"Tenth Avenue Angel" with Angela Lansbury and Margaret O'Brien (1948)

Looking for a great Christmas film? You just found one. It begins in the late summer of 1936 in New York City and winds up on Christmas Eve at midnight. Something went wrong with the upload, so use this link instead.....https://youtu.be/SruIpM523RM?si=W3tJLcFnKumowZFK

Eight-year-old Flavia (Margaret O'Brien) lives in a New York tenement during the Great Depression with her mother Helen (Phyllis Thaxter), and father Joe (Warner Anderson), who's nearly broke and needs a job. Her aunt Susan (Angela Lansbury) lives with them, too. Flavia's thrilled because her aunt's sweetheart, Steve (George Murphy), is returning from a one-year absence. The little girl is unaware that Steve has been in jail for racketeering. She has been told he was a sailor on a long voyage

Flavia lives in a world built around fantasies and white lies told to her by her mother and Aunt. For instance, when she sees a mouse and is afraid, her mother tells her a story that if you catch a mouse and make a wish, it will turn into money. 

In the midst of the Depression everybody's desperate for money. Flavia's mother Helen is pregnant and faces physical complications. Steve is unable to get his old job back, driving a taxi. His  gangster friends offer him a quick job stealing a truck, but Steve's conscience gets the better of him at the last minute and he backs out.

This leads Flavia to catch a mouse, which she hides in a cigar box in an alley near Mac (the blind newspaper man's) stand. She wants the money to buy Steve a taxi cab of his own. Christmas Eve is now fast approaching. 

Two neighborhood youths rob "Blind" Mac (Rhys Williams) and, by coincidence, hide the money in the girl's box after finding it and throwing out the mouse. Flavia then returns and finds that the mouse really has turned into money! She is overjoyed; until the adults accuse her of stealing it from Blind Mac. Her mother has to tell her the truth about the story and Flavia realizes that so many things she has been told are "lies". This leads her to a crisis of faith. 

Her mother is having a rough time in the last stages of her pregnancy and, in an effort to give Flavia back her faith that all will be well, tells her another "story" about how on Christmas Eve all cows kneel at midnight in homage to Jesus' birth, just as in the scene of the Manger. Flavia is desperate to believe this, but assumes it to be just another "lie". 

Still, in desperation for her Mom, she tries to find a kneeling cow in New York City on Christmas Eve. It is now approaching midnight; and the last few minutes of the film. She heads to the railroad by the meat market to find one out the "truth" before it's too late. Her whole world now depends on finding out if cows really do kneel, or if this is just another "lie." 

This is a delightful, and well written drama about a young girl's search to have her faith restored. Along the way she discovers that life is really made up of a balance between truth and faith. And when the church bells ring at midnight; all is revealed.

"Eliot Ness" by Douglas Perry (2014)

Everyone is familiar with the story of the St. Valentine Day Massacre of 1929 in Chicago, as well as Eliot Ness; the iconic leader of the “Untouchables.” And even if you are too young to have watched the TV show “The Untouchables” with Robert Stack you are probably familiar with the movie of the same name, starring Kevin Costner and Sean Connery. But that story is just a small slice of who Eliot Ness was.

 Though he is chiefly remembered for bringing Al Capone to justice in Chicago, his story didn’t end there. He did a whole lot more in the 1930’s when Ohio was still in the grips of the bootleggers even after Prohibition had been repealed. In addition there was a huge illegal gambling syndicate run by the organized crime gangs, which bought violence and degradation to the city on a scale with the 1920’s in Chicago.

The author has done a superb job in bringing the story of the Eliot Ness;  as well as the story of Prohibition and the gangs who ran the bootlegging and the speakeasies; to life. But since we all know most of the Chicago story I will be concentrating more on the Cleveland part of the story. But first there are some misconceptions to clear up.

Eliot Ness’ time in Chicago was at the tail end of the roaring twenties; he actually took command of the Untouchables about a year after the St. Valentine Day Massacre in 1929. He was not a teetotaler by any means; and even delivered confiscated cases of booze to his old fraternity house. He was a good dancer and a constant flirt who enjoyed the attention of women. He was married twice. In short; he was an average sort of guy.

In Chicago he became the legend we know him as; he battled the biggest gangster and bought him down through a series of daring raids and economic cunning. But the troubles he would face in Cleveland were far more entrenched with the Police Department and the Mayor’s office both on the take. It’s hard to dislodge corruption when the very leaders you report to are part of the problem.

In Cleveland Ness honed his social skills; battling crime with psychology rather than battering rams. Working with Boy’s Town he was able to turn over several unused police barracks which were made into homes and schools for the boys. He also pressured the older gangs to saty away from the kids or risk the consequences.

Forming a squad of obscure police officers from the suburbs, and recruiting new police cadets, Ness formed a squad known not as the Untouchables; as was the case in Chicago; but rather the “Unknowable’s”; as they were virtually unknown to the criminals or their fellow officers who were on the take. This put them in a unique position for gathering information on the gangs operating the bootlegging and numbers rackets.

Most people think that illegal whiskey went out with Prohibition; but it didn’t. Not just a backwoods, mountain type of thing; the mob made millions off of moonshine whiskey in the decades after Repeal. Some moon shining still goes on today, but not to the extent that it did then.

This is a book which will fill you in on the real Eliot Ness and what he was really like. The author obviously spent considerable time unearthing just about every article written about Ness and culled the memoirs of the people who were involved with him on both sides of the law.  A new look into an old subject can be very enlightening. And so it goes with this book.

"Fly My Kite" with Hal Roach and His Rascals (1931)

This is probably the first “Little Rascals”/”Our Gang” episode which I remember watching. It’s interesting to note that the name on the credits is “Hal Roach and His Rascals.” They went through two more changes in name as the years passed, finally becoming known mainly as “The Little Rascals.”

In this 1931 episode, “Grandma”, who is really just an old lady in the neighborhood, is having her usual day of fun with the neighborhood kids. She reads to them, feeds them and even boxes with them. The children are all from poor families and presumably the parents are all out working during the day, leaving the children at “loose ends.” She is the anchor which holds their little world in place.

Grandma’s son-in-law, a mean fellow named Dan, has promised to let Grandma stay in her home until she passes away. He had previously broken Grandma’s daughter’s heart with his philandering ways, which she blames for causing her daughter’s early death. With no money of her own to live on, she is forced to accept the promise that Dan will always take care of her.

But when Dan and his new girlfriend arrive at the home unexpectedly, they find Grandma roughhousing with the neighborhood kids. The girlfriend tells Dan that unless Mom moves out, she won’t move in. Grandma, hearing the arrival of the cab with Dan and his girlfriend in it, tells the kids to hide.

When Dan tells Grandma that he is kicking her out and sending her to the poorhouse, all seems lost. As Dan leaves the home he checks the mail, finding a letter informing Grandma that she is in possession of some gold bonds which will make her secure for the rest of her life. Dan takes the letter to an attorney who informs him that the bonds are transferrable and worth about $100,000; more than Grandma can ever hope to use in the few years remaining to her. He quickly returns to her home in an attempt to retrieve the bonds. Meantime, Grandma, while packing her belongings, has given the worthless bonds to “Chubby” for a tail on his kite.

Dan rushes home from the lawyer, and once there, he crushes Grandma’s glasses and reads the letter to her, informing her that the bonds she once held are worthless. But he’s in for quite a surprise when she informs him that the bonds have “gone up”. When he realizes that she has given the bonds to “Chubby”, he rushes outdoors to retrieve the kite, and the bonds. Meantime, Grandma, while packing her belongings, has seen the letter through the “lens” created by the fishbowl where the letter has been laying and dispatches the children to help “Chubby” retain the now valuable kite.

These films were the basis for many of life’s lessons in morality, honesty and hard work. In spite of the stereotyping of everyone in these films; the helpless old Grandma; the fat kid “Chubby”; the racist portrayal of Stymie and Buckwheat; and even the villainous son-in-law, complete with an evil looking moustache; were a staple each morning before I went to school. And, sometimes I think I learned more about life from these old films than I ever did in in class.

"The Pooch" with the Little Rascals (1935)

This is the first time I have ever seen an episode of the Little Rascals in color. I didn’t think that I would enjoy it as much as I did. I was the same way when it came to the colorizations of many of my favorite classic movies when that was first being done in the 1990’s., but I have come to really enjoy it with some films. Of course, certain movies should always be viewed in black and white; Casablanca is a prime example of that; but for the most part the colorization process lends certain clarity to the old films. It’s also interesting to be able to see the furnishings and clothing more clearly. There is so much more detail, which I did not expect.

In this 1935, the gang struggles with the everyday problem of finding enough food to eat. In the midst of the Great Depression this was not an isolated problem, but one with which audiences could readily identify. Even if they themselves were not on Public Assistance, everyone in the audience knew someone who was.

Woven into this story is a bit of Social Injustice, as Stymie tries to keep the dreaded Dog Catcher from taking his dog to the pound. Unless he can come up with the $5 necessary for a license, the dog will be gassed by the end of the day. With no money for food, it’s a stretch of the imagination to figure out where he is going to get the money to save his dog. But, they say that the Lord hears the prayers of children first, so when Stymie prays for that $5, and it just floats in on the wind, it is really no surprise. Neither is the policeman who chases him thinking the money is stolen.

When the gang finally arrives at the Pound with the money, they are told by the sadistic Dog Catcher that they are too late and the dog is dead. He actually smiles as he tells them. But things usually work out in these old shorts, and this is no exception. I used to watch these old films every day before going to school. As a kid I readily identified with their problems and the injustices heaped upon them by the adults. And, at 58 years of age, I still do.

"The Dust Bowl" by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns (2012)

When we think of the Dust Bowl it is generally thought of in the narrow terms of the classic “The Grapes of Wrath” by John Steinbeck. And, of course, the iconic movie of the same name starring Henry Fonda comes to mind as well. We think in terms of Oklahoma as the only state to have endured the disaster of the Dust Bowl, when in truth the events described by Steinbeck; and shown in the movie; were really happening in a small area of Oklahoma, in the Panhandle region, which straddles the borders of 4 other states; including Colorado, New Mexico, Texas and Kansas.

In Ken Burn’s PBS documentary “The Dust Bowl”, this commonly accepted myth is shattered. Drawing upon the photographs and memories of those who endured the Dust Bowl, authors Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns have painted a new, and more accurate portrait of the Dust Bowl and how it came to be in the first place.

In one sense the Dust Bowl was natural disaster, caused by a severe 10 year drought. But, in other respects, the effects of that drought would not have been so severe if the farmers had not been able to cultivate such a large area of land, resulting in no natural barriers being left in place to counter the fierce prairie winds, and the resultant dust storms.

The authors also devote a great amount of time in reviewing some of the Federal Programs which were put in place in order to save the farmers from going broke. Many of these programs were very controversial at the time, particularly the Resettlement Program in which the government bought the land from the farmers, allowing them a chance to resettle elsewhere. Thousands of farmers were spared a life of poverty and malnutrition by this program. The land was taken out of production and re-seeded as grasslands, the thinking being that this would help not only the people affected, but also possibly slow down the dust storms. Programs like these, though not always entirely successful, are what helped to keep 75% of the population from leaving the affected areas. That’s right; only 25% left as shown in “The Grapes of Wrath.” Most people, for a variety of reasons, elected to stay on their land if they could.

Books like this, and documentaries like Ken Burn’s makes, are what should keep us ahead of the curve when it comes to disasters, both natural and man-made. They comprise not only a veritable blueprint of what went wrong, but also a valuable insight into what it takes to make things right again. In times like these, there is much to be learned from the past.

"The Pooch" with The Little Rascals (1935)

This is the first time I have ever seen an episode of the Little Rascals in color. I didn't think that I’d enjoy it as much as I did. I was the same way with the colorization's of many of the classic movies when that was first being done in the 1990’s, but I have come to really enjoy it with some films. Of course, certain movies; like “Casablanca”; should always be viewed in black and white, but for the most part, the colorization process does lend a certain clarity to the old films. It’s also kind of interesting to see the color patterns of the home furnishings, as well as the clothes. There’s a lot more detail to be appreciated, which I did not expect.

In this 1935 episode, the gang struggles with the everyday struggle to find enough food to eat. In the midst of the Great Depression this was not an isolated problem, but one with which audiences could readily identify. Even if they themselves were not on some sort of Public Assistance, fully 25% of the country was.

Woven into the story is a bit of Social Injustice, as Stymie loses his dog to the Dog Catcher, and unless he can come up with the $5 necessary for a license, the dog will be gassed by the end of the day. With no money for food, it’s a stretch of the imagination to figure out where he is going to get that money. But, they say the Lord hears the prayers of the little children first, so when Stymie prays for that $5, and it floats in on the wind, it is really no surprise. Neither is the policeman who chases him thinking he has stolen the money.

When they finally arrive at the Pound with the money, they are told by the sadistic Dog Catcher that their dog is dead. He actually smiles when he tells them. But things usually work out in these old shorts, and this one is no exception.  I used to watch these old shorts every day before school. As a kid I readily identified with their problems and the injustices heaped upon them by the adults. And, at 58 years of age, I still do.

"Killing the Poormaster" by Holly Metz (2012)

They say to never choose a book by its cover – but with a cover like this – how could you not? Looking at the photo doesn’t evoke anything other than sympathy for the guy in handcuffs. Without any foreknowledge of who he is; and what he may have done; this photo is a stark depiction of everyone’s worst fear; that of being shackled and in the “custody” of the state. Of course, the man in the photo may be a monster; accused of some unspeakable crime; which changes the perception of the photo, leaving the viewer with a sense of safety, and comfort. But, not this one.

Joe Scutellaro is the man in custody of the Hoboken Police in the photo above, taken after his arraignment in February 1938 for the murder of the city’s “Poormaster”, and perhaps that title itself is a good place to begin this review. Whoever thought of that title for the position of dealing with the underprivileged, clearly had no sense of the shame felt by ordinary people, who, through economic circumstance, were forced to turn to their government for help. In fact, the term probably kept many from ever setting foot in the doorway of the “Poormaster’s” office to begin with.

In 1938 the nation was still reeling from the effects of the Great Depression. It had been almost 9 years since the “crash” which became known as Black Tuesday, when rich men hurled themselves from the windows of their offices on Wall Street as they saw their life’s fortunes disappear in an instant. (Actually there were only one or two of those, but it was a dramatic flourish which I couldn’t resist.) On the other end of the scale were men like Joe Scutellaro, the hard working son of an Italian immigrant in Hoboken, New Jersey. The author briefly gives a history of the city and how it became the corrupt and raw place it was at the time of the murder.

From its beginnings, when it was dominated by Germans, through to the power shift that came with the influx of the Irish in the mid-19^th century, Ms. Metz paints a very vivid picture of what life was like for the working-poor. Some were skilled workers and flourished; while others worked at whatever they could; essentially living off the scraps of the more fortunate. When the Depression came along, the poor were hit the hardest, as the state abolished its direct relief programs in 1936, which placed the burden for this function upon the already cash starved local cities and towns throughout the state. In places where corruption had already flourished before the Great Depression, any relief money was quickly gobbled up by local political machines and their cronies.

One of these men was Harry Barck, a man so cruel and entrenched in the “machine” of Hoboken politics, that he actually asked Joe Scutellaro if his wife was not above “swinging her purse down on Washington Street” the week before his murder. That remark alone, delivered when Mr. Scutellaro came to Barck’s office to apply, again; for aid which amounted to about $5.70 for a family of 4 for 2 weeks; would have been enough to send any man into a rage. Yet, Mr. Scutellaro was so beaten down by the system at this point, that he did nothing.

After another week had passed by, Joe again appeared at the office to inquire of Mr. Barck about his relief check. After waiting for several hours he was again insulted and told to go “check the mail”, a common tactic of the “Poormaster” when dealing with his “clients.” At that moment, all of the rage pent up in Joe Scutellaro burst forth, and he struck the Poormaster, sending him reeling. When he momentarily recovered enough to stagger towards the door, Joe saw something sticking from his chest, which he removed and tossed to the floor. It was one of those metal spikes which people used to use as a way of temporarily filing papers on their desktops. Apparently, Mr. Barck had fallen against it when Joe struck him. Barck died of his wound, and Joe was charged with murder.

The chief witness was Eleonore Hartmann, who changed her story several times in order to cover up what she hadn’t seen, even after giving a statement to the police on the day of the murder. In that statement she claimed to have seen Joe commit the crime. Apparently she didn’t really see the crime itself; only the aftermath and her conclusion form what she did see; which served as her statement.

Joe’s counsel was the celebrated criminal defense attorney Samuel Leibowitz, of the famous “Scottsboro Boys” trial. In that case, 9 young African-Americans stood accused of raping 2 white women, facing the death penalty. Leibowitz; as in all his trials; won their acquittal. Could he do the same for Joe Scutellaro?

With a keen eye to history, as well as an aptitude which enables the reader to contrast the issues of the Great Depression with the same social ills of today, the author has created a portrait of an era long gone, but looming ever closer to a return as the struggle between the very wealthy and the working poor continues, unabated. This is a very compelling, and informative book.

    ________________________________________________________

 Patti Page - "The Tennessee Waltz"

 

This is one of the first records I ever heard. Along with “How Much Is that Doggie in the Window”, and “Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief” by Betty Hutton, and many other 78 RPM recordings which colored my early years. This one really got to me at the age of about 4 years old. I remember putting the record on and watching it going round and round, marveling at the voice. In this version from TV, Ms. Page is singing on her own.

 

The recorded version was double tracked, which was a signature of Ms. Page’s works. The double tracking stemmed from her not having enough money to hire additional backup singers; and although overdubbing had been done before by other artists, Ms. Page brought the practice to the forefront; influencing the sounds of the 1950’s; as well as the 1960’s.

Ms. Page passed away yesterday, on New Years Day;  leaving us a legacy of wonderful music; for which she received, in turn, the love of a 4 year old boy who was captivated by her many years ago. RIP Patti...

 

"FDR and Chief Justice Hughes" by James F. Simon (2012)

The old saying about how everything changes, yet remains the same, is highlighted in this book highlighting the battle between the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Charles Hughes, and Franklin Roosevelt, the President of the United States, over the Presidents “New Deal” policies. More than just a chronicle of events, the author takes the time to study each man’s past in an effort to more fully understand the differences in the two.

Within the first 5 days of his administration taking over the office of the Presidency, FDR enacted sweeping changes which put him; as well as the changes he did manage to make permanent; at odds with certain interests in the financial community. That chasm still exists today. And that’s what makes this book so important to read. At a time when we should be using the success of the New Deal to wriggle our way back to financial security as a nation, we seem to be having the same old arguments about how that recovery should take place.

Harry Truman once said that “The only thing new is the history you don’t know.” I quote that often, mainly because it is true. Within days of his taking office, FDR had declared a bank holiday, and suspended trading in silver and gold, using the Banking Acts of the First World War as his precedent to do so. He then went on radio to deliver the first of his “fireside chats”, explaining to the average American just how the financial system worked. After only three days the banks which had been allowed to reopen showed twice the amount of deposits as they did withdrawals. By the 15^th of March, a mere 2 weeks after the new administration took control, Wall Street re-opened, surging well ahead of the markets in Europe, and racking up the highest gains in 6 months.

Of course these changes did not sit well with many people in the banking profession. Particularly glaring were the changes regarding the Gold Standard, which had many of the more well-heeled industrialists fulminating. Eventually the Supreme Court, under Chief Justice Hughes, struck down the New Deal as being Unconstitutional, leaving an exasperated FDR to come up with a new plan which would pass the courts muster. This is the part where he tried, through a failed attempt at legislating the age of retirement for the Justices on the Court, 6 of whom were over the age of 70. He hoped to be able to “pack” the court with Justices who would uphold his legislation. Although his motives may have been pure, his thinking was not.

The framers of the Constitution had made a point of having Supreme Court Justices appointed for life. They did this for a very good reason. In order to keep the Supreme Court from becoming a “plumb” position; handed out as a reward to political lackeys; they envisioned the positions to be life-long. This ensured that no party, no matter how long they might retain control of the Executive Branch of Government, could maintain control of the Court. The Court, like the Executive and Legislative Branches, was to act separately, answering only to their interpretation of the Constitution under which it was formed.

The book is filled with the history of both Franklin Roosevelt and his family, as well as that of Chief Justice Hughes. Even if the book were completely devoid of the struggle between the two men over the New Deal, the histories of their respective families would be interesting enough on their own.

Throughout the book, as the two men circle one another over this issue, the reader cannot help but admire the tenacity of both parties as they struggle to do what they feel is right for the American people. Both men were brilliant statesmen, making the tale of their adversity all the more remarkable.

Fully researched, and deftly written, this is the perfect book to help you get through both Conventions. It contains the seeds of the economic struggle which still rages in America today, as the “haves” try their best to bring back the days when the rest of us were “have nots.”

"I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang" with Paul Muni and Preston Foster (1932)

This is the movie made from the true account, “I Am A Fugitive From A Georgia Chain Gang”; written by Robert E. Burns; of his experience after coming home from the First World War. Arrested for a crime he did not commit, he escaped the notorious chain gang, becoming a renowned architect in the process. But his success came to an abrupt end when his ex-wife turned him in as a fugitive.  At that point he was promised  his full freedom if he would return to Georgia to serve a token 90 day sentence. His acceptance of that offer necessitated a second escape in the 1930's. He would  then live in hiding, residing in New Jersey,  until his pardon by Georgia in 1945.

The only difference between the movie and the real life story is the ending. The movie was made in 1932, a full 13 years before he would be pardoned.  In reality, the character of James Allen, played by Paul Muni, is the author Robert Burns. The name change was for the purpose of dramatization; as if the story of a man wrongfully imprisoned at hard labor needs to be dramatized.

This is the mother of all chain gang movies, including “Cool Hand Luke”. The escape scene in that film, in which Luke takes the road crews dump truck, using the back as a bulletproof shield, is taken from this film.

Rich with some of the finest character actors of the time, this film is a true classic. It underscores the brutality of the old Chain Gang system, in which men were treated no better than slaves, often hired out to perform work for which money was being paid to corrupt prison officials.  This film still has it all, even after 80 years.  And, in many ways the film is still relevant, given the increase in "contract" private prisons over the last few years.

On June 10, 2011  I reviewed the book “I Am A Fugitive From the Georgia Chain Gang”  by Robert E. Burns. You can view that post here; http://robertwilliamsofbrooklyn.blogspot.com/2011/06/i-am-fugitive-from-georgia-chain-gang.html

"Gastonia Gallop" - Cotton Mill Songs (1927-1931)

This unique recording is the real deal; 24 songs recorded by local Cotton Mill bands during the years 1927-1931. The town of Gastonia is about 20 miles from my home and I have even driven past the old mill shown on the cover many times. At one time Gastonia was amongst the leading cotton mill towns in North Carolina. The Great Depression, as well as the increasing demands of the Unions, both combined to shut most of these mills down. When "Globalization" and "outsourcing" began in the 1980"s, it spelled the end of these mills. But what a rich history they leave behind in terms of music and storytelling!

Cotton mill workers were pretty much the victims of greedy bosses and a lack of labor laws during their time. They worked 12 hour shifts, 6 days a week, with no protection from the fibers as they spun the threads to make the clothes that were sold worldwide. The irony of it all was that, even in the heady days before the Great Depression struck, these same workers were wandering about in near rags, never making enough to buy the clothes made from the threads they spun. But they survived, in their own fashion, through song, sex and liquor. Even with the country in the grips of that great experiment, Prohibition, the supply of local "hootch" made Saturday night dances, often called "socials", the most attractive, and affordable means of entertainment.

These men and women, pictured here marching on Main Street in Gastonia during a strike on Labor Day 1934, were the backbone of the industry. They were also the ones singing these songs, and living the life described in them. From the opening number by The Carolina Twins doing an instrumental number on harmonica and guitar, to the more risqué "Get Your Head in Here", which describes some of the Saturday night pleasures available in a mill town, this album teems with the real life experiences of these men, women and children who labored so hard and long for so little.

Some of the songs are Union oriented, as in Wilmer Watts and The Lonely Eagles number "Been On the Job Too Long", as well as the "Cotton Mill Colic" by David McCarn, which describes the hardships faced by the average Cotton Mill worker.

The mills may be long gone, but the music, and stories, left behind by these hardworking men and women will live forever thanks to these recordings, which were restored and re-released in 2009.

There is an empty feeling in the air when you walk down the Main Street of an old mill town. They used to connect one town to another, but now have all been supplanted by the Interstates, which took most of the businesses to the freeway exits, leaving the Main Streets to become ghost towns. But when walking past the mill, if you lean your head just right, you can hear the spindles and looms humming away. And if you're really lucky, you can still hear the strains of the songs sung on Saturday nights at the socials.

"Imitation of Life" with Claudette Colbert, Louise Beavers, and Ned Sparks (1934)

When Bea Pullman is widowed, she and her 8 year old daughter Jessie are hard-pressed to make ends meet. At this crucial moment of Bea's life Delilah Johnson shows up on her doorstep, looking for work. It's the middle of the Great Depression and Delilah, played by Louise Beavers, is willing to work as a maid for Bea and her daughter. Delilah has a daughter of her own, named Peola, played by Fredi Washington. She is the same age as Jessie, and though her mother is as black as can be, Peola is light skinned and easily mistaken for white. At first this causes no trouble, but as she gets older, things change. Meantime, the two women need one another; Bea needs the help in order to find work, while Delilah needs the job to feed herself and Peola.

Delilah makes the most wonderful pancakes in the world, and the two women set out to open a pancake house. Alan Hale plays the store fixture salesman, Marvin, who is outwitted by Bea when the two negotiate the refurbishing of the store which Bea has selected to open her pancake house. With no money down Bea must convince Marvin to let her have the furnishings and make payments.

The business is doing well and all problems seem to have vanished when Elmer Smith; played with his usual aplomb by Ned Sparks; an out of work victim of the Depression, comes loitering outside the shop on the boardwalk. He is broke, and hungry. He offers to give Bea a million dollar idea for a "stack of those wheat cakes". His idea is simply put; "Why not box it?" And they do, with Aunt Delilah's picture on the cover. The gamble is a huge success, making the women wealthy in a short time. He also becomes their business partner, always looking out for Bea.

As all of this is taking place, the two daughters, Jessie and Peola grow up. And, as they do, Peola realizes that in spite of her light skin, she is black. When her mother inadvertently "blows her cover", the child is mortified and rejects her in order to lead a life "passing" as white. This, of course breaks her mother’s heart, and Delilah is taken ill from the stress and pain of having "lost" her daughter.

Meanwhile, Jessie has grown into a beautiful young woman, just as her mother has fallen in love with Stephen Archer, played by Warren William. He is an expert entomologist, that is, he studies insects. When Peola goes missing, both Bea and Delilah go in search of her, leaving Jessie alone with Steve for a few days. During this time she falls in love with him, in spite of the difference in their ages. Although he finds her to be a delightful young woman, he is truly in love with Bea.

By this time, Delilah has passed away, and Peola has returned home, mortified at the way she treated her mother. Jessie, on the other hand, has decided that her mother's happiness is more important than her own, and plans to go to Europe for a few years and complete her schooling, thus removing herself from the situation between her mother and Steve. But Bea will have none of it, and though it breaks her heart to do so, she calls off her impending marriage to Steve, realizing that their union would always represent a division between herself and her daughter.

This is one of the best films of the 1930's. It is also one of Ms. Colbert's best performances, encompassing drama, tinged with a bit of humor thrown in. Fans of "It Happened One Night" will enjoy this movie immensely. Though “Imitation of Life” was remade in the 1950's with Lana Turner, the original is still the benchmark for this wonderful film. Taken from the novel by Fannie Hurst, and with a screenplay by William Hurlbut, you simply can't go wrong with this one.

Trayvon Martin - RIP

"The New Deal" by Michael Hiltzik

Reviewing this book is a difficult task, simply because it is so well researched and detailed. While I cannot say that I understood every word in it, I can say that this is one of the most complete pictures of the Great Depression, and what we did to get out of it. I had expected the book to be more of a comparison to what was done about the failing economy then, to what hasn't been done now, during the current economic downturn. But it's not. It's an absolutely unbiased account of what ideas were tried, which ones failed, and which ones were challenged by the Supreme Court.

The credit driven 1920's, with it's burgeoning car loans, made in the same ill concieved manner as the housing bubble decades later, began a period of consumer over confidence. This over confidence, along with reckless speculation drove the price of gold up from it's standard of $20 per ounce, thus devaluing the dollar. As the dollar shrank, so did jobs, investments and everything that goes with it.

Bank passbooks were offered for sale at 50 cents on the dollar during the "bank holidays", the idea being that if your bank didn't make it, you would at least have some cash on hand. Meanwhile, the person buying the account stood a chance to double his money. The banks, and the percentages being paid for their respective passbooks, were actually listed alongside of the stocks in the newspaperes of some cities.

Crops were plowed under, in an effort to make them more profitable, and cattle were slaughtered for the same reason. Nothing seemed to work. The banks were repeatedly bailed out, but like today, that approach only seemed to prolong the problem. The idea that business would carry the country through to renewed prosperity didn't work then, and isn't working now.

Roosevelt inherited a nation as divided as we are today, and through trial and error, was able to get the country back on it's feet, just in time for the Second World War. If there is something that seems familiar here, or any lesson to be learned from this book, it is one of deja vu. We have all been here before.

"Wind at My Back" - A Mini-Series with Shirley Douglas, Kathryn Greenwood and Dylan Provencher

When the Depression forces Jack and Honey Bailey to close their hardware store, they move the family to Jack's hometown of New Bedford, where Jack's family owns a silver mine. Jack is killed in an accident shortly after the family's arrival, forcing Honey to move her 2 boys, along with their 2 year old sister, in with her domineering mother-in-law. She is unwelcome in the home and goes to Ontario, searching for work in order to re-unite her family.

Much of the action in this series takes place in Ontario, which, like the rest of the world, was going through the roughest days of the Great Depression. Distraught by the recent passing of her husband, as well as her inability to land even the most menial job, combine to tear Honey apart.

Meantime, her two boys, who have now been separated from their younger sister, are struggling to come to terms with their over bearing Grandmother, who is now planning to separate the boys. Running away to rejoin their mother proves fruitless, but the boys desire to be with her softens, ever so slightly, the Grandmother's heart of ice, and a tenative truce is worked out, whereby the boys will be able to see their mother on a limited basis.

As the story progresses, old family disagreements resurface. These disagreements must be met and conquered if the family is ever to be united as one. Wonderful acting by all, especially the two boys and their mother, have you pulling for them to make it work out, against all the odds which confront them.

Beautiful camera work, along with the scenery, and accurate depiction of every detail of the era in which the story takes place, make this a very textured, and poignant piece of work.

Can't wait to pick up the second volume.

"One Meat Ball" - Depression Era Songs

This is the Josh White version of the song "One Meat Ball" which was recorded during the Depression and chronicles the troubles of a man who has only 15 cents for a meal. His heart is set on meatballs, but he only has money enough for one. Unfortunately for him, "..you get no bread with one meatball..." There are several versions of this song. The first time I heard it was on a 78 RPM when I was about 4 years old. I believe it was by the Andrew Sisters.

ONE MEAT BALL
(L. Singer / H. Zaret)

Little man walked up and down,
To find an eatin' place in town.
He looked the menu thru and thru,
To see what fifteen cents might do.

CHORUS:
One meat ball,
One meat ball,
One meat ball,
All he could get was one meat ball.

He told that waiter near at hand,
The simple dinner he had planned.
The guests were startled one and all,
To hear that waiter loudly call.

Repeat CHORUS

Little man felt so ill at ease,
He said: "Some bread Sir, if you please."
The waiter hollered down the hall:
You get no bread with your one meat ball.

Little man felt so very bad,
One meat ball is all he had.
And in his dreams he can still hear that call
You get no bread with your one meat ball.

I've been cruising You Tube looking at, and listening to, some of the old songs that my parents had in the house. Kind of a trip down memory lane. "She Had To Go and Lose It at The Astor" is another record that I remember, and though I didn't know who played the song, through the magic of You Tube I have found it and am posting it here below. This song concerns a young society lady who stays out all night, much to the chagrin of her family. And when she does come home, she has lost the one thing most important to all young ladies of good breeding. Just who took it from her is the mystery.



SHE HAD TO GO AND LOSE IT AT THE ASTOR
(Don Ray / Hugh Prince)

Harry Roy & His Orch. (vocals: Bill Currie & Harry Roy) - 1939

SPOKEN: We'd like to tell you a story about a young girl, about
eighteen years old, about five feet two, and about to go out. Now,
her Mother, realising it was her first time out with a young man,
called her into the bedroom and said, "Minnie, you're all dressed
up in your finery, your very best clothes, and you look beautiful,
you're gorgeous, you're alluring (you look swell, baby), and now
Minnie I want you to remember everything I've always told you, and
above all I want you to be very, very careful.....

But she had to go and lose it at the Astor
She didn't take her mother's good advice.
Now there aren't so many girls today who have one
And she'd never let it go for any price

They searched the place from penthouse to the cellar
In every room and underneath each bed.
Once they thought they saw it lying on a pillow
But they found it belonged to someone else instead.

But she had to go and lose it at the Astor,
She didn't know exactly whom to blame
And she couldn't say just how or when she lost it
She only knew she had it when she came.

They questioned all the bellboys and the porter
The chef appeared to be the guilty guy
And the doorman also acted quite suspicious
But he coyly said, "I'm sure it wasn't I"

But she had to go and lose it at the Astor
It nearly killed her mother and her dad
Now they felt as bad about the thing as she did
After all it was the only one she had

They just about completed all their searching
When the chauffeur walked up with it in his hand
All they did was stand and gape, there was Minnie's sable cape,
And she thought that she had lost it at the Astor.

These old recordings take me back to my earliest years, when I had no cares of any kind, at least none of which I was aware. One day blended into the next with a certainty that can never be described to those who have not felt that way. My parents had stacks of old 78's which I devoured by the time I was 6. These songs were the stories which gave voice to the images in my mind. I saw, rather than merely heard these songs.

Listening to these old recordings reminds me of one of life's great truths; that though those days may be long gone, the sounds and memories, and the songs themselves, will live for a long, long time. Because they just don't write them like this anymore...

Ten Cents A Dance - Ruth Etting

If you've ever seen the movie "They Shoot Horses Don't They?" then you know about the dance marathons of the 1930's, where people who were desperate for money would literally dance until they dropped, the last couple standing being the winner.

There was also another kind of dancing that went on in the days of the Depression. These dances were held in dance halls, where there was a band playing, and women were available for dancing at the price of 10 cents. Sometimes these brief 10 cent dances became the precursor to a more sordid, physical type of transaction. The women who worked in these halls were, for the most part, normal, ordinary women looking to survive in abnormal economic times.

Ruth Etting captured the pathos of these women, and the times in which they lived, in her 1930 recording of the song "Ten Cents A Dance", written by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. I couldn't find a video of her singing, but have posted the recording at the bottom of this page. Here are the sad and poignant lyrics to the song;

"Ten Cents a Dance" by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart

I work at the Palace Ballroom,
but, gee that Palace is cheap;
when I get back to my chilly hall room
I'm much too tired to sleep.

I'm one of those lady teachers,
a beautiful hostess, you know,
the kind the Palace features
at exactly a dime a throw.

Ten cents a dance
that's what they pay me,
gosh, how they weigh me down!
Ten cents a dance
pansies and rough guys
tough guys who tear my gown!

Seven to midnight I hear drums.
Loudly the saxophone blows.
Trumpets are breaking my eardrums.
Customers crush my toes.

Sometimes I think
I've found my hero,
but it's a queer romance.
All that you need is a ticket
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance.

Fighters and sailors and bowlegged tailors
can pay for a ticket and rent me!
Butchers and barbers and rats from the harbors
are sweethearts my good luck has sent me.

Though I've a chorus of elderly beaux ,
stockings are porous with holes in the toes.
I'm there till closing time,
Dance and be merry, it's only a dime.

Ten cents a dance
that's what they pay me,
gosh, how they weigh me down!
Ten cents a dance
pansies and rough guys
tough guys who tear my gown!

Seven to midnight I hear drums.
Loudly the saxophone blows.
Trumpets are breaking my eardrums.
Customers crush my toes.

Sometimes I think
I've found my hero,
but it's a queer romance.
All that you need is a ticket
Come on, big boy, ten cents a dance.

"Together We Cannot Fail" by Terry Golway

This is a very timely book. It mirrors much of our present day dilemmas. It also outlines and documents the solutions which were proposed, implemented and then opposed and outright rejected before new ones replaced them.

It reviews and summarizes the speeches that were given by Franklin Roosevelt in the darkest days of the Great Depression. Carefully dissecting the country's mood and culture at the time, Mr. Golway paints an accurate portrait of American culture and values while also capturing the spirit of the Presidents speeches. He then goes on to reflect upon the effect that those "Fireside Chats" had on the average American.

But more than that, it explores the forces, and needs, that united us then. More importantly it underscores that lack of spirit and cooperation that sully todays politics as usual, even in these unusual times.

An added bonus is the CD that accompanies the book and holds 77 minutes of the best of Roosevelts "Fireside Chats." This is the leadership that is so sorely missing in todays world, where polls rule while we experience essentially the same problems that plagued our nation then.

If history teaches us anything, it is that the only thing new is the history we don't know. This book drives that point home. I hope someone in Washington is reading it.

A Trilogy of Books by Studs Terkel

These three books by Studs Terkel will take you on a journey through 20th Century America. "Working" was originally written as a series of Occupational Interviews for the NRA Writers Project during the New Deal. Writers were sent out across America to interview people of all occupations in all areas of the country. The results are fascinating.

Studs Terkel is an American journalist and a treasure. At 96 he is still active and writing. His writing style in these books is to let his subjects speak. This is oral history at it's best.

The next book "The Good War" is again a series of interviews with every conceivable person involved in the war. From Rosie the Riveter to the guys who flew the planes to the politicians who waged the war, it's all here.

The final book of this trilogy is "American Dreams-Lost and Found" which came out towards the end of the Vietnam War. It chronicles the differences between "The Good War" and the War in Vietnam through interviews with the people who fought in it as well as the people at home who were against the war. A real journalistic approach to the conflict that divided America so deeply. It is also a foray into what Americans really expect from their government.

The key to these books is that Mr. Terkel has an unusual understanding of people and how to get them to open up. Through his writing we see glimpses of other peoples lives and even come to understand our own in a more clear way.

These three books will help you understand how we got where we are. They will also have you wondering where we are going.