Bert, Your analysis of the propoganda film reminded me of two films from the 1950's that had a significant impression on me. The first was I WAS A COMMUNIST FOR THE FBI. The story concerned an undercover agent who infiltrated the communist party, but who was ostracized by his neighbors. He returned to his apartment one day and discovered a young boy in the hallway with a bat. The agent took the opportunity to show the boy a bunting stance (as I recall), but the boy's father intruded, telling the agent that baseball was an "American sport." I recall most vividly the closing scene in which the agent appeared at a trial. Upon taking the oath, the prosecutor asked him to state his name and disclose his position, whereupon the agent said, "I was a communist for the FBI>" The moment was electrifying. I was twelve or thirteen at the time and living in the South; Thus, my emotions were somewhat predictable. Another film, however, took me by surprise. STEEL HELMET is the story of American troops in South Korea who discover that enemy soldiers are Chinese, not North Koreans. The company captures Chinese soldiers and hold them for questioning, but find themselves surrounded. During their wait, the Chinese soldiers begin to question a Black soldier, asking why he fights for a country that forces him to ride in the back of the bus. "Yeah," I thought to myself, "Why is he?" With great relief, the soldier replied that one day he would sit in front. That film scene prompted me to begin to view racial discrimination more significantly. Film as propoganda is hardly new (Lenin, Riefensthal, English documentary filmmakers, American filmmakers in WWII). However, films also have an unanticipated influence.