Hell-Bent For Election
- Studio
- UPA, United Auto Workers, Industrial Films
Synopsis
A full-blown re-election piece for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt at the expense of Republican presidential candidate Thomas Dewey. Roosevelt is depicted as a streamlined diesel express train in a race against Dewey, a worn-out steam train. The public is admonished to "get behind the president and stay the course to victory."
Characters
Diesel Express Train, Steam Train, Joe, Sam, Conspirator
Credits
Directing
- Director
- Chuck Jones (as Charles M. Jones)
Producing
- Producer
- Stephen Bosustow (Executive Producer)
Writing
- Writer
- Robert Lees
Music
- Music
- Earl Robinson
- Lyrics
- E.Y. Harburg
- Assistance
- Karen Morley
Crew
- Production Designer
- Zack Schwartz
Production notes
The "trains" are actually "The Win the War Special" (FDR) and "The Defeatist Limited" (Dewey).
Reviews
Hell-Bent for Election
The UPA certainly deserve praise for their first, and best, animated short!
Whilst the focus is American politics, the imagery and animation not only do a brilliant job of broadcasting the pro-Roosevelt message of the day, but show that animation in the 1940's wasn't restricted to funny animal pictures like Mickey Mouse or Bugs Bunny.
Although I am not American, I think that those who watch this cartoon will not only be proud of America, but to be proud of democracy. A hearty salute to all those involved!
Hell-Bent for Election
I thought the imagery in this cartoon was kind of disturbing, particularly with the protagonist being blond and buff and the antagonist being short and dark haired. The animation itself was not bad. Propaganda is sometimes funny to watch in retrospect.