User Reviews

A smiling peasant disregards the distress of his parents as he packs his belongings in preparation for his emigration to America and a dull and dusty introduction to the wonderful world of industrial safety measures in US factories. A very dry puff piece produced by Thanhauser studios for the United States Steel Corporation and the Committee for Safety.

This film is part of a DVD set entitled "Treasures III"--a set of four DVDs all about social issues and reform. The fourth disk (where you'll find this one) is about ethnic issues in particular.

Interestingly, according to the audio commentary, this film was sponsored by an anti-union organization. The film begins with a young man leaving his home in Europe to come to America. Soon you see actual footage of the Ellis Island facility. Oddly, this guy manages to move on to meet his brother in Gary, Indiana--a frightening saga that is skipped in the film. Instead, if focuses more on what the man does once he arrives. He is shown to the YMCA for lodging as well as going to get a job--pretty mundane stuff. Then, in some even more mundane shots, the new guy is being shown safety procedures. This really seems like a way to promote good will, educate and convince the public that industry is swell.

Then, the emigrant is transferred to the plant at Lorain (Ohio?). He seems to be moving up in the company. Once again, in a dry and educational manner, safety equipment in the factory is emphasized. Any pretense at sticking with the fictional story is forgotten until towards the end of the movie. All this really is apparently an attempt to recruit new workers as well as dispel notions that the factory work was dangerous--not to tell a story. And I should say, that compared to only 20 or so years earlier, the factories had improved dramatically (arms and legs were being torn off at much lower rates thanks to some safety innovations).

Overall, this is an important historical document even though it is very skewed and idealistic. But, it's also dry as dust--so be forewarned.

American in the Making, An (1913)

** (out of 4)

The Thanhouser Film Corp. made this short with the co-production of the Commite of Safety and the United states Steel Corporation. The film shows an immigrant landing in America and to become a real American he must learn the safety rules at a steel plant in Illinois. This short is rather unique but it eventually runs out of steam towards the end. Unlike the safety films from Pete Smith in the 1930s, this one here takes the subject very seriously and doesn't use humor to try and get the safety message across. The movie claims that labor work is for those without skill, which I'm sure some would argue against but we do see countless safety tips from wearing safety glasses to not walking in a danger zone. The funniest thing is the final two minutes where we get an actual film of the immigrant getting a wife and starting a family. The movie claims that if you work hard then you're guaranteed a beautiful woman will want you and that your kids will turn out beautiful and go to modeling school.

This film, as announced at the beginning, was gotten up to aid the work of the National Social Betterment Association. It shows a young Italian immigrant arriving in this country. His brother meets him at the Ellis Island dock, and the later scenes show him at the model factory city, Gary, Ind. The picture then shows many devices used to protect workmen, such as goggles to protect the eyes in the steel works, guards attached to saws, belts, etc. Six years later he is seen happily married, with a son going to a model school. Such a film as this makes an interesting novelty and distributes valuable information concerning industrial matters. - The Moving Picture World, May 3, 1913