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Kerkow (Herbert) ProductionsSupervising Women Workers (1944)

Management addresses the special problems of women workers with concern and a heavy dose of sexism.


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Producer: Kerkow (Herbert) Productions
Sponsor: U.S. Office of Education
Audio/Visual: SD, B&W
Keywords: World War II: Homefront

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

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Reviewer: noisepuppet - - July 31, 2008
Subject: Joe
Do you think it's spooky, Joe, when I keep using your name all the time, Joe? Listen, Joe, it seems to bother you, Joe. Is it weird, Joe? Now settle down, Joe. Joe. Joe. Joe.

Reviewer: unzar - - May 4, 2007
Subject: Supervising Primate Workers
Incredibly sexist and condescending film. The word, women, could be replaced with monkey and the same effect would be had.
When using the flamspan be sure to corbobulate the torpet. Preferably with a jerrywrench. Didn't understand that? It's obviously because you are a woman.
Always remember, when instructing monkeys, err, women, to use plain language and never speak with shop terms if at all possible.

Reviewer: marianne333 - - April 7, 2007
Subject: dont worry Joe
after the war ends, all of those chattering beauties will be told to leave their jobs and get busy pumping out babies , the skills at the factories they learned ..forgotten, they will settle down gracefully , serve their husbands martinis after work, clop about in high heels as they do dishes, and be committed to mental institutions if they dont behave.
see, Joe? It will all work out.

Reviewer: Max Grody - - April 15, 2006
Subject: Cute war-time education film for he-men on the job with chix...
What's wrong with the reviewers on this site?

This is just good, solid advice. For ANY time, but since it was a special situation with untrained women entering the work force, it was necessary for guys to realize they should explain things carefully. OH GOD, it's SO insulting to practice GOOD MANAGEMENT! ... {-_-};

All in all, a very cute film that gets all the points across without the blather of most educational films from the government. Prime stuff. I particularly like the wife at home working with her man, not being a big snobby bee-atch, but still cognizant of her man's awful foibles. I think that's called 'love'... something not existing in the black hearts of the libertines here.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - June 29, 2005
Subject: Aieee! Women!
Supervising Women is a film that you seriously wonder what the filmmakers are smoking. A fedora-wearing (see Suggestion Box) foreman is suddenly put in charge of supervising some women in the company. After blurting out that women ÃÂscare himÃÂ (*cough*) his boss sits him down and explains how to treat women in the workplace by giving him several ÃÂtipsÃÂ, most of which would get you fired today. LetÃÂs see, explain technical terms really slowly! They canÃÂt grasp new things right away! Women are more sensitive! You have to treat them differently! DonÃÂt mix work with pleasure! In other words men, Women Are Stupid, But You Can Train Them To Be Smarter. Watching a film like this just makes you APPRECIATE the womenÃÂs lib movement.

Reviewer: trafalgar - - April 12, 2004
Subject: A different set of rules...
Factory foreman Joe sits down with his boss for a talk about how to handle the "problem" of female workers, after Joe admits "women scare me." (?!)
Joe learns that women are "not naturally familiar with mechanical principles", that they must have everything explained down to the last detail, that they are naturally jealous, and that Joe should never "mix business with pleasure", though that last statement goes unexplained...
The sexism is slightly tempered by a scene with Joe's hardworking and patient wife, and a reminder that we couldn't have won victory in Europe without women like those in this factory.
An interesting document of gender relations in the new WWII co-ed factories, and just begging for a review by Ms. Hennig!

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