Joe Smith, American (1942)

Wissenswertes

Joe Smith, American is a 1942 American spy film directed by Richard Thorpe and stars Robert Young and Marsha Hunt. The film, loosely based on the story of Herman W. Lang, and the theft of plans of a top-secret bombsight, is the account of a worker at an aviation factory who is kidnapped by enemy spies. The opening credits contained the following written prologue: "This story is about a man who defended his country. His name is Joe Smith. He is an American. This picture is a tribute to all Joe Smiths."

Production

Although considered a war propaganda film, principal photography on Joe Smith, American took place from October 20 to November 11, 1941, prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. The prewar arrest of a German factory worker who stole the plans of the Norden bombsight was the basis of the story, with stock photography of the Lockheed Aircraft company incorporated to provide a wartime look.

Contemporary sources list both Ava Gardner and John Raitt in the cast. Their appearances are uncredited in the film and likely they were extras.

During the film, Young's son recites the Pledge of Allegiance with his classmates and they do not say "under God" during the pledge since it was not in use at the time. They also saluted while they said the pledge with their arms outstretched instead of their hands over their hearts. Their hands were held vertically instead of horizontally like the Nazi salute.

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