Nostradamus, astrology and the Bible: Second World War: American Nostradamus-movies 1938-1955

In 1975, the American M. Kurt Goerdelman founded the group Personal Freedom Outreach. The aims of this group: (1) to educate Christians about the dangers and heretical doctrines of religious cults; (2) to use the Gospel of Jesus Christ to reach members of thEse cults and (3) to warn Christians of unbiblical teachings within the church itself.
On the website of Personal Freedom Outreach, Goerdelman published the article The tarnished prophet of the 16th century - the legacy of Nostradamus.[1] One of the topics which he discussed in this article was the psychological warfare of the Nazi's and the Allies, based upon the Centuries. According to Goerdelman, Hitler used the oracles of Nostradamus to encourage the success of his military campaigns. Winston Churchill, England's Prime Minister, and the United States responded by publishing other predictions of Nostradamus which would fortell Hitler's fall. The American film company Metro Goldwyn Mayer produced a journal, entitled Nostradamus says so, which was shown in movie theatres all over the USA during World War II.
The title Nostradamus says so is also mentioned in The Nostradamus Encyclopedia (Peter Lemesurier, New York, 1997, page 147). Lemesurier writes that MGM produced a series of short movies in order to boost the morale in the USA. In the first of these series, entitled Nostradamus says so, an edited version of Sixain 15 was presented as a genuine prediction of Nostradamus.
In Nostradamus - a life and myth (2003), the American Century-scholar John Hogue wrote that Goebbels used the Centuries for propaganda. As a result, Churchill launched counter-propaganda, produced by his own group of interpreters, and MGM made Nostradamus appear on the silver screen in order to boost American morale. Hogue did not mention titles of American films about Nostradamus, produced in World War II.[2]

Carey Wilson
The American Century-scholar Edgar Leoni wrote that a leading American publisher decided to re-issue Oracles of Nostradamus, written in 1891 by the British Century-scholar Charles A. Ward, because of an increasing number of European publications about Nostradamus and the war which had begun in 1939. A summary of Ward's book, published in a pocket-edition, fell into the hands of Carey Wilson (Philadelphia, May 19, 1889 - Hollywood, February 1, 1962), the producer of the popular M-G-M Miniatures. Leoni mentioned four titles of short movies about Nostradamus: Nostradamus, More about Nostradamus, Further prophecies of Nostradamus en Nostradamus IV.[3] He did not give the years in which those movies were produced.
The website Internet Movie Database contains information about more than twenty movies about Nostradamus, the first one produced in 1930. On this website, information can be found about six short movies about Nostradamus in which Wilson was involved, the first in 1938 and the last in 1955. In 1938, Wilson wanted to offer his compatriots, who suffered from the economic depression, amusement by presenting something very unusual. During World War II, he produced four more movies. Most of them contained material which was connected with World War II.[4] Actually, Wilson was involved in the production of seven short movies about Nostradamus.

Nostradamus - an historical mystery (1938) Nostradamus - an historical mystery (1938)
On September 24, 1938, the English spoken b/w movie Nostradamus was released in the USA. This film, produced by MGM, had a length of 11 minutes and was directed by David Miller. The script was credited to Carl Dudley. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
Nostradamus is the first film in a series of short films by MGM about Nostradamus. It contains predictions about European monarchs, the American Revolution in 1776 and the French Revolution in 1789. It also contains a prediction about an event which will happen in Paris in 1999.

More about Nostradamus (1941)
On January 18, 1941, the English spoken b/w movie More about Nostradamus was released in the USA. Another title of this movie is Carey Wilson's "More about Nostradamus" USA. This movie was directed by David Miller; the script was credited to Carl Dudley and Franco-Bruno Averardi. The narration was by Carey Wilson. More about Nostradamus was nominated for an Oscar for the best one-reel movie.
More about Nostradamus begins with a short biography of Nostradamus and striking predictions, such as the prediction to a young priest that later, he would become Pope Sixtus V. Then, the actuality is discussed. Nostradamus has predicted World War I. A number of quatrains are linked to events which lead to World War II. Another number of quatrains are linked to events which happened during World War II.

Further prophecies of Nostradamus (1942)
On May 9, 1942, the English spoken b/w movie Further prophecies of Nostradamus was released in the USA. Another title of this movie is M-G-M Miniatures No. M-335: Further Prophecies of Nostradamus (USA). This movie, with a length of 11 minutes, was directed by David Miller. The script was credited to Carl Dudley. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
In this movie, a couple of predictions by Nostradamus are linked to World War II.

Nostradamus and the Queen (1942)
The English spoken b/w movie Nostradamus and the Queen is also known under the title Nostradamus and the Queen (Prophecies of Nostradamus #3) (USA). Counting from More about Nostradamus (1941), this is the third movie in the series of short movies about Nostradamus, produced in World War II. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
The main theme of this movie is the way the predictions of Nostradamus re-enforced the rapacious Catherine de' Medici and the fate of her sons Francis II, Charles IX and Henry III, who each would rule France.
The summary of the script does not contain references to World War II.

Nostradamus IV (1944)
On November 9, 1944, the English spoken b/w movie Nostradamus IV was released in the USA. Nostradamus IV was directed by Paul Burnford and Cy Endfield and had a length of 11 minutes. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
Nostradamus IV starts with the headline "Mussolini Kicked Out". Carey Wilson emphasized that this prediction by Nostradamus already was presented in one of his earlier movies about Nostradamus. Counting from More about Nostradamus (1941), this is the fourth movie in the series of short movies about Nostradamus, produced in World War II.
The main theme of Nostradamus IV was a "Fossan"-quatrain, in which Nostradamus according to Wilson foresaw the rise and fall of Hitler.[5]
In advertising material, it was written that one could see in this movie that 400 years ago the amazing prophet Nostradamus predicted the rise of Hitler and how he would meet his end. On the movie poster, a person was depicted who resembled Hitler and whose throat was cut from behind.

Let's ask Nostradamus - as told by Carey Wilson (1953)
A short b/w movie, not mentioned on the website Internet Movie Database, produced by MGM and directed by Peter Ballbush. The movie had a length of 10 minutes. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
In this movie, quatrains are discussed which are linked to the French Revolution and the death of Louis XVI. Also, quatrains are discussed which are linked to a coming period of peace in the world which will last for a long time.
The poster contains elements which also occur in the poster of the movie Nostradamus - an historical mystery (1938).

Nostradamus says so! (1955)
The English b/w movie Nostradamus says so! was directed by Richard H. Landau and had a length of 11 minutes. The narration was by Carey Wilson.
In Nostradamus says so!, the predictions of Nostradamus are linked to post-war events such as the coronation of Elizabeth II, the founding of the United Nations Organization, the Korean war, astronomic research, tests of nuclear bombs and trials in the early '50's against communist spies.

De Meern, the Netherlands, March 9, 2007
T.W.M. van Berkel
actualized on May 20, 2007