Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Lidia Draper Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

Cody One of the best movies of the year! Incredible from the beginning to the end.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) "You, John Jones!" is an American 11-minute live action short film from 1943, so this one has its 75th anniversary this year and this makes it a black-and-white sound film from the days of World War II of course. Director LeRoy and writer Wilson are both Oscar nominees and the cast does not need to hide either. James Cagney won his Oscar around the same time when this was released and Ann Sothern also has an Oscar nomination. The tiny Margaret O'Brien (80 now) doesn't, but she still fairly popular today for other reasons and roles. Overall, a tolerable b&w movie where I am not too sure if I liked the music or disliked it I guess. But it sure is not as much about the protagonist as you'd think from the title. Story-wise, itÄ's really nothing special and it hasn't aged too well I'd say. The only reason to see it today is probably to get an insight into the political context of the years when the US were actively involved in World War II. From a mere filmmaking perspective I give it a thumbs-down though. Not recommended.

utgard14 Top-notch World War II short designed to draw the attentions of Americans to the plight of children in other countries devastated by the war. It stars Jimmy Cagney as an air raid warden who is grateful his young daughter (Margaret O'Brien) is safe from the bombings people in other countries at the time were enduring. He imagines what it would be like for her in some of these other countries and we see the adorable little Miss O'Brien act out those scenes. This is an entertaining and thought-provoking short with three great on screen talents (Cagney, O'Brien, and Ann Sothern) giving their best. O'Brien is a real treat. She was really a shining star among child actors. With nice direction from Mervyn LeRoy and expert narration from Carey Wilson. Really good.

ccthemovieman-1 James Cagney, Ann Sothern and Margaret O'Brien all star in this Mervyn LeRoy-directed "wartime short," as they called them. Cagney plays an aviation worker who comes and sees his young daughter rehearsing the Gettysburg address.The man ("John Jones" played by Cagney) then gets called out on a security watch. As he sits on his park bench post, he starts talking out loud to God, saying "I don't think there will ever be a raid on the United States of America but people on our side are being bombed somewhere - England, Russia or China. It's just terrible, horrible....but I just want you to know I appreciate that it's not happening here."God talks back to him, asking him if he truly does appreciate it, and then Cagney sees pictures of what it would be like if he were in England, Greece, China, Yugoslavia, France and other war-torn areas. In each case, we see his daughter (O'Brien playing her) physically harmed or starving. The man returns home, asks his wife "Mary" (Sheridan) if she's okay, then gets another phone call with an "all-clear" message, goes to the door, looks upward and says "Thanks, God." Their daughter then finishes Lincoln's famous speech.The father kisses his daughter and adds, "Ain't it the beautiful truth?"This short was part of the 2-disc special-edition DVD of "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

fibbovan This 1943 short film (included as a supplement on the 2-Disc Edition of "Yankee Doodle Dandy") is nothing short of amazing. It was produced my Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios as a contribution to United Nations Week. It follows a few minutes in the life and imagination of John Jones (the stunning James Cagney), an engineer at an airplane factory that works for Civil Defense. As he comes home, he finds his wife (Ann Southern) watching their daughter ("Meet Me in St. Louis"'s Margaret O'Brien) reciting the Gettysburg Address, as practice for a school play. John revels in the words of the speech and goes to his Civil Defense post, watching for an air raid (remember, this was made during World War II). He prays to God, thanking him for letting him be in America, and not in countries where the fighting is more severe. God seems to reply to John, and John imagines what it would be like if his wife and child were in England, France, Greece, China, Yugoslavia, etc. (where the film becomes slightly gruesome). Jones then imagines a fictional air raid in America. The film flashes to John in real life. He rushes home to find his daughter and wife save, and the film fades out on the face of the adorable Margaret O'Brien reciting the final words of the Address. This thouroughly marvelous short oddly stands the test of time, making one feel that he or she should be glad to live in America where there is (for most of us) enough to eat and drink, and for Americans to feel safe when they go to bed at night. And "ain't it the beautiful truth."