And NOW America has shown it can be true to its promise of opportunity - I first saw this in 1945 when I was seven years old - I believed in America then and believe in America today!
Last post: To think about diversity in the US armed forces: Did any of you knew the majority of those usually enlisted & serving came from lower-middle/low-income families? That the Tuskegee Airmen, an all Black army air squadron from the South along with the all Japanese-American 442nd batallion were the highest decorated in WWII? The highest number of purple heart medal winners per ethnicity are of Mexican/Latino? And the largest ratio of recruits per race (1 out of 6) are Native Americans? +
The film could been shown in most public schools and workplace sensitivity classes, except the term "Jap" needs to be excused, but people may ask questions "why they are all white & male?" when in fact even black people & females/women were a huge part of the wartime effort as well. Sinatra pointed out the men who bombed a Japanese naval ship didn't care about each others' religion or ethnicity, whether one is a "Kelly", "Cohen" or "Sinatra", they're doing a job protecting the American way. +
I really liked the documentary, he discusses how racism & intolerance can hurt people, as these young boys seem to share the same mentality that Hitler felt about Jewish people or "non-Aryans" because their church or religion was different & their family came from another country. Everyone in America is American & also are human beings in the inside. We need to abide by that message to respect all of our fellow citizens, in the year 2008 we just elected a half-African American to president. +
Also kind of sad. With all of our technology nowadays nobody sees the butcher on the corner, or the people in street (except in huge cities). Everyone's in a car, no human interaction.
This message was in 1944-5, America at the time was suffering from much racial conflict-- in Detroit, L.A. and elsewhere. I think we have come a long way since then.
My Uncle Jack had to fight both the Japanese in the Phillipines 1944-5 and people both in Service and back home who didn't like his ethnicity. Everybody could stand to listen to Frankie on this one.
My uncle was a decorated D-Day veteran. One of is biggest fears was that his fellow soldiers would discover his German and Eastern European background because of what they might have done to him. Kinda sucks, huh?
One problem is Sinatra shouldn't referred the Japanese are "Japs" when he talks about a comrad in the Armed forces bombed a core Japanese naval vassal during the Pearl Harbor attack, which to me is hypocritical but was "patriotic" back then. What about some of the civil liberties violated during the war against some foreign-born German-Americans, Italian-Americans (Sinatra being of Italian descent), Slavic Americans called "Communists" and Mormons at the time were spoofed for their religion? +
The Chairman of the Board was singing about the way things should be in the U.S.A., it's what makes America the best country in the world. Those who have been overseas in conflicts have a special appreciation for the liberties we enjoy and others can only dream about.
Check out that record cutter, they say Sinatra would take the rejected versions ( cut to disk back then) and take them home and play them over and over . working on his Phrasing. he was the KING! these short films are a scream!
mightisright ummmmm who THE FUK DO U THINK U ARE IF HITLER WAS SO TUPH THEN WHY DID HE KILL HIM SELF FUKFUKFUK U IM A FOLLOWER OF GOD I SAY IT PROUDLY I AM WHIGHT I DO ACCEPT EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR SCUMS LIKE U
But the message was to promote support for our troops and the government for tolerating different religions, allowed immigrants or ethnic groups and accepted people of color compared to the extreme nationalism of Nazis who rounded up and exterminated millions of European Jews for "racial" reasons or blamed for Germany's social ills & economic woes.
Sinatra made a clear point on one of the boys may have the blood of that kid's parents (maybe were Jews, but not specific) being chased down.+
If you want to hear a version of this song that will blow your mind, type in Patti Labelle "The House I Live In". It was for Sinatra's birthday and even Frank gave her a standing ovation! If you know anything about Frank, that's a rarity. He never gives standing ovations so he was impressed!
Actually, Abraham Lincoln cared little for the slaves at the start of the Civil War. His interest was in the preservation of the Union, and in keeping the Constitution relevant (which wanton secession threatened). Only when it became politically necessary, to secure flagging support for the war, did he issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Look at the way many young (and "mature") Black men and women dress, and talk, and the music they listen to, is it any wonder they've still many problems?
That's a myth. Lincoln never started a war. SC attacked Fort Sumter. Lincoln never planned to end slavery. It happened by chance that he felt it would help the north win the war, and so he issued his Emancipation Proclamation
differences. Obama is a product of the racial healing he pretends to be the arbiter of. What do we get for integrating a thousand often incompatible cultures into our American culture? We get spat on, defiled and exploited by race hustlers who cynically betray the civil rights they pretend to advocate by the bullying us with 'political correctness'. Yes, there is an American culture. We are a nation of immigrants, but immigrants have stopped assimilated to us because we are expected to them.
bezukhof, you're not the most eloquent person for the cause but you're saying something I haven't heard enough of lately. Good on you. Come to Canada!
Touched you only a little? Can you imagine if our politically correct plutocrats saw this movie? Obama, Fienstein, Hillary all of our long-fingernailed Mandarins. They would holler racism, sexism, classism, nationalism. They'd have to splice in homosexual pornography just to balance out all the prejudice and bigotry. And you're spewing nonsense 434767. We have the most heterogeneous population in this world's history and we have a political class that profits from stoking racial and class
thanks for this cool video! my names Ella, kinda feelin bored if any1 wants to join me on cam or wana chat i will be signed on at __ FriendlyFlirts(.COM) __ my user ID there is Ella_oqzujfb chat soon xx its FR33 to j0in! mwah
I think everyone is missing the point, the song is about what makes up America, the people all kinds of people. Not just white, black, brown, but everyone, every religion. There is more racism in America today toward anyone who is not white than I have seen in all my 60+ years. What happened to "Promoting Domestic Tranquility." We need to get back to basics, not the beliefs of a few.
It's too bad that it's barred by copyright restrictions, because Sinatra did a version of this song on The Main Event concert, which was recorded back in 1974, in which he goes into an extended monologue explaining what this song means to him.
this is one of two songs which truly sum up my ambivilant feelings towards my country (the other song is America by Paul Simon). I have something interesting here. I listened to a version of this by Paul Robeson. It included a verse Mr Sinatra chose to eschew -
Stymie left Our Gang in 1935. He was about 20 when this was made. Buckwheat stayed until the series ended in 1944 when in his early teens. While MGM had taken over production of the Our Gang serial the quality had slipped and distributors were complaining about falling returns. So they weren't on the lot by 1945. By this time, Stymie had become a heroin addict but turned his life around by 1960 and had a come-back of sorts. He played Monty on Good Times. Buckwheat became a film lab technician.
Frank was, is and always will be the best.Well, he's America to me.That is a great old film clip.I'm glad they are saluting Frank on TCM this month. He was also a great actor.
I agree with Frank, but I ask the producers of this film one question that was asked by another user, Plainwain: Fine, but Where's Stymie and Buckwheat?
Thanks for the post. TCM is saluting Sinatra, A Man and His Music this month. I caught this short a few days ago and recorded it.
I'm a singer and was interested in doing the House I live in as an encore, (no one does it, and the message is really poignant.) My grandfather was a bombardier navigator in WWII, and I just lost him two weeks ago. Now I'd like to sing it to salute him. thanks again. going to forward you a video. . .hope you enjoy ------- ryan
You obviously miss the point. Bush believes in the film's message of liberation by spreading democracy as did the film-makers after WWII. Do you think Iraqis could do this themselves -his father told them to in 1991 and thousands of Shia and Kurdish Iraqis were killed by Saddam. Remember it was the CIA which put Saddam's people in power in 1968. This war was to prevent the next attack. Saddam was about to buy a missile system from North Korea in Feb 02. See the NYT Dec.1/03
Frank was pretty much a pioneer for African American rights as well. When he was travelling with Sammy Davis Jr, the hotel the manager wasn't going to stay in wasn't going to let SDJ stay there because he was black. Frank got mad and said, "If you don't let him stay here, I'll buy this hotel, give him the Presidential suite and make you his maid!"
WOW, I heard about that and it slipped my mind. Dino was pretty much the same too. Thanks for sharing. I was jus' bein silly anyway I always dug the rat pack any how. Again thanks for sharing.
It's ironic that RKO, the film company that produced this film didn't see fit to include Meeropol's second stanza in "The House I Live In" which spoke strongly to racial tolerance and equality. I love Frank and all that he stood for...A man among mortal men. I understand that you're not going to see girls in this short because it's a boys gang but I also find it interesting that we don't see a variety of races of the children gathered around him in this short. He is one of the greatest ever!
What a great video! I can remember being shown this film as young student in P.S. 114 in Queens during the late 40s. Our generation was taught to believe in these myths about America-which was why many of us felt so strongly about civil rights, civil liberties, world peace and social justice and tried to insist that our country live up to it's goals/dreams/myths. It's too bad that America has forgotten what it was supposed to have stood for!
This is great. It so rarely gets played, though. You'd think it'd have got played after 9-11, but jingoism squashed it. Sure, you can be patriotic but preaching religious tolerance was frowned on (Bush administration, etc) For cryin' out loud
whether or not you like music like this is dependant on whether or not you understand what music is. rap is not music and most of the stuff that is put out today uses notes but is not good music. i guess we dumb down music just like we dumb down schools
your a character and i agree with u 100% a lot of people are blinded i wouldn't blame too much on the shitty rap as much as Governments and what they tell us to believe, and then rap. Sometime i fear for the young of today.
Oh btw whfan, we called them Japs because they fucking bombed us. Why the hell would you respect any country that bombed you and you were at war with?
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
LOL. It feels like he's reciting the words with no emotion. Go watch Patti Labelle singing "The House I Live In", she tears it up from her soul and Frank is left speechless. Now don't get me wrong, Frank is a legend, but singing wise there are people who are 100 classes above.
That or maybe you're just an idiot. There are FEW people you can compare Frank Sinatra with. I swear if I see another kid say "Frank Sinatra sucks, Justin Timberlake is better" I'll ring him.
abnsupplysgt, Sinatra's parents were immigrants and so were yours somewhere down the line.
Your resentment towards Latino immigrants doesn't bother me but YOU need to wake up. Italians were going through the same thing in Sinatra's time.
Singers like Dean Martin changed their names because of prejudice in the show biz.]We've all endured it. It's our choice whether to keep the hate alive or not.
so think twice before bashing others. "Use your good American head"
I can only hope our Hollywood "Stars" were more like this, instead of dissing America and visiting our enemies (Hugo Chavez).
Why do all the immigrants want to come here? I don't see a bee line of Americans going to Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti....you get the picture! Wake up!!!!!
What the hell are you talking about? lmao Immigrants want to come to America because it has more to offer then their country. If you lived in a shithole wouldn't you want to leave? Americans don't leave the states because their lives are too cushiony to want to go anywhere else. Man, I just wanted to watch this short film on Frank Sinatra and there you go writing stupid stuff so i have to comment. lol
Perhaps you haven't been to Mexico recently, but many communities of American are quietly taking the over the country. One may say they can not owned the property the're building their communites own but can only lease it for 99 years... I say so what because by that time who really cares my interracial grandson/daughter will own it.
Interesting. During WWII in California, the Mexican community was targeted by similar kinds of racial prejudice and the 1930 US census designated Mexicans a separate "race" but in 1945 Pres. F.D.Roosevelt redesignated Mexicans back to "white" and Pres. Truman who began to oppose the KKK knew Mexicans were treated alike Blacks in the South. Growing up in Sou. Cal. I understood the racial & cultural issues about Mexicans/ Hispanics being called "non-white" or "foreigners" by some bigoted whites.+
I think he sounds a lot more like other baritones of the day at this time in his career. Later, he had a more personal style, like he was singing to an audience of one, you alone. Just my opinion.
For anyone interested, the song Frank sings at the beginning is "If You Are But A Dream," composed in 1941 by Moe Jaffe, Nat Bonx and Jack Fulton. Adapted from Anton Rubenstein's classical "Romance" it was first recorded by Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra, with a vocal by Bob Eberly. Then it was recorded twice by Sinatra, on Columbia with an Axel Stordahl arrangement and later on Capitol with a Nelson Riddle arrangement.
What a great memory. Like the gentleman 2 comments below, I'm in my seventies and also recall this short flick. I was too young for that one, but made it into the next(Korea).
I am 72 and remember this film being show in my 5th grade class. We were all pretty gung ho in those days what with the war and all. It helped, I believe, to strengthen my ties to my country, and I later spent 22 years in the Marines.
Finest singer of the century, dazzling showman and a great human being. A tragedy that his generosity attracted so many overrated scribblers and a woman who made his last years living hell. (I think that Tina's memoir is trustworthy).
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
stupid patriotic idealism.
promoting the fact that americans were proud to be fat heads. the japs were dropping bombs and killing for their ideas and what they stood for (as ill guided as it may have been). but their views are evil. the american way is so much better. let's go kill other people and steal their countries.
The song's written by Albert Meeropol AKA Lewis Allan,the music by Earl Robinson -both persecuted for their left-wing views. Meeropol later wrote the anti-lynching song 'Strange Fruit', adopted the Rosenberg children after their parents were executed for being atomic spies. Albert Maltz who wrote Sinatra's lecture -also black-listed. Sinatra hired him to write 'The Execution of Private Eddie Slovak' -never produced because Joe Kennedy said it would hurt Jack in the presidential race.
this kind of idealism in hollywood actors was unfashionable at the time. although he could be difficult to work with, Sinatra was genuinely idealistic and never a snob. at about this same time he spoke at high schools across the US about American values. he spoke at a high school in Gary, Indiana where there was a student walkout because the principal was welcoming black students to the school. a very good biography of Frank is J. Randy Tarabourelli's 'the man behind the legend.
"Political Correctnes..." A term that make me sick to my stomach. Inflicted by damn liberals. What is political correctness? It's when you have to think twice before you think, say and act. In the old days, it was known by this term: "Communism."
Haha, so the moral of the story is "Don't hate people based on religion, hate them based on ethnicity!"....but seriously though, for those days, this was way ahead of ots time. Sinatra Rules. Everyone make sure they use their good American heads.
I can understand where you're coming from. The "Jap fever" that swept the country in the 20's & 40's was scary - not to mention shameful. But it happened. So now we say to the people who were persecuted during that time - we are sorry for what happened then. Predujice is still around tho & we must be careful not to be part of the problem.
Sinatra stood up for civil rights 20 years before there was even a movement or Dr. King. He demanded black musicians stay in the same hotels as him or he'd leave. That's why Patti Labelle sang this at his birthday. He also performed at prisons for years to make convicts feel like people again (one guy who served 20 years for robbery said it turned his life around). He also gave and raised over $1B in his 50 year career. Not many people like him left.
Frank was way ahead of most Americans in 1945 regarding discrimination. Too bad this movie clip didn't show some African-American kids also. But I realize many movie houses would then not show it, especially in the South. Yes, our great country has some sad moments in our past. The answer: Courageous Leaders. (Any around?)
wow! good job frankie. i rated and gave it awesome! cuz it is. haha..mann oh mann..i love when we get a close up of him when hes singing in the studio. ooo! gives me goosebumps! oh gosh..i love him. only if he was alive looking like that today!!! ooooo..what i wouldnt do to him. ;]]
Oh my God, an actual video actually showing Sinatra on YouTube. I guess his leech of a family who refuse to work for a living didn`t get around to suing YouTube for this one yet.
Your video clip is great and I've rated it as awesome. Please check out mine on some 1960's chart topping stars: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Billy Furry, Lonnie Donegan, and Shirley Bassey.
Classic viewing. I had not seen this for some time. I think Frank was deserving of a special Oscar for a movie short (if they had that back then). You can see how much emotion he put's into what he's saying. His voice is second to none.Thanks for posting video!
Sinatra and the makers of the film did receive a special Academy Award for making this film. It is one of 2 oscars Sinatra won for a specific movie, the other being his supp. actor award for "From Here to Eternity" (1953).
A classic. " . . .Nazi werewolves I been readin' about" It's hilarious the way it's all about intolerance but slings around "Jap". Yeah, yeah, I know WW2 was still on, but still . . .
Comment removed
prkfcmdz 3 years ago
And NOW America has shown it can be true to its promise of opportunity - I first saw this in 1945 when I was seven years old - I believed in America then and believe in America today!
RoseMarieRaccioppi 3 years ago
Frank Sinatra was such a beautiful man!
hvcchvcc 3 years ago
Strange, he doesn't mention that the "house he lives in" was owned by the Mafia.
Oh well, that's "America to him".
PopeRatzo 3 years ago
Last post: To think about diversity in the US armed forces: Did any of you knew the majority of those usually enlisted & serving came from lower-middle/low-income families? That the Tuskegee Airmen, an all Black army air squadron from the South along with the all Japanese-American 442nd batallion were the highest decorated in WWII? The highest number of purple heart medal winners per ethnicity are of Mexican/Latino? And the largest ratio of recruits per race (1 out of 6) are Native Americans? +
devulboy1 3 years ago 2
The film could been shown in most public schools and workplace sensitivity classes, except the term "Jap" needs to be excused, but people may ask questions "why they are all white & male?" when in fact even black people & females/women were a huge part of the wartime effort as well. Sinatra pointed out the men who bombed a Japanese naval ship didn't care about each others' religion or ethnicity, whether one is a "Kelly", "Cohen" or "Sinatra", they're doing a job protecting the American way. +
devulboy1 3 years ago
I really liked the documentary, he discusses how racism & intolerance can hurt people, as these young boys seem to share the same mentality that Hitler felt about Jewish people or "non-Aryans" because their church or religion was different & their family came from another country. Everyone in America is American & also are human beings in the inside. We need to abide by that message to respect all of our fellow citizens, in the year 2008 we just elected a half-African American to president. +
devulboy1 3 years ago
Follow it up with eh second part to the vid, the power of an illusion 4/6. I think your all in for a suprise
0EarthAirFireWater0 3 years ago
Guys, watch the video "Race: the power of illusion". Start from 3:50. Then tell me what you think of this vid.
0EarthAirFireWater0 3 years ago
those r some lucky kids!!
jdpotc123 3 years ago
Makes me feel good inside.
Also kind of sad. With all of our technology nowadays nobody sees the butcher on the corner, or the people in street (except in huge cities). Everyone's in a car, no human interaction.
I almost wish it were still like it was then.
mrwnt10 3 years ago
This message was in 1944-5, America at the time was suffering from much racial conflict-- in Detroit, L.A. and elsewhere. I think we have come a long way since then.
IanHunedoara8 3 years ago
go go Americans.... I guess.
Sinatra's f*cking B.A. though!!!
ihateurmom 3 years ago
I'm not " ascared " classic. You tell it Frankie , " so long men "
ringadingtime 3 years ago
NICE!! EXTREMLY nice! I lov it.
lightningr0d 3 years ago
That was great.
actcoohen 3 years ago
i like this :)
xoG3DD0FAB0LUSxo 3 years ago
this is nice..
jolandasterbloem 3 years ago
My Uncle Jack had to fight both the Japanese in the Phillipines 1944-5 and people both in Service and back home who didn't like his ethnicity. Everybody could stand to listen to Frankie on this one.
IanHunedoara8 3 years ago
My uncle was a decorated D-Day veteran. One of is biggest fears was that his fellow soldiers would discover his German and Eastern European background because of what they might have done to him. Kinda sucks, huh?
dyackman 3 years ago
People then were big on patriotism but short on tolerance. THere were a lot of racial fights in barracks and in town.
IanHunedoara8 3 years ago
One problem is Sinatra shouldn't referred the Japanese are "Japs" when he talks about a comrad in the Armed forces bombed a core Japanese naval vassal during the Pearl Harbor attack, which to me is hypocritical but was "patriotic" back then. What about some of the civil liberties violated during the war against some foreign-born German-Americans, Italian-Americans (Sinatra being of Italian descent), Slavic Americans called "Communists" and Mormons at the time were spoofed for their religion? +
devulboy1 3 years ago
anchorperson
The Chairman of the Board was singing about the way things should be in the U.S.A., it's what makes America the best country in the world. Those who have been overseas in conflicts have a special appreciation for the liberties we enjoy and others can only dream about.
anchorperson 3 years ago
Then and now...the message still has meaning...
55racer 3 years ago 3
Check out that record cutter, they say Sinatra would take the rejected versions ( cut to disk back then) and take them home and play them over and over . working on his Phrasing. he was the KING! these short films are a scream!
waynealarsen 3 years ago
Sinatra was the man. Great singer and a good man.
NatelyHunnicutt 3 years ago 4
mightisright ummmmm who THE FUK DO U THINK U ARE IF HITLER WAS SO TUPH THEN WHY DID HE KILL HIM SELF FUKFUKFUK U IM A FOLLOWER OF GOD I SAY IT PROUDLY I AM WHIGHT I DO ACCEPT EVERYBODY EXCEPT FOR SCUMS LIKE U
conradishot 3 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Pretty disgusting little movie. Jews and Christians can go fuck themselves.
Hitler was right. Hitler IS right.
mightisright 3 years ago
hey can u hear me all the way in the 40's bud?
corporategeese 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
That's right, we were all racist back then. A great time to be alive.
mightisright 3 years ago
But the message was to promote support for our troops and the government for tolerating different religions, allowed immigrants or ethnic groups and accepted people of color compared to the extreme nationalism of Nazis who rounded up and exterminated millions of European Jews for "racial" reasons or blamed for Germany's social ills & economic woes.
Sinatra made a clear point on one of the boys may have the blood of that kid's parents (maybe were Jews, but not specific) being chased down.+
devulboy1 3 years ago
hahhaa note that u used the phrase "back then"...whats ur excuse?
corporategeese 3 years ago
Excuse for what, coonboy?
mightisright 3 years ago
wtf is coonboy? i would feel obligated to be offended but sadly i dont speak KKK
what i mean is that back then people were racist like u said...whats ur excuse for being a racist in 2008?
corporategeese 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
Racism is right. Racism is logical. What's your excuse for pretending not to be racist?
mightisright 3 years ago
are SERIOUSLY wasting comment space on vidoe of one of america's most influencial 2oth century artists to argue about racism?!
switchfoot4now 3 years ago 2
If you want to hear a version of this song that will blow your mind, type in Patti Labelle "The House I Live In". It was for Sinatra's birthday and even Frank gave her a standing ovation! If you know anything about Frank, that's a rarity. He never gives standing ovations so he was impressed!
Vamply 3 years ago
such a handsome young man he was.. reali miss him.. great voice. a round of applause for him.
rojakcine 3 years ago 2
can I marry him?
nannytink 3 years ago 2
sure if you dont mind a skeleton in a tux
corporategeese 3 years ago
I love his voice and his eyes are so beautiful! this was great! very touching:)
Dustinluva07 3 years ago
Frank Sinatra is one of the GREATEST singers ever.
amine3940 3 years ago 3
This is the best the song and sinatra have ever sounded! wow!
RANGERSRULE13 3 years ago
You are so right!
The song makes me dream and the words ....
very proud to be an American.
veneziagiulia
veneziagiulia 3 years ago
Actually, Abraham Lincoln cared little for the slaves at the start of the Civil War. His interest was in the preservation of the Union, and in keeping the Constitution relevant (which wanton secession threatened). Only when it became politically necessary, to secure flagging support for the war, did he issue the Emancipation Proclamation.
Look at the way many young (and "mature") Black men and women dress, and talk, and the music they listen to, is it any wonder they've still many problems?
RealSlimSlavin 3 years ago
Did you even pay attention to the message of the movie....it doesn't sound like it.
ScottTart 3 years ago
funny though old abe started a war with the south to free the slaves,all this time later black people are still downtrodden as they always have
jamierourketen 3 years ago
That's a myth. Lincoln never started a war. SC attacked Fort Sumter. Lincoln never planned to end slavery. It happened by chance that he felt it would help the north win the war, and so he issued his Emancipation Proclamation
mrwnt10 3 years ago
differences. Obama is a product of the racial healing he pretends to be the arbiter of. What do we get for integrating a thousand often incompatible cultures into our American culture? We get spat on, defiled and exploited by race hustlers who cynically betray the civil rights they pretend to advocate by the bullying us with 'political correctness'. Yes, there is an American culture. We are a nation of immigrants, but immigrants have stopped assimilated to us because we are expected to them.
bezukhof 3 years ago 2
bezukhof, you're not the most eloquent person for the cause but you're saying something I haven't heard enough of lately. Good on you. Come to Canada!
gilbertpinson 3 years ago
Touched you only a little? Can you imagine if our politically correct plutocrats saw this movie? Obama, Fienstein, Hillary all of our long-fingernailed Mandarins. They would holler racism, sexism, classism, nationalism. They'd have to splice in homosexual pornography just to balance out all the prejudice and bigotry. And you're spewing nonsense 434767. We have the most heterogeneous population in this world's history and we have a political class that profits from stoking racial and class
bezukhof 3 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
thanks for this cool video! my names Ella, kinda feelin bored if any1 wants to join me on cam or wana chat i will be signed on at __ FriendlyFlirts(.COM) __ my user ID there is Ella_oqzujfb chat soon xx its FR33 to j0in! mwah
HeartagramGuy 3 years ago
Wow this looks like a very good movie. It kind of touched me a little. This also made me think. I'm definitely renting this movie. Frank rules!
RussX5Z 3 years ago
haha. That WAS the movie, not a trailer.
gilbertpinson 3 years ago
I think everyone is missing the point, the song is about what makes up America, the people all kinds of people. Not just white, black, brown, but everyone, every religion. There is more racism in America today toward anyone who is not white than I have seen in all my 60+ years. What happened to "Promoting Domestic Tranquility." We need to get back to basics, not the beliefs of a few.
424767 3 years ago 3
It's too bad that it's barred by copyright restrictions, because Sinatra did a version of this song on The Main Event concert, which was recorded back in 1974, in which he goes into an extended monologue explaining what this song means to him.
He ends it by saying something like:
"I'm just proud to live in this country."
That one was really something.
belowthebeltway 3 years ago
this is one of two songs which truly sum up my ambivilant feelings towards my country (the other song is America by Paul Simon). I have something interesting here. I listened to a version of this by Paul Robeson. It included a verse Mr Sinatra chose to eschew -
The words of old Abe Lincoln
Of Jefferson and Paine,
Of Washington and Douglass
And the fight that still remains.
That little bridge in Concord
Where Freedoms' fight began;
Of Gettysburg and Midway
And the story of Bataan
SacMyk 3 years ago
Stymie left Our Gang in 1935. He was about 20 when this was made. Buckwheat stayed until the series ended in 1944 when in his early teens. While MGM had taken over production of the Our Gang serial the quality had slipped and distributors were complaining about falling returns. So they weren't on the lot by 1945. By this time, Stymie had become a heroin addict but turned his life around by 1960 and had a come-back of sorts. He played Monty on Good Times. Buckwheat became a film lab technician.
1915fas 3 years ago
He had his faults - don't we all!
His heart was in the right place.
haldenver 3 years ago
Frank was, is and always will be the best.Well, he's America to me.That is a great old film clip.I'm glad they are saluting Frank on TCM this month. He was also a great actor.
uscgccampbell 3 years ago
Frank Sinatra is -as always- amazing in this! Thanks for putting it up :)
SugarySweetLove 3 years ago
I agree with Frank, but I ask the producers of this film one question that was asked by another user, Plainwain: Fine, but Where's Stymie and Buckwheat?
livingwhites 3 years ago
Thanks for the post. TCM is saluting Sinatra, A Man and His Music this month. I caught this short a few days ago and recorded it.
I'm a singer and was interested in doing the House I live in as an encore, (no one does it, and the message is really poignant.) My grandfather was a bombardier navigator in WWII, and I just lost him two weeks ago. Now I'd like to sing it to salute him. thanks again. going to forward you a video. . .hope you enjoy ------- ryan
ryanality 3 years ago
What say we all send a copy of this to President Bush...once a day until the war ends?
platinumpenink 3 years ago
Way to miss the point.
Wormtail81 3 years ago
You obviously miss the point. Bush believes in the film's message of liberation by spreading democracy as did the film-makers after WWII. Do you think Iraqis could do this themselves -his father told them to in 1991 and thousands of Shia and Kurdish Iraqis were killed by Saddam. Remember it was the CIA which put Saddam's people in power in 1968. This war was to prevent the next attack. Saddam was about to buy a missile system from North Korea in Feb 02. See the NYT Dec.1/03
1915fas 3 years ago
Yeah Frank, but where's Stymie and Buckwheat?
plainwain 3 years ago 2
Frank was pretty much a pioneer for African American rights as well. When he was travelling with Sammy Davis Jr, the hotel the manager wasn't going to stay in wasn't going to let SDJ stay there because he was black. Frank got mad and said, "If you don't let him stay here, I'll buy this hotel, give him the Presidential suite and make you his maid!"
biskitts 3 years ago 4
WOW, I heard about that and it slipped my mind. Dino was pretty much the same too. Thanks for sharing. I was jus' bein silly anyway I always dug the rat pack any how. Again thanks for sharing.
plainwain 3 years ago
It's ironic that RKO, the film company that produced this film didn't see fit to include Meeropol's second stanza in "The House I Live In" which spoke strongly to racial tolerance and equality. I love Frank and all that he stood for...A man among mortal men. I understand that you're not going to see girls in this short because it's a boys gang but I also find it interesting that we don't see a variety of races of the children gathered around him in this short. He is one of the greatest ever!
ftapache5 3 years ago
How nice :]
e7skhkhotys 3 years ago
What a great video! I can remember being shown this film as young student in P.S. 114 in Queens during the late 40s. Our generation was taught to believe in these myths about America-which was why many of us felt so strongly about civil rights, civil liberties, world peace and social justice and tried to insist that our country live up to it's goals/dreams/myths. It's too bad that America has forgotten what it was supposed to have stood for!
auerworld41 4 years ago 3
Its no myth, jsut a work in progress.
ocolumbia 3 years ago 3
This is great. It so rarely gets played, though. You'd think it'd have got played after 9-11, but jingoism squashed it. Sure, you can be patriotic but preaching religious tolerance was frowned on (Bush administration, etc) For cryin' out loud
ragemanchoo82 4 years ago 2
Great patriotic song. I wish we would here it more today.
tcvjm 4 years ago
whether or not you like music like this is dependant on whether or not you understand what music is. rap is not music and most of the stuff that is put out today uses notes but is not good music. i guess we dumb down music just like we dumb down schools
thealtdude 4 years ago 2
your a character and i agree with u 100% a lot of people are blinded i wouldn't blame too much on the shitty rap as much as Governments and what they tell us to believe, and then rap. Sometime i fear for the young of today.
manecombio 4 years ago
Oh btw whfan, we called them Japs because they fucking bombed us. Why the hell would you respect any country that bombed you and you were at war with?
tsukoyomi2021 4 years ago
First I did not make the japs comment. Second I never compared him to Justin Timberlake but talked about Patti Labelle's performance of this song.
whfan007 4 years ago
it's funny how it says respect all, but then degrades Japenese by calling the japs.
vincentbluegrey 4 years ago
lol
i thought the same thing to
i guess it was just a different time...
ItCameFromThem 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
LOL. It feels like he's reciting the words with no emotion. Go watch Patti Labelle singing "The House I Live In", she tears it up from her soul and Frank is left speechless. Now don't get me wrong, Frank is a legend, but singing wise there are people who are 100 classes above.
whfan007 4 years ago
That or maybe you're just an idiot. There are FEW people you can compare Frank Sinatra with. I swear if I see another kid say "Frank Sinatra sucks, Justin Timberlake is better" I'll ring him.
tsukoyomi2021 4 years ago 2
whfan... Its Frank. You should probably shut up.
ragemanchoo82 4 years ago
No doubt
ragemanchoo82 3 years ago
Heh, Frank never does get his smoke...darn kids.
itsme111478 4 years ago 3
Here here, cheers!
Hellhouse 4 years ago 2
HOT DOG * DYNAMITE
mettanc 4 years ago
Man, was this wonderful.
mason104 4 years ago 2
can i share this video please?
junila 4 years ago
Don't you delete this video ever. I'm so happy that vidoes like this still exist and there on the internet waiting on me. Love this.
Yossamity 4 years ago 4
wt's the name of the first song sinatra sings?
IMPSP 4 years ago
"If You Are But A Dream," written by Moe Jaffe, Nat Bonx and Jack Fulton.
sampistachio 4 years ago
abnsupplysgt, Sinatra's parents were immigrants and so were yours somewhere down the line.
Your resentment towards Latino immigrants doesn't bother me but YOU need to wake up. Italians were going through the same thing in Sinatra's time.
Singers like Dean Martin changed their names because of prejudice in the show biz.]We've all endured it. It's our choice whether to keep the hate alive or not.
so think twice before bashing others. "Use your good American head"
SOUT14STACKBITCHES 4 years ago 4
Recently introduced to US National Film Registry.
Tafel 4 years ago
I can only hope our Hollywood "Stars" were more like this, instead of dissing America and visiting our enemies (Hugo Chavez).
Why do all the immigrants want to come here? I don't see a bee line of Americans going to Mexico, Costa Rica, Haiti....you get the picture! Wake up!!!!!
abnsupplysgt 4 years ago
Wake up to what, exactly? Do you have a solution?
catchersmitt0 4 years ago
What the hell are you talking about? lmao Immigrants want to come to America because it has more to offer then their country. If you lived in a shithole wouldn't you want to leave? Americans don't leave the states because their lives are too cushiony to want to go anywhere else. Man, I just wanted to watch this short film on Frank Sinatra and there you go writing stupid stuff so i have to comment. lol
tarrajeandeemer 4 years ago
Perhaps you haven't been to Mexico recently, but many communities of American are quietly taking the over the country. One may say they can not owned the property the're building their communites own but can only lease it for 99 years... I say so what because by that time who really cares my interracial grandson/daughter will own it.
Mharris5819 3 years ago
Interesting. During WWII in California, the Mexican community was targeted by similar kinds of racial prejudice and the 1930 US census designated Mexicans a separate "race" but in 1945 Pres. F.D.Roosevelt redesignated Mexicans back to "white" and Pres. Truman who began to oppose the KKK knew Mexicans were treated alike Blacks in the South. Growing up in Sou. Cal. I understood the racial & cultural issues about Mexicans/ Hispanics being called "non-white" or "foreigners" by some bigoted whites.+
devulboy1 3 years ago
ww2 propaganda at its best...love all religions...but hate those jap bastards...and dang, frank had such a great voice
brabon 4 years ago
I think he sounds a lot more like other baritones of the day at this time in his career. Later, he had a more personal style, like he was singing to an audience of one, you alone. Just my opinion.
highlandsh 4 years ago
this is the best propaganda video ever. frank is the best!!!
mrtyles 4 years ago
the best singer of this era.
mrtyles 4 years ago 4
Not just the era. EVER!!!
Beckylou87 4 years ago
Amen to that!
Hellhouse 4 years ago 3
wow! Thanks for the info Sam!
warpedmtl 4 years ago
For anyone interested, the song Frank sings at the beginning is "If You Are But A Dream," composed in 1941 by Moe Jaffe, Nat Bonx and Jack Fulton. Adapted from Anton Rubenstein's classical "Romance" it was first recorded by Jimmy Dorsey & his Orchestra, with a vocal by Bob Eberly. Then it was recorded twice by Sinatra, on Columbia with an Axel Stordahl arrangement and later on Capitol with a Nelson Riddle arrangement.
sampistachio 4 years ago 2
Haha, good ol' Sinotch!
Be tolerant of everyone - 'cept the Japs!
johnnydinkis2 4 years ago
Actually, what we need to be is tolerant of everything - except intolerance.
Both Japan (the Japs) and Germany (the Krauts) at the time were two of the most intolerant, racist societies ever known...
captmarkmaui 4 years ago 3
What a great memory. Like the gentleman 2 comments below, I'm in my seventies and also recall this short flick. I was too young for that one, but made it into the next(Korea).
mickyblue247 4 years ago
Frank Sinatra was the best.
Hoejris 4 years ago 3
I am 72 and remember this film being show in my 5th grade class. We were all pretty gung ho in those days what with the war and all. It helped, I believe, to strengthen my ties to my country, and I later spent 22 years in the Marines.
jackquirk 4 years ago
Finest singer of the century, dazzling showman and a great human being. A tragedy that his generosity attracted so many overrated scribblers and a woman who made his last years living hell. (I think that Tina's memoir is trustworthy).
felicia1882 4 years ago 3
Sinatra at his most sensitive best!Sensitive in song,and sensitive to humanity as well.Bravo Sinatra.
paulostroff99 4 years ago 4
this says a very important message ,
and keveinanmeter is right "politcal correctnes" takes away freedom of speech!
frank sinatra was so wonderful!,
*Mj*
hughluver 4 years ago
oh Frank Sinatra
is such a great singer!!
AngiLuvsYa 4 years ago 3
We Americans definitely need this kind of reminder today - that we all are Americans, even if we have different ancestries and religions
uofc57 4 years ago 4
Yeah, I've met too many Americans since 2001 who act like the Horst Wessel Lied is more their style.
malchikinus 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
stupid patriotic idealism.
promoting the fact that americans were proud to be fat heads. the japs were dropping bombs and killing for their ideas and what they stood for (as ill guided as it may have been). but their views are evil. the american way is so much better. let's go kill other people and steal their countries.
nice
americans... just plain stupid
jamesspatig 4 years ago
Well; I'm an American, and you're a jack ass. You might be an American jack ass, maybe, but a jack ass to be sure.
You might read a history book one of these days ...
TheyveRunOutOfNames 4 years ago
The song's written by Albert Meeropol AKA Lewis Allan,the music by Earl Robinson -both persecuted for their left-wing views. Meeropol later wrote the anti-lynching song 'Strange Fruit', adopted the Rosenberg children after their parents were executed for being atomic spies. Albert Maltz who wrote Sinatra's lecture -also black-listed. Sinatra hired him to write 'The Execution of Private Eddie Slovak' -never produced because Joe Kennedy said it would hurt Jack in the presidential race.
1915fas 4 years ago
Thank you for keeping it real. We need to know the 411.
Mharris5819 3 years ago
i like films like these and i'm only 20 years old
Trudragon88 4 years ago 8
Good for you!
1915fas 4 years ago
BTW... 1915fas = Francis Albert Sinatra, right? :D
ragemanchoo82 4 years ago
Right!
1915fas 4 years ago
this kind of idealism in hollywood actors was unfashionable at the time. although he could be difficult to work with, Sinatra was genuinely idealistic and never a snob. at about this same time he spoke at high schools across the US about American values. he spoke at a high school in Gary, Indiana where there was a student walkout because the principal was welcoming black students to the school. a very good biography of Frank is J. Randy Tarabourelli's 'the man behind the legend.
lancevigorous 4 years ago 4
Wow, what a speech. "We all pray to the same God." People would laugh at such sentiment today. And what a fine actor Sinatra is.
7beers 4 years ago 4
I've never seen him looking better than in this video.
7beers 4 years ago
"Political Correctnes..." A term that make me sick to my stomach. Inflicted by damn liberals. What is political correctness? It's when you have to think twice before you think, say and act. In the old days, it was known by this term: "Communism."
Think about it.
kevinvanmeter 4 years ago
If you have a point, mac, I don't see it.
TheyveRunOutOfNames 4 years ago
I Remember This Movie Well God Bless America - Great Post
GenericGene 4 years ago
Only in America. lol
divvy1400yam600 4 years ago
Haha, so the moral of the story is "Don't hate people based on religion, hate them based on ethnicity!"....but seriously though, for those days, this was way ahead of ots time. Sinatra Rules. Everyone make sure they use their good American heads.
almightywang 4 years ago 3
here's a serious response.... no, we don't hate people based on their ethnicity, nor their religion - let's 'hate' them for what they do.
SacMyk 3 years ago
Check out Patti Labelle singing "The House I Live In," in a tribute to Frank.
jaraskiw 4 years ago
I saw this on the AMC channel over a decade ago. Nice to be able to see it again. Love the 40s lingo.
Peremptor 4 years ago
Don't hate Americans is the only lesson he's preaching! Ohh sure you can "bomb a Jap good and proper" but don't punch a fellow American.
Haydesign 4 years ago
I can understand where you're coming from. The "Jap fever" that swept the country in the 20's & 40's was scary - not to mention shameful. But it happened. So now we say to the people who were persecuted during that time - we are sorry for what happened then. Predujice is still around tho & we must be careful not to be part of the problem.
winkieandleah 4 years ago
What are you talking about? Japanese-Americans or the butchers of Imperial Japan who invaded China and slaughtered thousands of innocent people?
1915fas 4 years ago
Sinatra stood up for civil rights 20 years before there was even a movement or Dr. King. He demanded black musicians stay in the same hotels as him or he'd leave. That's why Patti Labelle sang this at his birthday. He also performed at prisons for years to make convicts feel like people again (one guy who served 20 years for robbery said it turned his life around). He also gave and raised over $1B in his 50 year career. Not many people like him left.
mrrocco1 4 years ago 5
God rest your soul Frank!!!! :*
Sunsinmyheart 4 years ago
POOR OLD SONG FOR OLDMAN
arystotelesxxx 4 years ago
Frank was way ahead of most Americans in 1945 regarding discrimination. Too bad this movie clip didn't show some African-American kids also. But I realize many movie houses would then not show it, especially in the South. Yes, our great country has some sad moments in our past. The answer: Courageous Leaders. (Any around?)
greenstboy 4 years ago 2
I agreed with him up to the point when he said 'God created everybody'.
liv4pool 4 years ago
God - Jesus - created everything in & above the earth. Genesis 1.
Lord Bless
winkieandleah 4 years ago
wow! this is great! frankie was the man. thank you for sharing this!
ria1313 4 years ago
I wonder if all my friends at Swingin' Down The Lane know about my other internet activities?
leichtbruno 4 years ago
Excellent, Happy Independence Day!
adventlady 4 years ago
wow! good job frankie. i rated and gave it awesome! cuz it is. haha..mann oh mann..i love when we get a close up of him when hes singing in the studio. ooo! gives me goosebumps! oh gosh..i love him. only if he was alive looking like that today!!! ooooo..what i wouldnt do to him. ;]]
rosawashere 4 years ago
Hey whata you work? I sing.....and nobody has come close since , simply marvalous!
ringadingtime 4 years ago
wow! you hit it right on the head! singing hasnt been the same since frank sinatra crooned his tunes. =]]
rosawashere 4 years ago
Written by Albert Maltz? Wasn't he blacklisted in the '50s ? Too bad that back then those who really stood for equality had to be communists.
CDSJAZZ 4 years ago
Most of those who were blacklisted weren't communists at all; they were falsely labeled as such.
Nonamearisto 4 years ago 2
Please never get rid of this. Young people like me need to see this. You Tube is the way to do it
woohooandrew 4 years ago
Oh my God, an actual video actually showing Sinatra on YouTube. I guess his leech of a family who refuse to work for a living didn`t get around to suing YouTube for this one yet.
Edhallick 4 years ago 2
Simply Brilliant. This guy was an original.
AuralriftS 4 years ago
Awesome!!
jasorts 4 years ago
frank sinatra...R.I.P
mohamedbond 4 years ago
Your video clip is great and I've rated it as awesome. Please check out mine on some 1960's chart topping stars: Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Cliff Richard, Billy Furry, Lonnie Donegan, and Shirley Bassey.
creamofcardstv 4 years ago
guyz...that's america to me XD
Metalshad0 4 years ago
Wow - Frank Sinatra - Now I understand why the girls swooned over him back in the 40's!
Doodlebug43 4 years ago
Frank Sinatra.. swoon!
iheartgeorgeh 4 years ago
I first saw this video when I was 11 years old in a movie theater and it made me an instant lifelong fan of Frank Sinatra....so good to see it again.
Barbo55 4 years ago
Classic viewing. I had not seen this for some time. I think Frank was deserving of a special Oscar for a movie short (if they had that back then). You can see how much emotion he put's into what he's saying. His voice is second to none.Thanks for posting video!
jw8466 4 years ago
Sinatra and the makers of the film did receive a special Academy Award for making this film. It is one of 2 oscars Sinatra won for a specific movie, the other being his supp. actor award for "From Here to Eternity" (1953).
criddic2 4 years ago
Frank Sinatra gave African Americans like Quincy Jones and Sammy Davis Jr. public exposure and acceptance.
ambradfo 4 years ago
A classic. " . . .Nazi werewolves I been readin' about" It's hilarious the way it's all about intolerance but slings around "Jap". Yeah, yeah, I know WW2 was still on, but still . . .
s235343 5 years ago