Service with the Colors is a 1940 short film (20 minutes) directed by B. Reeves Eason.
It is typical of the patriotic (and propagandistic) short films made by the Hollywood studios just before and during World War II. In this one, four young men from Middle America sign up for the Army and go off for basic training at the most scenic boot camp location ever, the Presidio in San Francisco. Three of them are gung-ho recruits, but the fourth, Charles Corbin, states flatly that he joined the Army solely because it would guarantee him clothes and three square meals a day. Eventually the tiresome nature of life in the military overcomes the attraction of Army chow, and Charles decides that he will desert.
Tropes:
- An Aesop: The Army is great!
- Boot Camp Episode: Four average Joes join the Army and go through boot camp at the Presidio. One tries to desert.
- Captain Smooth and Sergeant Rough: Sgt. Clicker being a very mild "rough" but he does yell sometimes. Base commander Col. Nelson is definitely smooth, talking indulgently when Pvt. Corbin comes over to complain about the Army (Nelson's in civilian clothes so Corbin doesn't know he's talking to his CO) and later letting Corbin off the hook when he could have been charged with desertion.
- Drill Sergeant Nasty: An extremely mild example since this is basically Army propaganda, but Sgt. Clicker does yell at his green young recruits, saying "You're like a bunch of old women!" when they go through a marching drill, and he bawls out Pvt. Corbin for yacking at Col. Nelson.
- Eagleland: A rah-rah patriotism short film about how the Army has done great things and how all Americans should be proud of the Army and its flag.
- Flat Character: The other three guys who sign up with Charles and head off to the Army are extremely generic and even look alike. It's only Charles with his discontent with army life that has any character depth.
- Flowers of Femininity: Alluded to by Sgt. Clicker, who brings a bouquet to Charles's hospital room but asks the others "I suppose you think I'm a sissy for bringing him flowers?"
- Narrator: The story is set in motion by a narrator who talks about how awesome the Army is and all the cool stuff the Army has done, like help build the railroads and the Panama Canal. The narrator then exits as the film plays, but at the end he comes back to say that all Americans should be proud of servicemen.
- Officer O'Hara: Sgt. O'Hara, as Sgt. Clicker, the gruff drill sergeant, speaks with an Irish accent.
- Title Drop: The film ends with Charles proudly carrying the regimental flag, while the narrator says "So let every true patriot be proud of these American soldiers,as they are proud of their service with the colors!"
- What You Are in the Dark: Charles has somehow found civilian clothes and is making his escape. He is hiding in some bushes when he sees a careless truck driver about to plow into some stacked logs, which would then topple over onto Charles's buddies who are sitting down behind the logs. Charles runs out from the bushes, warns his buddies, and is himself badly injured when the logs topple over.
