24 Jan 1942
We Do It Because
This John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short explores the origins of various customs such as shaking hands, kissing, and why ships are christened.
The Story That Couldn't Be Printed
This John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short tells the story of John Peter Zenger, who in Colonial New York was tried for sedition based on what he printed in his newspaper.
Top Billed Cast
John Nesbitt Narrator (voice)
Victor Kilian John Peter Zenger (uncredited)
Naomi Childers Courtroom Spectator (uncredited)
Mary Gordon Woman Reading Newspaper (uncredited)
Edward Hearn Trooper (uncredited)
John Hubbard Attorney John Alexander (uncredited)
Carl Stockdale Hank (uncredited)
Similar movies
We Do It Because We Do It Because Of Pups and Puzzles 
Of Pups and Puzzles 06 Sep 1941
Of Pups and Puzzles
This short film shows how the war department utilizes a Ph.D., a chimp, and three dogs to help design aptitude tests for men applying for work.
Stairway to Light 
Stairway to Light 03 Nov 1945
Stairway to Light
This John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short tells the story of 18th Century French physician Dr. Philippe Pinel, who initiated enlightened, humane treatment of the mentally ill.
Utopia of Death 
Utopia of Death 12 Oct 1940
Utopia of Death
This short film focuses on the mysterious and legendary Seri Indians who live in a utopian colony off the west coast of Mexico.
A Way in the Wilderness 
A Way in the Wilderness 22 Jun 1940
A Way in the Wilderness
This Passing Parade entry tells the story of Dr. Joseph Goldberger (1874-1929), a Hungarian immigrant who devoted his life to finding the cause of pellagra, a disease that killed hundreds of thousands in the southern United States. Although the medical community believed that the condition was caused by a virus, Goldberger proved that a healthy diet was the cure.
The Face Behind the Mask 
The Face Behind the Mask 19 Mar 1938
The Face Behind the Mask
This dramatized short film describes the historical mystery of France's "man in the iron mask". King Louis XIV imprisoned a man who was never identified, but who was forced to wear an iron mask for the length of his captivity, which ended only in his death. Several candidates for the identity of the man are investigated.
Operation Teak 
Operation Teak Operation Teak
On the 10th anniversary of his band Rall Tide’s debut album, artist Peter Kotas takes you on a flowering multimedia tour of Detroit musicians trying to survive in a world where you can’t even enjoy a baseball game without supporting The Bay of Pigs. Along the way he shows you how the band’s abrupt break-up led to his career as a political journalist peeking behind the curtains of Kansas to find diplomatic wizard Mike Pompeo, Trump’s CIA Director and Secretary of State, wears no clothes. Iowa Writer’s Workshop hero Kurt Vonnegut (or some entity that knows all about his life) hosts this documentary as the ideal human from his 1985 novel Galapagos: a penguin with flippers unable to pull triggers or press buttons to bomb and kill people.
One Against the World One Against the World 19 Aug 1939
One Against the World
This short film presents the story of Dr. Ephraim McDowell, who came under scrutiny for his pioneering of surgical practices.
The Seesaw and the Shoes 
The Seesaw and the Shoes 05 May 1945
The Seesaw and the Shoes
This short shows how two objects led to important discoveries. Children playing with a seesaw inspire French physician Rene Laennec to invent the stethoscope, and a pair of shoes made of caoutchouc lead Charles Goodyear to discover the process for vulcanizing rubber.
Dreams 
Dreams 10 Nov 1940
Dreams
This entry in MGM's Passing Parade series looks at the meaning of dreams, including one by Abraham Lincoln that foretold his death.
Clues to Adventure Clues to Adventure 11 Apr 1949
Clues to Adventure
This MGM Passing Parade series short presents how separate events led to the creation of three provisions - freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and prohibition of the infliction of cruel and unusual punishments - in the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights.
Flag of Mercy 
Flag of Mercy 31 Jan 1942
Flag of Mercy
The 1939 dramatic short "Angel of Mercy," about Red Cross founder Clara Barton, is reedited to relate the story to America's involvement in World War II. Edited from Angel of Mercy (1939)
The Golden Hunch 
The Golden Hunch 15 Nov 1945
The Golden Hunch
This entry in John Nesbitt's "Passing Parade" series is about the great moments in the lives of famous men who found found an answer or made a great discovery in the flash of a golden hunch.
Mr. Whitney Had a Notion Mr. Whitney Had a Notion 07 May 1949
Mr. Whitney Had a Notion
Historical short showing how Eli Whitney (best known for the invention of the cotton gin) played a significant role in the introduction of mass production techniques to the USA in the late 18th century.
Souvenirs of Death Souvenirs of Death 19 Jun 1948
Souvenirs of Death
This MGM John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series short tells the story of how a Mauser pistol used on the battlefield by Germans during WWII makes its way into the hands of an American gangster.
A Lady Fights Back 
A Lady Fights Back 11 Nov 1944
A Lady Fights Back
The saga of the Normandie is recounted from her life as a luxury liner, the horrific fire that nearly destroyed her, and her resuscitation to join in the war effort. A John Nesbitt's Passing Parade short.
Angel of Mercy 
Angel of Mercy 20 May 1939
Angel of Mercy
This MGM Passing Parade series short tells the story of Clara Barton, the founder of the Red Cross.
People on Paper 
People on Paper 17 Nov 1945
People on Paper
Americans are preoccupied with the news, but need an escape from many of the events reported in the news. These escapes in the past have included dime store novels. The most accessible of these escapes is what are known as the funny papers, the set of serialized comic strips that are included within many newspapers. They appeal to all socio-economic classes, and all ages. Some of the earliest known from the late 19th century include the Yellow Kid, Little Nemo, Happy Hooligan, the Katzenjammer Kids, Mutt & Jeff, and Bringing Up Father. Many cartoonists are seen in action. Some originated their characters, while others have taken over following the passing of the originator. The joy of many comic strips are the absurd and the fantastical, which are limited only by the imagination of the cartoonist. Others are grounded in reality, which add to their poignancy within the public mindset.
American Spoken Here 
American Spoken Here 30 Nov 1940
American Spoken Here
This MGM John Nesbitt's Passing Parade series short takes a look at the origins of North American slang.
Obaida 
Obaida 24 Apr 2019
Obaida
OBAIDA, a short film by Matthew Cassel, explores a Palestinian child’s experience of Israeli military arrest. Each year, some 700 Palestinian children undergo military detention in a system where ill-treatment is widespread and institutionalized. For these young detainees, few rights are guaranteed, even on paper. After release, the experience of detention continues to shape and mark former child prisoners’ path forward.