User Reviews

Just watched this vintage M-G-M short on the Gigi DVD. A narrator tells what a nickel used to buy back in the early 20th century and then tells it's still worth a stamp (this was made in the early '50s) that is used to deliver letters from naturalized U.S. citizens to their country of origin. The narrator then tells how important these letters are since they are useful in countering the anti-American messages of the opposing countries' broadcasters and newspapermen. M-G-M stars of the time from the outside lands tell in their native language of how important these letters are here. In summary, this was quite an interesting short I watched so on that note, The Million Dollar Nickel is worth a look.

It's extraordinary how something like the nickel can be the subject of a documentary from MGM which ends with statements from four of their stars to write letters overseas to let European know what America is really like.

It begins with a look at the nickel over the years and how it became the most used bit of currency from Americans during the '20s and '30s (and even '40s), buying everything from a haircut to a beer or a visit to a movie house known as "the Nickelodeon".

The rather dry narrative goes on and on extolling the virtues of spreading America's capitalistic system throughout the world by writing letters which can be posted for a nickel to all your European relatives or friends, concluding with the brief statements from Leslie Caron, Ricardo Montalban, Pier Angeli and Zsa Zsa Gabor, all of whom speak in their native languages. Seems to be saying what we all know--the pen is mightier than the sword to spread democracy.

ALTHOUGH WE TEND to think of the SHORT SUIBJECT Film as the domain of the One & Two Reeler Comedies today, the truth is that it was at one time as varied and eclectic in subject matter as our handy home Funk & Wagnals encyclopedia. Topics were chosen for our enlightenment and edification, as well as our entertainment.

PERHAPS THIS WAS Hollywood's way of demonstrating its magnanimous and unselfish loyalty to its movie going public; or could it be that this policy of broad subject range was economical and afforded an opportunity to save some budgetary buck$? We suspect that it was a combination of the two.

THE FILM STARTS off with a little dissertation about how we take view of the lowly 5 cent piece and builds a little sympathy for the coin. From there we get a tour of the United States Department of the Treasury's Mint and see some of the newborn Indian Heads and/or Jeffersons arriving in this world.

WE THEN GET a little look into the journey of the coin and how, although being seemingly small and insignificant, the 5 center is so popular in the business of promoting the exchange of goods and services. Nickels, it would appear, sort of overwhelm the market place o the strength of sheer numbers and usefulness.

BUT LEST WE forget, this short, much like the humble, little nickel is part of the greater scheme of things. So, the "suits" at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer didn't wish to let its being exhibited to that previously public. Being that the opportunity to exploit this movie's being on the playbill in so many theatres, why not polish it up a little with appearances by some of the up & coming contractees of Leo the Lion? Why indeed and why not is the answer.

IN RESPONSE TO this need, the Studio included appearances by four of its protégés for purpose of adding some substance to the production, imparting some friendly advice in multi-linguistics and just to get them and their names in front of the cameras. The participants and language spoken were: Pier Angeli (Italian), Ricardo Montalban (Spanish), Leslie Caron (French) and Zsa Zsa Gabor (Hungarian).

ROUNDING OUT THE professional talent on screen (or soundtrack) was the Narrator, John Nesbitt (uncredited). He was the narrator whose name appeared as John Nesbitt's PASSING SCENE Shorts series. These were a long running series of Travelogues; which were in themselves, yet another genre of the Short Subject field..

A short documentary touting the United States issued 5-cent stamp, which could send a letter from freedom loving Americans to those outside the United States. Communist bloc countries, like Poland, are specifically noted as countries receiving millions of letters from the USA. These letters promote the American way of life "we take for granted"; and, many "penetrate the Iron Curtain". MGM studios figure the nickel to be worth a million dollars, due to its usefulness in spreading democracy. Pier Angeli, Ricardo Montalban, Leslie Caron, and Zsa Zsa Gabor deliver brief messages to viewers, near the film's end, in their native tongues. The three actresses are of some interest, as they are in their "starlet" years; otherwise, "The Million Dollar Nickel" is of limited worth.

*** The Million Dollar Nickel (1952) John Nesbitt ~ Zsa Zsa Gabor, Leslie Caron, Pier Angeli

Just caught the last half of this great MGM short on TCM. Well done little propaganda piece promoting the idea of immigrant Americans writing a postcard to their families and friends back in "the mother country" to tell them about life in America. Nothing pushy, just "tell them the truth about your life here" - with several famous immigrant actors giving variations on that message in their native tongue (with English subtitles) - i.e. Ricardo Montalban in Spanish, Zsa Zsa Gabor in Hungarian, etc.

Actually, it occurred to me after seeing this short that, with all of the increased tension lately between the west (especially US and Europe) and the Muslim world, more honest direct communication between ordinary human beings might not be a bad idea. Maybe this little cold war short still has something to teach us. (And, it would make a great addition to a DVD box set of these great old short subjects that most of the studios used to make back in the 1930s-50s)

Million Dollar Nickel, The (1952)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

MGM short is pretty much a Cold War propaganda piece. The documentary starts off by showing us what we use to be able to buy with a nickel and then we just to current times where a nickel won't buy much. We learn, however, that a nickel will buy us a stamp that will allow us to write to people overseas and let them know what a wonderful country America is. We also learn that it's very important to try and get letters into Russia since their government is evil and we would be making America proud if they fall. As you can tell, this is a pretty out there little short but it remains entertaining throughout its 9-minute running time. The entire propaganda here could be cut up and thrown out and a lot of what was said then is probably why certain issues are here today. The highlight of the film was visiting a plant in Philadelphia where coins are made and then to NYC to see a post office and how letters were handled back in the day.