Five for Four

This animated short by Norman McLaren is a publicity message for a war bond campaign. Symbols, a stick man and lettering are drawn directly on 35mm film stock and synchronized with a brass band rendition of Sousa's march "The Thunderer."

This wartime publicity trailer by Norman McLaren focuses on wartime inflation and the role of price control. Single-frame animation is used with pen drawings made directly on 35mm film stock. Music is by Louis Applebaum, a leading composer and advocate for the arts in Canada.

In this extraordinary short animation, Evelyn Lambart and Norman McLaren painted colours, shapes, and transformations directly on to their filmstrip. The result is a vivid interpretation, in fluid lines and colour, of jazz music played by the Oscar Peterson Trio.

This animated short focuses on Mrs. Plugger, who is eager to start her own Victory Garden. Reminding her that tools are hard to get and that neither of them know much about gardening, Plugger organizes his neighbours to cultivate vegetables in a vacant lot. A message about the importance of cooperation and knowledge sharing . . . especially during war time.

This publicity clip for Canada Post is Norman McLaren's first film for the NFB. For this animated short, McLaren drew symbols by pen onto clear 35 mm stock, which was then superimposed on a photographed painted background. Benny Goodman's rendition of Jingle Bells provides the accompaniment.

This animated short produced during WWII shows how Plugger helped the war effort by renting out his spare room so that a new worker could be brought in to work an idle machine at the munitions plant.

This short wartime animation was designed to promote the remodeling of old clothing as part of the World War II effort.

An animated victory bond message with the advice, "Don't cash in your bonds."

Plugger is annoyed at seeing empty butcher's shelves. Beef is needed, explains Mrs. Plugger, to feed the soldiers overseas. Plugger cheerfully buys a chicken.

This animated portrayal of Canada's wartime economy uses simple symbols to present economic processes. The relationship of money, goods and prices is illustrated. There is a concise explanation of inflation and its implications, and of the efforts Canada is making to counteract inflationary trends with taxation, Victory Bonds and price ceilings. (Also released as Eyes Front No. 24.)

An animated film about wartime rationing. In peacetime, goods are plentiful. In wartime, production is at an all-time high--but much of it is for war, and there are less goods for the ordinary civilian. People with more money and time get more goods, which is unfair for those with less cash and leisure. The only fair way to distribute goods is to ration by coupon. Then, whenever you shop you get your share.