small Town U.S.A.
