1940s Documentary Video Titles
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After Mein Kampf    DVD   (1940)
Genre: Documentary

A fascinating mesh of documentary scenes, newsreel, reconstructions of famous events, and interviews focusing on the life of Adolf Hitler. Sounding the alarm about Hitler's special brand of evil, this film is a must-see example of anti-Nazi propaganda. Herbert Lom, Peter Ustinov, and Derek Blomfield star. AKA: "Mein Kampf--My Crimes." Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Cast:  Herbert Lom
Item #: D00365
 

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Attack In The Pacific    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

Patriotic look at America's entry into World War II, as the war effort gets underway. This film, produced by the Department of War, takes a look at the U.S. Navy facing almost impossible odds, including scenes from Midway and the Coral Sea. 52 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D01058
 

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Behind Your Radio Dial And Westinghouse Presents Studio One    DVD   (1948)
Genre: Documentary

NBC produced this documentary look behind the scenes of how radio programs are produced and transmitted. Includes a tour of Radio City and the first NBC television station, WNBT in New York. With Fred Allen, Arturo Toscanini, and Fibber McGee and Molly. 45 min.

Item #: D56759
 

Regularly $39.99

$35.99

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Crusade In Europe    DVD   (1949)
Genre: Documentary

General Dwight D. Eisenhower's personal WWII memoirs served as the basis for this exciting documentary series focusing on Europe that includes rare archival footage, in-depth research, and narration by Hugh James and Westbrook Van Voorhis. From the rise of Hitler to VE Day and beyond, these programs will give you new insight into one of history's most tumultuous periods. <> Standard; Soundtrack: English. 26 episodes on 6 discs. 8 2/3 hrs.

Item #: D31277
 

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$9.99

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December 7th: The Pearl Harbor Story    DVD   (1943)
Genre: Documentary

Director John Ford's controversial docudrama about the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was seized by the military (who felt the film portrayed them as being unprepared) and never shown in this complete form. Walter Huston plays a complacent Uncle Sam whose Hawaiian vacation is violently interrupted. An edited version of the film won the Best Documentary Short Subject Oscar. Special version also includes rare newsreel footage from America and Japan. 104 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English mono; Subtitles: English; biographies; photo gallery; survivor commentary; Frank Capra's "Know Your Enemy: Japan"; "making of" featurette; scene access.

Item #: D23076
 

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$19.99

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Desert Victory (Two-Disc Set)    DVD   (1943)
Genre: Documentary

The British 8th Army's taking of Occupied Africa in 1943, from the trouncing at Tobruk to the triumph at Tripoli, can be relived once more with this superlative documentary. Footage from 8th Army cameramen, combined with captured German war film, creates an indelible portrait in this Academy Award-winning film. Special two-disc set also includes the bonus shorts "The Defenders Of Tobruk" (1941), "The Siege Of Tobruk" (1941), "Wavell's 30,000" (1942), and "Land And Live In The Desert" (1945). 165 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Item #: D41338
Also Available: DVD, DVD Special Edition
 

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Desert Victory    DVD   (1943)
Genre: Documentary

The British 8th Army's taking of Occupied Africa in 1943, from the trouncing of Tobruk to the triumph at Tripoli, can be relived once more with this superlative film. The footage of the 8th Army's cameramen, combined with captured German war film, create an indelible portrait in this powerful Oscar-winning documentary. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D00429
Also Available: DVD, DVD Special Edition
 

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Here Is Germany    DVD   (1945)
Genre: Documentary

Produced by the government's Office of War Information, this documentary from director Frank Capra depicts the German people's "centuries-old traditions" of nationalism and conquest, showing how Hitler--backed by Germany's military-industrial complex--used them to fuel his reign of global terror. 52 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D38808
 

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Hollywood Bloopers: Classic Edition    DVD   (1949)
Genre: Documentary

This flub-filled collection of vintage film set bloopers features such stars as James Cagney, Bette Davis, Errol Flynn, Humphrey Bogart, Ronald Reagan, Lou Costello, and even Porky Pig blowing lines and cursing a blue streak. You'll also see TV mishaps with the likes of Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Dick Van Dyke, Johnny Carson, the cast of "Laugh-In," and many more. 118 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English; bonus shorts.

Item #: D80971
 

Regularly $9.99

$7.99

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Jungle Cavalcade    DVD   (1941)
Genre: Documentary

Great White Hunter Frank Buck ventures deep into the foreboding jungles of the Dark Continent to bag a menagerie of wildlife in this exciting compilation of his adventure documentaries from the 1930s. See Buck get the upper hand on a man-eating tiger, a 30-foot python, and a bear cub. 76 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English. Plays All Regions.

Cast:  Frank Buck
Item #: D06034
 

$24.99

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Let There Be Light    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

A powerful look at the human cost of war, director John Huston's acclaimed (and long-suppressed) documentary chronicles the lives of shell-shocked WWII veterans in an Army hospitals and the efforts to return them to society. Walter Huston narrates. 58 min. Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D88641
 

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$16.99

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Love Life Of Adolph Hitler    DVD   (1948)
Genre: Documentary

Shocking exploitation documentary mixes footage of Hitler, Eva Braun and Mussolini with sequences of Nazi atrocities and scenes featuring Nazi bathing beauties. What results is a disturbing look at a seldom-seen side of Der Fuhrer and the Third Reich. Directed by Dwain Esper ("Maniac"). AKA: "Will It Happen Again?," "The Strange Love Life of Adolph Hitler," "The Strange Loves Of Adolph Hitler." Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D96016
 

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Paris 1900    DVD   (1947)
Genre: Documentary

Experience what life was like during "La Belle Epoque" with this documentary on Paris that spans from 1900 to 1914. Along with the sights and sounds of the French capital, the film features rare glimpses of the era's celebrities--including Enrico Caruso, Sarah Bernhardt, and Maurice Chevalier. NOTE: Due to the nature of this rare find, the audio quality may vary throughout the film's running time. 75 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D06092
 

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$8.49

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Prelude To War    DVD   (1943)
Genre: Documentary

A look at the events of 1931-39: the rise of dictatorships in Germany, Italy and Japan, the Nazi movement, Italy's invasion of Ethiopia and Japan's conquest of Manchuria. Academy Award-winner for Best Documentary. 54 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D63497
 

Regularly $29.99

$12.99

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Tale Of The Navajos    DVD   (1949)
Genre: Documentary

Breathtaking outdoor photography highlights this informative documentary that explores the rich history of the Navajo people. The film chronicles the daring journey of best friends Kiki (a young Navajo apprentice silversmith) and Jimmie (the son of a white trader) who traverse the beautiful--but dangerous--landscape of Utah and Arizona's Monument Valley in search of much-needed water. 52 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Item #: D57893
 

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The Battle Of China    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

This fascinating documentary offers a look at China focused on her people, culture, and industry. The film also explores the total commitment of Japan to the conquest of China in order to use her manpower to take over all of Asia. 67 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D01059
 

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The Battle Of Midway (1942)/Global War    DVD   (1943)
Genre: Documentary

Two documentary looks at World War II, featuring rarely seen Army footage. First, relive the pivotal Pacific conflict in incredible color scenes, in "The Battle of Midway"; then, in "Global War," see an Army newsreel detailing the Allied war effort in both theaters during 1943. 50 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Item #: D66181
 

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$7.99

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The Fighting Lady    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

An uncredited William Wyler directed this Academy Award-winning WWII documentary that boasts thrilling color footage of the men of the title aircraft carrier in action in the Pacific Theater. Scenes of combat in Marcus Island, Kwajalein, Truk, and the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" are featured. Narrated by actor Robert Taylor ("Quo Vadis"). 62 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Item #: D52593
 

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The Memphis Belle    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

Acclaimed director William Wyler ("Mrs. Miniver") filmed this classic documentary for the Army Air Corps. The title aircraft is a B-17 Flying Fortress being prepared for its 25th and final mission, a daring daylight attack on German submarine pens in Wilhelmshaven, and remarkable color aerial photography puts you in the cockpit. 43 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D69637
Also Available: DVD, DVD Fullscreen
 

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The Memphis Belle    DVD   (1944)
Genre: Documentary

Acclaimed director William Wyler ("Mrs. Miniver") filmed this classic documentary for the Army Air Corps. The title aircraft is a B-17 Flying Fortress being prepared for its 25th and final mission, a daring daylight attack on German submarine pens in Wilhelmshaven, and remarkable color aerial photography puts you in the cockpit. Special video version includes bonus WWII combat footage. 104 min. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D72272
Also Available: DVD, DVD Fullscreen
 

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The Nuremberg Trials    DVD   (1947)
Genre: Documentary

In 1946, 22 German military and political leaders faced an international court to stand trial for the unprecedented crimes against humanity committed by Hitler's Third Reich. This Russian-made documentary, narrated in English, offers rare footage of Nazi atrocities, postwar Germany, and the trial itself. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D00377
 

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The Scorched Earth    DVD   (1942)
Genre: Documentary

The invasion of Manchuria by "the Japs" is chronicled in gruesome detail by this explosive, strident propaganda film aimed at further steeling the nerves of U.S. citizens against the Japanese during World War II. The film, depicting the Japanese attack on China--complete with actual onscreen deaths--proved to be a popular roadshow attraction that anchored America's disdain for their fearsome enemy. Soundtrack: English; bonus short "Red China" (1964).

Cast:  Clift Howell
Item #: D99897
 

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The Stilwell Road    DVD   (1945)
Genre: Documentary

Ronald Reagan narrates this government-produced film chronicle of one of World War II's most monumental engineering projects, the 1,000-mile-long supply road running from India through the jungles and mountains of Southeast Asia to China. See how over 15,000 U.S. soldiers, most of them African-American, and 35,000 local laborers worked nearly three years to complete the highway also known as the Ledo Road. 83 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Cast:  Ronald Reagan
Item #: D01057
 

Regularly $24.99

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The True Glory    DVD   (1945)
Genre: Documentary

Introduced by Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, this Academy Award-winning documentary shows how Allied forces smashed Hitler's war machine. Actual battle footage from across Europe chronicles the campaign from D-Day to the fall of Berlin, mixed with the voices of the fighting men, combat nurses, and civilians who were in the heat of the conflict. Special two-disc set also includes the bonus British-made documentaries "From Italy To D-Day," "From D-Day To Paris," "From Paris To The Rhine," and "From The Rhine To Victory." 4 1/2 hrs. total. Standard; Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.

Cast:  Robert Harris
Item #: D52276
 

DVD Fullscreen

$9.99

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Thunderbolt  (1947)
Genre: Documentary

Thrilling color photography of the Allied invasions of Italy and France, as seen through the eyes of a P-47 Thunderbolt fighter group stationed on the island of Corsica, highlights this WWII Army documentary co-directed by William Wyler and John Sturges, and featuring an introduction by Jimmy Stewart. 45 min. Standard; Soundtrack: English.

Item #: D79319