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Marines in the Making

Name: Marines in the Making
Director: Herbert Polesie
Released: 1942
Duration: 9 min

Representation Score

1.1/10

Minimal

1942

Approved

Director

Herbert Polesie

Runtime

9 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Marines in the Making serves as a functional artifact of 1942 wartime mobilization. Its primary purpose is to document the physical preparation and institutional discipline of the United States Marines through combat training. The film operates within a narrow, traditionalist framework. It prioritizes physical standardization and collective discipline, reflecting the rigid social and military hierarchies of the early 1940s. Because the documentary focuses on the idealized physical specimen required for combat, it offers almost no representation of underrepresented identities, focusing instead on the reinforcement of established wartime norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does Marines in the Making have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict any non-straight relationships or queer narratives. It adheres strictly to the assumption that everyone is straight.

How does Marines in the Making portray gender?

Minimal

The narrative focuses exclusively on male soldiers involved in combat training. It reinforces traditional masculine hierarchies by centering physical strength and military discipline.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Marines in the Making?

Limited

The film likely reflects the racial homogeneity of the era's military institutions. It lacks evidence of integrated training units or diverse casting.

How does Marines in the Making represent religion and culture?

Minimal

The film promotes wartime patriotism and institutional loyalty. It prioritizes the strengthening of Western military institutions without offering critique of traditional authority.

Does Marines in the Making include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no representation of neurodivergence or physical disability. The subjects are selected specifically for their physical conformity to military standards.

Present on Screen

Provides a clear historical record of 1940s military training and hand-to-hand combat techniques.

Limited or Absent

Lacks representation of women, diverse racial groups, or non-straight identities.
Excludes individuals with disabilities, focusing only on idealized physical specimens.
Reinforces rigid, period-specific social hierarchies and traditional gender roles.

Official Synopsis

This short film shows U.S. Marines in training at a number of unidentified bases, with a focus on hand-to-hand combat.

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