Plow That Broke the Plains, The

Synopsis

The first US Federal Government documentary intended to be shown publicly. This is a graphic description of the Dust Bowl in the Great Plains. Indicates steps already taken by the New Deal agencies to tackle conservation and to remedy rural poverty in the area.*

Series

New Deal Documentaries

Language

English

Country

United States

Medium

Video; Film. 16mm. sd. b&w. 28 min.

Year of production

1936

Availability

Hire

Notes

Also available for sale as part of the video compilation THE NEW DEAL COLLECTION.

Documentation

Related article: ‘Canada’s Heritage (1939) and America’s The Plow That Broke the Plains (1936) by Blain Allan, in ‘Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television’ Vol 19 No 4 (1999), pp439-72.

Subjects

Agriculture; History

Keywords

poverty; rural communities; United States of America

Credits

Director

Pare Lorentz

Writer

Pare Lorentz

Contributor

Leo Hurwitz; Pare Lorentz; Paul Ivano; Paul Strand; Ralph Steiner; Virgil Thomson

Cast

Thomas Chalmers

Distribution Formats

Type

Film

Format

16mm

Distributor

Name

BFI Film Bookings Unit

Email

bookings.films@bfi.org.uk

Web

http://www.bfi.org.uk/about-bfi/help-faq/film-bookings External site opens in new window

Phone

020 7957 8938 / 8935

Address

21 Stephen Street
London
W1T 1LN