Riding the Rails
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Movie Reviews of Riding the Rails
Movie Review: Train Whistles Blowing in a Bygone America
Summary: 5 Stars
"And there is the headlight, shining far down the track, glinting off the steel rails that, like all parallel lines, will meet in infinity, which is - after all - where this train is going." - Bruce Catton
It's easy to romanticize life on the rails. But the Great Depression forced thousands of young Americans to leave home, hop a boxcar, and head for parts unknown. Fortunately, PBS' Riding the Rails avoids the temptation to sugarcoat hobo life.
Filmmakers Michael Uys and Lexy Lovell collected letters and filmed interviews with former hobos. The segments are moving in that their tales of hardship. While some young people left home for adventure, most were just desperate. A great interviewee is Peggy DeHart - one of the few female hobos.
In one moving scene, former hobo Charley Bull recounts how his sharecropper father told him that he had to leave home. Bull's father simply could not afford to feed him. Viewers also learn of the violent life in the hobo jungles where young people quickly learned the rules - or else.
The film discusses FDR's New Deal policies. Inevitably, viewers' reactions to these segments will depend on their politics. The filmmakers, however, deserve credit for mostly resisting the temptation to proselytize and allowing viewers to decide for themselves.
In the end, the interviewees are the stars of the film. Adolescence in the Depression may not have been what they would have chosen, but hoboing was still the great adventure of their lives. It is fascinating - but bittersweet - to hear them discuss their youth in a vanished America.
(A great nonfiction book on hobos - circa 1980 - is Ted Conover's Rolling Nowhere).
There is great historical and human interest in Riding the Rails. I give it my highest recommendation.
Movie Review: WE ALL KNOW ABOUT THE DEPRESSION -- BUT WHAT ABOUT ALL THE TEEN HOBOS?
Summary: 5 Stars
Sure, the Great Depression is a part of history that has been studied, examined, exposed and studied some more, but until now the story of 250,000 teen hobos who spent years "Riding the Rails" went largely untold.
WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT?
This DVD examines the lives of over a dozen Depression-era, freight-train stowaways who spent many of their teen years on the bum, traveling by rail throughout America looking for something better. But what and why? A very diverse group of former rail riders were interviewed including men and women, white and black, but all were teens at the time. This documentary delves into what motivated them and what it was like to be a teenager "riding the rails". In looking at this small group we do see a pattern and reasons which motivated this relatively large group of underaged runaways to choose such a difficult and risky lifestyle.
There are some photographs and archival photos and movietone-news-style film excerpts from the Depression era shown to give perspective. We also see an excerpt of a feature film "Riding The Rails - Teenagers On The Move" made to dissuade youngsters from taking up the lifestyle. Of course it only encouraged more rail runaways despite the tragic depictions of the film. It seems incomprehensible that so many children would take to riding the rails, but they did. This is their story.
All in all, this is a very worthwhile documentary about an almost forgotten piece of American history.
ABOUT THE DVD:
This DVD is part of the "AMERICAN EXPERIENCE" series produced by WGBH - BOSTON. An interview with the filmmakers is included as well as a "slide-show" featuring Depression-era photos. Web sites of interest are also included. It has the scene selection feature and closed captions available.
Movie Review: Poignant Depiction of Teens During the Depression - Teacher's Perspective
Summary: 5 Stars
I stumbled upon this documentary when I was searching for something to show my students of what life was like during the Great Depression. I wasn't disappointed.
"Riding the Rails" is a series of interviews, stock photographs, music, and video of teenagers who, by choice or by force, took to traveling the country via the railroad system. It has really helped my students to understand what life was truly like for teenagers during the 1930s. This documentary is especially helpful when teaching Steinbeck's "Of Mice and Men" because the people interviewed discuss the loneliness of the open road and the effects it had on them. They were always surrounded by people, but everyone kept to him/herself.
What a great way for my students to really see what people who were their age went through at a time that seems to mirror our current times.
Movie Review: Fantastic Film, Superiorly Directed
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a factual film depicting true stories of people riding the rails across America during the great Depression, especially young teens. It is the will to survive during difficult times to make money, for adventure, or just ride for the thrill, and risking their lives each time. It is entertaining and educational. It is a MUST see for any American who wants to know more about our history. It is an essential especially for historians and American studies students and professors. There is so much to learn between the film and the book by the director's father, Errol Lincoln Uys, that this would make an excellent class at any University or college. The film is superb, well directed, filmed in high quality.Movie Review: Riding the Rails
Summary: 5 Stars
This DVD shares the stories of adults who survived the depression and for various reasons, rode the trains as teenagers during that time. Insightful to the realities of the depression for this age group in particular and the whole country in general. Relevant to economic concerns today. It brings a sense of the human side to economic struggles with the potential for inspiring one to understand how people come to find themselves in desperate situations. One can walk away with hope that this too shall pass and become aware that a little compassion goes a long way.