Hell Bent for Election is a 1944 FDR-approved campaign film commissioned by United Auto Workers, inspiring viewers to register and vote for Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was the Democratic candidate at the time of the 1944 presidential elections. The film was UPA's (which at the time was Industrial Film and Poster Service) first ever animated movie. The director was none other than Chuck Jones, moonlighting from his regular job at Warner Bros.
The plot revolves around two trains headed to Washington, both are nearing Track 44note , and only one train can cross it. A stationmaster named Samnote tells Joe that he needs to sidetrack the Defeatist Limited. The Defeatist Limitednote pulls train wagons representing the current problems with America. The Win-The-War Specialnote pulls war supplies such as battleships, tanks, and crates. A wrecker named Horace tries to get Joe to fail his job by whacking his head and making him smoke until he passes out. Joe then has a dream about Dewey passing the Win-The-War Special. He eventually snaps out of his dream, switches the tracks, and the Defeatist Limited (violently) crashes, letting Roosevelt head to Washington.
In recent years, the film has had a steady cult following, mostly by railfans and animation buffs alike.
Hell Bent for Election includes examples of:
- The Alleged Train: Thomas Dewey, FDR's opponent in the 1944 election, is portrayed as a cranky old steam engine that can barely pull his Defeatist Limited freight train.
- Berserk Button: When Horace hears the mention of "winning the war", he flips and morphs into Hitler's face for a split-second.
- Cool Train: FDR is depicted as a sleek, streamlined steam engine pulling a high-speed freight train full of war supplies.
- Foreshadowing: Sam mentions the switch that Joe has to pull, and later in the film he succeeds in pulling it.
- Human Doorstop: In the end, Joe uses Horace as a lever to pull the switch.
- Limited Animation: This short offers a glimpse of the revolutionary style that UPA would develop in the following decade. While the treatment of the characters is conventional, the settings are sparse and abstract. The dream sequence has Joe as a white outline against a dark blue background.
- Metaphoric Metamorphosis: Horace briefly turns into Hitler while ranting against "Roosevelt's war."
- Propaganda Piece: Produced by a labor union in favor of Roosevelt, with the Republicans depicted as shady villains, or at least misguided and clueless.
- Railroad Tracks of Doom: Inverted. Thomas Dewey's track is switched to Roosevelt's line and causes the Defeatist Limited to derail.
- Runaway Train: The Defeatist Limited tries to stop but he’s a barreling runaway once the track is switched. Naturally, he crashes violently and winds up a jumbled mess.
- Running Gag: The Defeatist Limited tries everything in his power to overtake Roosevelt in cutaway scenes.
- Sentient Vehicle: The 1944 presidential candidates are depicted as trains: Roosevelt is the sleek, modern Win the War Special; while Dewey is a ramshackle steam engine, the Defeatist Limited.
- Take That!: A very early political example, particularly towards Republican candidate Thomas Dewey (better known for claiming a premature victory against Harry S. Truman in the 1948 election that earned him national mockery). While FDR's Win the War Special is depicted as a modern streamliner, Dewey's Defeatist Limited is depicted as a ramshackle old freight full of cars exasperating America's problems (i.e., high inflation, Head-in-the-Sand Management from the government). The locomotive's number is 1929, in reference to the start of The Great Depression, and when Horace appears trying to get Joe to fall asleep on the job, he morphs into Hitler when Joe mentions "winning the war", suggesting anyone trying to stop the war effort would only help the Axis win.note Furthermore, in Joe's nightmare, Roosevelt is at least able to stop when he can't get onto Track 44; when he pulls the switch in Roosevelt's favor in the real world, Dewey can't stop and smashes into a smoldering wreck.
- Wartime Cartoon: Made to encourage the reelection of FDR in the hopes that he would win the war.
