Native Land

Native Land is a 1942 documentary film directed by Leo Hurwitz and Paul Strand.

Native Land Native Land 1942 Leo Hurwitz Paul Strand Paul Robeson Fred

A combination of a documentary format and staged reenactments, the film depicted the struggle of trade unions against union-busting corporations, their spies and contractors. It was based on the 1938 report of the La Follette Committee's investigation of the repression of labor organizing.

Native Land Native Land 1942 The Criterion Collection

Famous African-American singer, actor and activist Paul Robeson participated as an off-screen narrator and vocalist.

Native Land Native Land 1942 UCLA Film Television Archive

Paul robeson native land

Cast

Paul Robeson as Narrator and vocalist (voice)

Fred Johnson as Fred Hill, a farmer

Mary George as Hill's wife

John Rennick as Hill's son

Amelia Romano as Window scrubber

Houseley Stevenson as White sharecropper

Louis Grant as Black sharecropper

James Hanney as Mack, Union president

Howard Da Silva as Jim, an informer

Art Smith as Harry Carlyle

John Marley as Thug with crowbar

Restoration and re-release

Native Land Native Land at PFA and a Berkeley film festival turns 20 Berkeleyside

A restored version of the film was released in 2011. The film was restored by the UCLA Film & Television Archive, funded by the Packard Humanities Institute.

Native Land Film Native Land 1942 de Paul Strand Leo Hurwitz VOST

The new print was made “from the original 35mm nitrate picture negative, a 35mm safety duplicate negative, and a 35mm safety up-and-down track negative.”

The restoration premiered at the UCLA Festival of Preservation on March 26, 2011 and was screened at other North American cities in 2011 including Vancouver.

Contents

Paul robeson native land

Cast

Restoration and re-release

References