The City (I) (1939)

Made by a group of people with, if not an axe to grind, a purpose in mind, which appears to be a plug for future suburbia and back to the idyllic towns of the past and the Big City would ... See full summary »

Directors:

Ralph Steiner, Willard Van Dyke

Writers:

Pare Lorentz (outline), Henwar Rodakiewicz (scenario),

Stars:

Morris Carnovsky

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Morris Carnovsky	...	Narrator (voice)

Storyline

Made by a group of people with, if not an axe to grind, a purpose in mind, which appears to be a plug for future suburbia and back to the idyllic towns of the past and the Big City would just be a place where people work but not live. Or something like that, as it is told in a schizophrenic method that primarily drones on about ...it started like this and it was good, and it becames this and it was bad, yada, yada, yada. Based on how America looks today...large metroplexes surrounded by super highways surrounded by look-alike suburbs with more super highways leading out to other metroplexes--- the goal was accomplished but the results aren't what was envisioned in 1939. The film was made possible by funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York and has a definite leftward-slant which is no surprise based on some of the names connected with the original film. It was later adapted and edited into an entry of John Nesbitt's Passing Parade at MGM in 1944 (PCA No. 9620) called "The ...

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Plot Keywords:

city | urban | city country contrast | alienation | urban planning | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Short

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 May 1939 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Greenbelt, Maryland, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

American Documentary Films Inc., American Institute of Planners

Technical Specs

Runtime:

43 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was made to be shown at the 1939 New York World's Fair. It was screened at the Little Theatre in the Science and Education Building.

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Connections

Edited into This Is Tomorrow (1943)

User Reviews

Help me!!

Saw this in a poli sci class, the instructer warned us it was going to be an assult on the senses. I'm still having nightmares because of the music. Nothing but kids riding bikes for five mins. Then ten mins. of cars stopped in traffic, wait some action starts as people scarf down hotdogs. What would aliens think if they saw this??