Wikisource:WikiProject Film/Drafts/Archives/The Making of an American
User: M-le-mot-dit
File: The Making of an American (1920).webm
Author: Guy Elmer Hedlund
Publisher: State of Connecticut
Year: 1920
PD: PD/US
Note: A 1920 short silent film used as an educational tool in the governmental Americanization initiatives to encourage immigrants to learn the English language. In 2005, this film was selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the first class of films for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Cat: Propaganda film, Silent film
00:01
The State of Connecticut
Department of Americanization
presents
The MAKING OF AN
AMERICAN.
00:09
An appeal to all foreigners to learn English.
Una chiamata per tutti di imparare la lingua inglese.
Egy felhivás minden külföldihez, hogy tanuljon Angolul.
00:20
Attracted by the hope of greater things that Italy can afford him, Pete has taken the great step, and landed in America.
00:40
Tony, his boyhood friend,—an American already made.
00:55
With Tony's assistance, Pete has been looking for a job.
01:11
"Do you know how to work an elevator?"
01:21
"Can't he talk English?"
01:38
There are always jobs enough in America, but not the kind Pete Expected.
02:06
"Italiano!"
02:38
The dream of a beautiful home has vanished. The day's toil ends in a sordid tenement, amid noise and dirt.
03:06
But even a laborer must know the language of the country where he lives, as Pete discovered to his cost.
03:24
DANGER
03:31
WHEN BELL RINGS
KEEP CLEAR
OF THE GATE
04:06
A few weeks later, a sadder and wiser man comes out of the hospital.
04:28
Learn English
Attend the Public Evening
School Nearest Your Home!
Imparate La Lingua Inglese
Frequentate la Scuole Pubbliche Serati
situate al punto piu vicino di case vostra.
Uez się po Angielsku
Uszęszczaj do wieczornych szkol
znajdujacych się blisko twedo domu.
05:06
The way to do a thing is to begin. Pete was not happy until he began to study English.
05:49
By easy stages, the sounds of English became familiar to the foreign ear.
06:01
STOP
06:24
"I—open—the—door."
06:48
I open the door.
08:05
And Pete's outlook had already taken a turn for the better.
08:43
"Now it's up to you to make good money!"
09:05
Nearly a year has passed since Pete's first attendance at Evening School.
With the help of the public library, he had learned that mastery over all good things begins with mastery of self.
09:29
The end of the session of the Evening School.
09:41
And at the factory, Pete had at length gained the position to which his real ability entitled him.
10:13
BASE BALL
Hartford
Rubber Works Co.
(…)
10:53
"Tell your friend to go to evening school and learn English. That's what I did myself."
11:21
Thus the years glided by, bringing in their train new power and new joys.
The early days in the tenement were forgotten in the happiness of home life.
12:22
His fine public spirit was readily appreciated by his fellow-citizens.
12:35
PETER BRUNO
CHOSEN HEAD OF
SAFETY COUNCIL
Unanimous Recognition of
Public-spirited Work of
Leading Citizen for
the Improvement of
Working Conditions
12:45
No longer handicapped by ignorance of the language, Pete was bearing his share of the work—and honors—of the community.
13:32
IF YOU KNOW MEN OF WOMEN WHO DON'T KNOW ENGLISH, URGE THEM TO GO TO NIGHT SCHOOL.