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"The slow climb up the White House stairs was a wonderful opportunity to work in a conversation with the African American butler as they talked about patriotism with portraits of US presidents behind them.  Even though Cohan was a major celebrity at that time, it rather brought to mind the great ascent of the \"simple\" Irish immigrant family and how that could only happen in America. This really kicks in when the flashback shows Cohan's father in a sort of \"leprechaun\" suit in start old-world contrast to his fully integrated American son. \n \n\n\n\tIn FDR's office, the walls are covered with pictures of ships, many of which are great sailing ships. Ships brought immigrants, helped build the country and in 1942 have a martial overtone. Ships, and the sailors in them, imply duty, service, and self-sacrifice. I can imagine the Office of War Information was grinning ear to ear with mise-en-scene of Yankee Doodle Dandy!   Also in the office, one can't help but notice the flag pin on Cohan's lapel.  \n \n\n\n\tIn the flashback, the music hall sign announces \"Zouaves\" which I found very interesting. Zouaves were originally French North African troops, but later many tough army units around the world took on that title. There were even American Zouave units in the Civil War and Louisiana French Zouaves, so I don't know if that theatrical show was about the Civil War (a few years before Cohan's parade flashback,  or if the Zouaves are a reference to the \"exotic\" fighting abroad, which, in the contemporary 1942 era, included North Africa.\n \n\n\n\tJust as an aside, as a teacher, I am very conscious of the lack of color in many crowd scenes in so-called \"typical American cities\"  when I show films or clips to my students. (Yes, I understand that we have to view these as historical artifacts, and the fact is I never looked at the films for race until I began to teach.) I just think would it have killed casting, even back in 1942,  to add a few non-white faces in the crowd of the parade, faces of people who were also very patriotic? Sometimes I wonder with all the Jewish people in the Studio System who knew what prejudice was, why they weren't a little more sensitive. \n "
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