The City (1939) is a pioneering short documentary film which attempts to contrast the evils of the industrialized city with the idyllic conditions one finds in small-town America. The film concentrates primarily on family life, and more specifically on the raising of children. It opens with a look back at pre-industrial America, moving quickly into the modern city. The chaotic industrial and commercial cities shown in the film subsequently give way to the idyillic "new city" of Greenbelt, Maryland. Constructed as a New Deal project, Greenbelt highlights the importance of recreation in the proper upbringing of children, as well as in the making of a stable family life. It was adapted by Lewis Mumford from the story by Pare Lorentz, and was directed by Ralph Steiner and Willard Van Dyke, with music by Aaron Copland. The film has been selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry.
See also
External links
- The City at the Internet Movie Database
- The City in the Prelinger Archives: Part 1, Part 2
