To Tell the Truth: Working for Change 2012
Distributed by Icarus Films, 32 Court St., 21st Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201; 800-876-1710
Produced by Ali Pomeroy
Directed by Calvin Skaggs
DVD , color, 56 min.
Jr. High - General Adult
Communication, Documentaries, Films, History, Mass Media, Social Movements, U.S. History, and World History
Date Entered: 04/18/2014
Reviewed by Margaret M. Reed, Riley-Hickingbotham Library, Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, ARWorking for Change marks a significant turning point in filmmaking, a time shaped by the despair of the Great Depression and the promise of the New Deal.
This second installment of the six-part To Tell the Truth series focuses on the origins of the social documentary and profiles the innovative minds who pioneered the genre in the 1930s. Among them were the founders of the U.S. Workers Film and Photo League and noted Scottish filmmaker John Grierson. Deviating from the glamorized “news reel” approach to filmmaking, their unabashed storytelling exposed the harsh realities of unemployment and paid tribute to the working poor.
Reflecting the creativity of the filmmakers, this episode is a rich collection of personal interviews intertwined with scenes from early social documentaries, including The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936), Night Mail (1936), and Native Land (1942). It also provides rare insight into the politics and government initiatives that inspired these films and their creators.
A unique intersection of art, reality, and social impact, Working for Change is an outstanding resource for courses in film history, social movements, and mass communication. It is also a great choice for academic and public libraries.