Sutherland (John) Productions, Inc.It's Everybody's Business (1954)

Corporate Cold War-era cartoon linking Bill of Rights to free-enterprise ideology.

This item is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Sutherland (John) Productions, Inc.
Audio/Visual: Sd, C
Keywords: Cold War; Capitalism; Animation: Advertising

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: HaRDCoRe_CaRTooN_JuNKiE25 - - January 23, 2008
Subject: wow...

i love how the cartoon makes America look so shiny and awesome.. when we all know the truth..
entertaining and rather informative...
enjoyable.. its ok..

Reviewer: Aurelius - - January 22, 2008
Subject: Superb Educational Film!

This has got to be the simplest film in educating the masses of the world about how Capitalism and Freedom work hand in hand together to provide and create wealth and how societies evolve successfully. This should be reissued and promoted (voluntarily) in our public schools. All those who decry this film or its components have likely already been indoctrinated by the small but vociferous percentage of socialist, soak the rich, equal poverty for all, educators who secretly sabotage capitalism, by indoctrinating the young, mainly because their salary is paid by the state - not by ability or competition. This bitterness and desire to see America become a welfare state, of "We Want This!" and where competition is thwarted, is clearly warned against in this film. Government never provides the wealth of the nation. It can't, unless it becomes imperialistic and seizes wealth. The folks who expect the government to do all things for all people are following a dead end. The other warning is really clear - don't let too much industrial capacity be exported overseas and we are simply enriching other nations instead of the American Worker. I've shown this film to 5th grade children up through teenagers and most suddenly grasp the bigger picture of what Capitalism is all about. And Ayn Rand need never be mentioned :-) That's what this film and it's corny but effective 50's style accomplishes.
If only the rest of the 3rd world could see it and learn the formula for improving quality of life to untold heights!

A great educational film! Five Stars!

Reviewer: spacekraken - - May 2, 2006
Subject: Not as Preachy as "Make Mine Freedom" but...

This film was funded by the same foundation that funded "Make Mine Freedom" and "Meet Joe King" to promote their view of American capitalism (see the shotlists). In "Make Mine Freedom" they expressed their contempt for anything or anyone that questions that view and endorsed chasing down and murdering those who opposed it.

In this film they're not so heavy handed. The first three-quarters of the film does an excellent job of explaining the basic concepts of capitalism. Instead of verbally connecting the ideal of freedom to the economic model of capitalism, here they express their view with animation. This is expressed in the form of interconnecting blocks with Ingsoc-like maxims such as "The Freedom to Go into Bussiness" written on them. According to the film, these blocks make the foundation of the USA.

However, toward the end they go from subtle insinuation to telling us out right what to think: We don't want too much government control or too many taxes. We want less restrictions on big business. Us big guys suffer under heavy taxes in the exact same fashion as you little guys, so you definitely don't want higher taxes for the mega-wealthy.

It does show some insight into the concerns of big business. Apparently, during WWII many restrictions were placed on business. Some of these are mentioned in the film and they do seem excessive in a peace time environment. If what this film presents is true, then I understand those concerns.

Because this film does make some attempt at objective instruction, I am less inclined to dismiss it as big-business propaganda like "Make Mine Freedom". Though it does have a strong point of view.

The animation is excellent and it is fascinating to note the changing styles from the earlier film. This film has that minimalistic, "jazzy" style of art that is frequently seen in late 50s and early 60s American animation.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - September 9, 2003
Subject: Merrie Melodies this is not.

Surprisingly well animated short detailing what's RIGHT about America, eg free enterprise, the right where we choose to work, where to live etc. I was quite interested in the animation work done here as it seems to be very different from the animation commonly drawn in the 1950's. Quite fluid, interesting story, this is reccomended!

Shotlist

The end of World War II did not bring peace at home. Nuclear anxiety, anti-Communism and international political realignments fueled the Cold War and turned our country's media landscape into a battleground from the late 1940s on. In the press, on the radio, and increasingly through the newly emerging medium of television, business and labor struggled for power over the national consciousness. Seeking a prize worth much more than public consent, these opposing forces fought to redefine the economic structure of the nation.
To most working people, postwar "normalcy" meant a final farewell to Depression-induced privation, access to consumer goods unavailable during the war years, and a redistribution of the economic pie through the newly powerful labor movement. To business, however, the end of hostilities promised freedom from New Deal liberalism. Corporations sought an end to planning and government influence, to communist, socialist and labor movements, and above all, shrinkage of the public sector, swollen in sixteen years of economic depression and war. Both sides characterized their points of view as patriotic and their opponents as un-American.
Business fought for influence through organizations like the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers. Their intentions were presented as lofty and neutral: to educate Americans about our economic system and its benefits. Launching a giant propaganda offensive, these organizations pumped out press releases, published books, organized public and private meetings, bought advertising and produced motion pictures.
It's Everybody's Business links the Bill of Rights to the tenets of free-enterprise ideology, "interlocking inseparably the blocks of our political and economic freedom." This strategy expresses not only the opinions of the film's sponsors, but is also a skillful attempt to co-opt liberal discourse, which sought to champion the Bill of Rights against McCarthyite excesses. By linking freedom and patriotism with the market economy the movie tries to manufacture universal consensus.
Like other Sutherland productions (Make Mine Freedom, Meet King Joe and A Is For Atom), this employs a "stealth" strategy. Self-deprecating humor prevails, perhaps because the films were made to play before distracted and highly skeptical audiences, and the targets of this humor include our consumer culture and the dubious innovations it creates.
Aside from self-deprecating humor, this film features several memorable visual devices: the "tax monster," the tidal wave of war, and the animated paper money riding on the train.


Ken Smith sez: This John Sutherland cartoon glorifies the American consumption economy, and tells its viewers that it would be unpatriotic not to "risk your savings in our competitive business system." Watch for the many scenes where anthropomorphized dollar bills run around frantically, and don't miss the relentless, money-sucking tax monster. The Freedoms Foundation awarded this film its gold honor medal as "the best film developed in the United States during 1954 to further better understanding of the American way of life." In Technicolor.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Cartoons Animation Accents (Scottish) Capitalism Business Free enterprise Economics Advertising Sales Competition Money (animated) Money Distribution Manufacturing Consumerism Gender roles Graphs Surrealism Blood Football (huddles) Huddles (football) Executives (animated) Marketing Manufacturing Assembly lines (animated) Parades (commercial) Wars (effect on business)