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Native Land

  • 19421942
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 20m
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
356
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Native Land (1942)
  • Drama
  • History
Paul Robeson narrates a mix of dramatizations and archival footage about the bill of rights being under attack during the 1930s by union busting corporations, their spies and contractors. In... Read allPaul Robeson narrates a mix of dramatizations and archival footage about the bill of rights being under attack during the 1930s by union busting corporations, their spies and contractors. In dramatizations, we see a Michigan farmer beaten for speaking up at a meeting, a union man... Read allPaul Robeson narrates a mix of dramatizations and archival footage about the bill of rights being under attack during the 1930s by union busting corporations, their spies and contractors. In dramatizations, we see a Michigan farmer beaten for speaking up at a meeting, a union man murdered in an apartment in Cleveland, two sharecroppers near Fort Smith Arkansas shot by... Read all
IMDb RATING
6.3/10
356
YOUR RATING
  • Directors
    • Leo Hurwitz
    • Paul Strand
  • Writers
    • Leo Hurwitz
    • Ben Maddow
    • Paul Strand
  • Stars
    • Paul Robeson(voice)
    • Fred Johnson
    • Mary George
Top credits
  • Directors
    • Leo Hurwitz
    • Paul Strand
  • Writers
    • Leo Hurwitz
    • Ben Maddow
    • Paul Strand
  • Stars
    • Paul Robeson(voice)
    • Fred Johnson
    • Mary George
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win

    Photos

    Native Land (1942)
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    Top cast

    Edit
    Paul Robeson
    Paul Robeson
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    • …
    Fred Johnson
    • Fred Hill, farmeras Fred Hill, farmer
    Mary George
    • Hill's Wifeas Hill's Wife
    John Rennick
    • Hill's Sonas Hill's Son
    Amelia Romano
    • Young Girl in Clevelandas Young Girl in Cleveland
    Houseley Stevenson
    Houseley Stevenson
    • White Sharecropperas White Sharecropper
    • (as Housely Stevens)
    Louis Grant
    • Black Sharecropperas Black Sharecropper
    James Hanney
    • Mack, union presidentas Mack, union president
    Howard Da Silva
    Howard Da Silva
    • Jim - informantas Jim - informant
    • (as Howard DaSylva)
    Art Smith
    Art Smith
    • Harry Carlyleas Harry Carlyle
    Bert Conway
    Richard Bishop
    • Spy Executiveas Spy Executive
    Charles Jordan
    Vaughn King
    • Mary, Mack's wifeas Mary, Mack's wife
    Robert Strauss
    Robert Strauss
    • Frank Mason, groceras Frank Mason, grocer
    Dolores Cornell
    • Girl with Balloonas Girl with Balloon
    John Marley
    John Marley
    • Thug With Crowbaras Thug With Crowbar
    • (as John Marlieb)
    Tom Connors Jr.
    • Joseph Shumakeras Joseph Shumaker
    • (as Tom Connors)
    • Directors
      • Leo Hurwitz
      • Paul Strand
    • Writers
      • Leo Hurwitz
      • Ben Maddow
      • Paul Strand
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    Paul Robeson narrates a mix of dramatizations and archival footage about the bill of rights being under attack during the 1930s by union busting corporations, their spies and contractors. In dramatizations, we see a Michigan farmer beaten for speaking up at a meeting, a union man murdered in an apartment in Cleveland, two sharecroppers near Fort Smith Arkansas shot by men deputized by the local sheriff, a spy stealing the names of union members, and a dead Chicago union man eulogized. In archival footage we witness police and goons beating lawfully assembled union organizers, and we see men at work and union families at play. The narration celebrates patriotism and democracy. —<jhailey@hotmail.com>
    • cleveland ohio
    • year 1942
    • 1940s
    • 20th century
    • timeframe 1930s
    • 48 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • The Picture with the Most Exciting Story of Our Time!
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • History
    • Certificate
      • Not Rated
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Feature film debut of Robert Strauss.
    • Connections
      Featured in What Is Cinema? (2013)

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Native Land was a very compelling documentary of what unions went through in the mid-20th century
    When Paul Robeson returned to the U.S. after spending the previous 12 years in England, this was the first film here he was involved in which he narrates about the plight of various union workers being oppressed-and even killed-for speaking up. This film-directed by Paul Strand & Leo Hurwitz-is a mixture of reenactments and actual documentary footage about certain events. Compelling score by Marc Blitzstein and Robeson gives his narration some feeling. Some scenes may shock in the way many deaths occur. The tone veers back-and-forth between despair and inspiration but there always seem some purpose to what is happening and depicted. So on that note, I recommend Native Land. P.S. The disc I saw this on was part of the Paul Robeson collection and had a nice extra called "The Story of Native Land" which has Tom Hurwitz-son of co-director Leo-recount how it came to be.
    helpful•5
    2
    • tavm
    • Feb 21, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • May 11, 1942 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Terra natale
    • Filming locations
      • New York City, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Frontier Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 20 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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