Masterful Cinema

Good idea lost in the noise

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Veteran MGM commentator Pete Smith had a voice that was made for comic, cynical narration, but on occasion, he could present really touching, moving stories, and here, he covers the desires of a blind young man to become active in world war II service. It surrounds a childhood prank that resulted in tragedy, dramatizing how a person's life can change through no fault of their own in a flash, and how sometimes being without certain senses can actually be a benefit. It's not surprising that this got an Oscar nomination. The only real comic moment occurs when Smith makes a crack about MGM's our gang shorts, giving a quick glimpse of one of them. This is one short that can actually be used for educational purposes to demonstrate how everybody can be useful. This is Pete Smith short that doesn't end with his traditional, "Bye now!"

I usually hate the 'Pete Smith Specialty' films--mostly because the humor seems very forced. However, this one is great--mostly because it's NOT a comedy!! The film is an interesting story about Ben Helwig. Of course he's not a household name but his story is very inspiring and interesting. It seems that Ben received a tragic head injury when he was a kid and soon went blind. This is not the end of the story, naturally, and what happens next is very inspiring and worth your time. I won't say more--just see this one. Very intelligently written and directed.By the way, a couple things to note. First, Spanky Mac Farland took a break from the Our Gang films in the 40s and tried his hand in a few other films--including this one. Sadly, the narrator referred to him as 'Fatty'...nice, huh? Also, I have no idea why, but the adult Helwig was NOT played by Helwig and I'd sure love to know why.

Unusual Pete Smith Specialty from MGM tells the story of a boy's childhood accident, getting hit by a baseball bat, that eventually took his sight in both eyes. With the aid of a caring mother and other authority figures, he acquires a dog for the blind and continues to make his toy airplanes and works skillfully with his hands in crafting other hand-made objects.When his rare abilities are noted by two men who happen upon seeing him work in his garage, they offer him a spot at their factory.Thus begins his true rehabilitation. RUSSELL GLEASON does a nice job as the man who works with his hands despite his disability.This short was produced in 1943 during the war effort which needed every pair of able hands to work in America's factories and offices. Well worth watching and based on a true story.

Seeing Hands (1943) *** 1/2 (out of 4)Oscar-nominated Pete Smith short is very serious in tone, which was a rarity with his films. The movie tells the true story of Bel Helwig (Russell Gleason) who as a boy was blinded after being hit in the head. As an adult he wants to help when WW2 breaks out but most won't hire him for anything until a couple men discover that he can pretty much see with his hands. I had never heard of this guy before but that's a reason why these shorts showing up on Turner Classic Movies are so great because they can teach you about things and people who might not have learned about otherwise. I was really effected by how great this guy appeared to be and how strong he had to become just to get over his blindness. Smith does a very tender job in telling his story and handles everything just fine. I also enjoyed the performance by Gleason and if you look fast you can see George "Spanky" McFarland in one of his final roles. I think the film also gives a good lesson on why disabled people should be allowed to work and how many could become great if given an opportunity.