With These Hands

The year he created the role of Nathan Detroit in the Broadway production of GUYS AND DOLLS, Sam Levene also starred in this short feature for the International Ladies Garment Workers. He plays a fellow who became a member in 1910, before the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, and is now retiring with his union pension.

First, of course, we need to listen the heads of the Union congratulate themselves and Samuel Gompers for creating a union. Men at the top are needed, but so are the rank and file, like my grandfather, who was an organizer for the Men's hatmaker's union, and who spent many a night in jail for his efforts. He was a communist, like the director of this film, Jack Arnold, plays. Eventually Pop quit the Communist party, but remained a Marxist to the end of his long life.

It is therefore difficult for me to judge this movie with the same eye as I might another movie. Technically, it is all right, with some fine players. Besides Levene, Arlene Francis plays his wife, and Joseph Wiseman another union stalwart.

But in the end, this is another industrial film, a 50-minute commercial selling something: the union. And given it was made three-quarters of a century ago, it has touches that a modern audience would not notice, like the Black union members enjoying the same benefits as the White ones.... although back then, the Jewish and Italian members of the union would not be seen as White by the country's general population.

I am really surprised this film was nominated for an Oscar. It is just very poorly done. The subject matter is very interesting from the Upton Sinclair days of the early 1900s through the horrible Triangle fire.

They work through the Great War and into the Depression. Prior to WWII, FDR rallied the NRA, AFL and others.

The ILGW union was eventually founded. Working conditions improved.

The film was just boring. I tried to be interested in it, but just could not. The synopsis said that several Broadway stars helped out with this film, but I saw no evidence of any acting, writing or directing skills.