On the surface, there would appear to be little similarity between Morristown, TN, and Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. But as Anne Lewis' incisive documentary illustrates, these two municipalities share a common fate: both are victims of globalization. For Morristown, decline and decay set in during the early 1980s when the major local employer, a Magnavox factory, relocated its operations to Mexico. But Morristown's loss was hardly Ciudad Juarez's gain. The arrival of an American employer did not mean the added benefits of U.S.-style employment perks such as decent wages, healthcare coverage, 401(k) plans, or even a safe and sanitary workplace. If anything, the new factory and other American manufacturing plants in Mexico are among the driving forces that spur illegal immigration as the people try to escape poverty-level wages and inadequate working conditions in favor of a better life elsewhere. Filmed over an eight-year period, Morristown features interviews with workers on both sides of the border, offering a sad glimpse of globalization's human failure. A troubling, eye-opening film, this is highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
Morristown: In the Air and Sun
(2007) 60 min. DVD: $195. Appalshop. PPR. Volume 23, Issue 1
Morristown: In the Air and Sun
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