Rusty AllenIn Ella’s War, a moment arrives for our heroine in which something seemingly incidental confirms what she already knows but not acted on. An otherwise minor experience clarifies a profound life decision that she hasn’t admitted to herself that she’s already made.
The event comes in the form of a classic U.S. government-industry propaganda film that by happenstance she witnesses as a preview in a movie theater. This very real short was put out during WWII to encourage farmers to continue their patriotic agricultural duty and to stay on the land. That is, to keep producing as an essential part of the war effort.
You can view this poignant and fascinating little B flick in its entirety on YouTube, and I urge anyone interested in the issues and themes of World War II in America to do so: watch here.
It’s so evocative of the era, and brings home in wonderfully corny and earnest style the choices that many faced at the time and that Ella must answer to. Because of some similarities of conflicts, I had originally given my novel the working title of Soldiers of the Soil, but Ella’s more personal, romantic dilemma ending up taking over the book. 😉 Haha.
