Man Against the River
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Describes the work of members of the Works Projects Administration in helping refugees of a winter flood of the Ohio River.
Shotlist
Describes the work of members of the Works Projects Administration in helping refugees of a winter flood of the Ohio River.
Safety Danger Lurks
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- Addeddate
- 2002-07-16 00:00:00
- Ccnum
- asr
- Closed captioning
- no
- Collectionid
- 35366
- Color
- B&W
- Country
- United States
- Identifier
- ManAgain1937
- Numeric_id
- 666
- Proddate
- 1937
- Run time
- 9:54
- Sound
- Sd
- Type
- MovingImage
- Whisper_asr_module_version
- 20230805.01
comment
Reviews
Reviewer:
Christine Hennig
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favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
June 27, 2006
Subject: The Dirty Thirties
Subject: The Dirty Thirties
This 30s film documents the severe floods in Ohio, Kentucky, and Arkansas when the Ohio river overflowed its banks, and the efforts of WPA workers to provide disaster relief. The task was a huge one, involving rescuing people trapped by the flood waters, setting up emergency hospitals to care for the sick and wounded, inoculating people against typhoid, distributing food, setting up refugee camps for the homeless, piling sandbags and building levees in places where the river had not yet overflowed, fighting fires and removing dangers to public safety, and engaging in cleanup efforts after the flood waters had receded, including disposing of hundreds of dead cattle before they could cause disease. Thereâs no film that portrays the âDirty Thirtiesâ more than this one; everyone seems covered with dirt and grime, all seem to be suffering in one way or another, and the constant reminders of the accomplishments of the WPA only remind you that the rescue workers were previously unemployed because of the Depression. The 30s must have been a terrible time; on top of the Depression, the Dust Bowl, and social unrest were widespread disasters like this one. This makes the film a fascinating portrayal of one aspect of one of the most trying times in our nationâs history.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: N/A. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: N/A. Weirdness: ***. Historical Interest: *****. Overall Rating: ****.
Reviewer:
Spuzz
-
favoritefavoritefavoritefavorite -
November 2, 2003
Subject: The River Runs through the town (literally)
Subject: The River Runs through the town (literally)
Very interesting time capsule of how the WPA went into the action after a massive flood hit the Ohio river. Scenes of total devastation are shown, Homes totally flooded, only way to get by are boats, leave your pets and livestock behind etc. Sort of interesting to see the women with their Fur Coats and hats on, as if the flood was the social event of the season. As mentioned, the film then focuses on the work of the WPA, damming up rivers, building sidewalks, and generally cleaning up. Although we are much better off timewise now in dealing with disasters like this, it's sure fascinating to see what could happen when Mother Nature takes it's toll. Reccomended!