Depicts the ecological and human disaster that occured in America’s southwestern Great Plains region during the 1930s. The ‘Dust Bowl’ resulted from poor agricultural practices and sustained drought and is considered to have prolonged the depression. Lorentz recruited Paul Strand, Ralph Steiner and Leo Hurwitz to photograph the devastation. Their haunting images, combined with Virgil Thomson’s original film ballad and narration by Thomas Chalmers capture the tragedy that forced thousands of farmers to leave their land. Founded in 1935 as part of Roosevelt’s New Deal, the Resettlement Administration aimed to relocate impoverished farming families and poor city families. Written by Pare Lorentz.
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How to watch
Collection
In ACMI's collection
Credits
Collection metadata
ACMI Identifier
505557
Subject categories
Anthropology, Ethnology, Exploration & Travel → Great Plains
Climate, Environment, Natural Resources & Disasters → Agriculture - Environmental aspects
Climate, Environment, Natural Resources & Disasters → Droughts
Climate, Environment, Natural Resources & Disasters → Dust storms
Climate, Environment, Natural Resources & Disasters → Economic development - Environmental aspects
Documentary → Documentary films - United States
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Agriculture - Economic aspects
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Depressions - 1929
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Depressions - 1929 - United States
Economics, Philosophy, Politics, Religion & Sociology → Economic development - Environmental aspects
History → Depressions - 1929 - United States
History → United States - History
Colour
Black and White
Holdings
16mm film; Access Print (Section 1)