Thanks for Everything (1938)
Directed by William A. Seiter / William Seiter
Genres - Comedy |
Sub-Genres - Media Satire |
Release Date - Dec 23, 1938 (USA - Unknown) |
Run Time - 70 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - NR
Share on
Synopsis by Hal Erickson
Thanks for Everything is an unjustly forgotten lampoon of media promotional stunts. Jack Haley wins a contest sponsored by an ad agency, which is looking for the perfect "average American." The contest's avaricious promoters (Adolphe Menjou and Jack Oakie) use poor Haley as a merchandising tool by having him endorse all sorts of products. When Haley's girl friend (Arleen Whelan) realizes that the hapless fellow is being exploited as a means of controlling the advertising industry, Haley insists that the promoters cease and desist or he'll blow the whistle. The promoters respond by discrediting Haley as a crackpot, but justice triumphs in the end. Thanks for Everything is capped by a bizarre sequence in which Menjou and Oakie convince Haley that World War II has broken out--a sequence filmed one year before this actually occurred!
Characteristics
Themes
Keywords
contest, man, radio, winner, advertising-agency, America, con/scam, exploitation, love, romance