The Gold Brick (1943)

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

If you like to be scared, if you like to laugh, and if you like to learn a thing or two at the movies, this absolutely cannot be missed.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The Goldbrick (1943) ** 1/2 (out of 4)It's raining and cold outside when the alarm is given for Private Snafu to wake up and go train. He really doesn't feel like working today so he decides to play sick to get out of having to do anything. We then learn why he shouldn't have done this. This is another good entry in the War Department's training series, which was made to show soldiers why certain things shouldn't be done. This one here certainly isn't bad but then again it really doesn't stand out either. The animation is certainly the highlight as it's done extremely well. Mel Blanc also does a very good job with the vocal work. Unlike some of the other films in the series, this one here doesn't feature any of the "adult" moments showing why this was aimed at soldiers and not the general paying public.

Basically what you can learn from Private Snafu is how not to be a soldier, and in "The Goldbrick", Snafu is persuaded in song by his technical fairy that he no longer needs to exert any physical energy on his duties. That means trouble! Two highlights: First, the snoring Snafu blows upward the skirt in his girl's picture frame, thus revealing her panties; a bugle then blows reveille in Snafu's ear, and his head bobs uncontrollably from side to side. And second, the fairy reveals himself at the end as a stereotypical Japanese soldier who happily finishes the fairy's goldbrick song.Lesson learned: Soldiers, don't lie down on the job. Our country needs you!

The Private Snafu films were clearly made to be seen by soldiers and not by the general public. The dirty jokes, sexual innuendos and language is relatively tame today but never would have been allowed in the regular theaters due to the Production Code. But, such off-color remarks went over very well with the enlisted men and helped to illustrate important information in a humorous and memorable fashion.In this cartoon, instead of Technical Fairy First Class, you see a new but fatter character. And, instead of teaching him a good lesson, this fairy encourages Snafu to take the easy way out again and again. By the end of the film, Snafu is in deep trouble and you discover the truth about this new fairy.Overall, a rather sub-par Snafu cartoon, though for fans of the series, it's still worth seeing. The biggest problem with it is that it's just less funny than the typical film and seemed a bit preachy.

Snafu is tired of not getting any rest.That's when Goldie the GoldBrick(who's fatter than Technical Fairy First Class) comes along.He gives out tips on how to skip his duties and rest more.Snafu takes every one of these tips.But when he goes out into battle that can be a problem when he's all pooped out. And Goldie the Goldbrick isn't as trustworthy as he seems.This is another fine Private Snafu Cartoon with plenty of Dr. Suess like rhythms.It's a good lesson in not being a Goldbrick yourself when you're in the war.