The Autobiography of a 'Jeep'

This surprisingly interesting short documentary works much better than you might expect it to, given its basic description as a military-produced promotional film about the development of the jeep. The production is solid, and the footage provides plenty of variety that holds your interest rather well.

The narrative device of using the vehicle's perspective was no doubt chosen to keep the subject light and upbeat. While sometimes a bit at odds with the tone of the actual footage, it usually works all right.

The footage itself is generally quite good, showing many of the reasons why the humble-looking jeep became such a fixture in the Army. The brief footage of public figures and celebrities riding in jeeps is also interesting. It does solid job of presenting what the jeep is all about, and along the way it also gives you an appreciation for some of the many hardships and risks that the soldiers using it had to endure.