Aaron Copland was the first composer to make symphonic music sound American, so naturally Hollywood came calling. Many of his scores are seldom heard today, because they were for films that are infrequently revived. “Aaron Copland: Music for American Movies” reintroduces two such pictures, both directed by Lewis Milestone, whose credits include the original Ocean’s 11. Copland’s first movie job was the 1939 adaptation of John Steinbeck’s stark Depression parable, Of Mice and Men (at 2 p.m.), which is preceded by a wartime documentary short and introduced by Copland scholar Neil Lerner. Even rarer is The North Star (at 4:30 p.m.), a pro-Soviet 1943 film scripted by Lillian Hellman to advance the war effort. The story concerns Ukrainian villagers who face Nazi invasion, but the credits couldn’t be more American: In addition to Copland’s music, they include Ira Gershwin lyrics and a cast headed by Dana Andrews. The films show at the National Gallery of Art’s East Building Auditorium, 4th St. & Constitution Ave. NW. Free. (202) 737-4215.