Military Intelligence and You!

Essentially a pastiche of World War II-era newsreels, information, propaganda and training films with parody voiceovers cobbled together around a period comedy, Military Intelligence and You! is a low-budget satire of the Mad magazine variety. During WWII, two military intelligence officers (Elizabeth Bennett, Patrick Muldoon) fight the good fight by “distinguishing dangerous enemies from merely annoying foreigners.” This 2006 production, which made the film festival circuit and received a limited theatrical release, rather cynically applies the war protest vocabulary of the Vietnam and Iraq eras to the world of Saving Private Ryan. Witty, albeit one-note satiric writing saves the rickety film, but the archival footage is of primary interest.

Shelf Talk: Sans recognizable stars and saddled with a burdensome title, what this entry has going for it is the popularity of WWII-related releases, particularly among older viewers in the “red states.” Unfortunately, despite its retro look and archival footage, Military Intelligence is undoubtedly better suited to younger, urban-based audiences, who will be less likely to find its arguably anti-American message offensive.