Richard Yeagley's ambitious documentary attempts to chart the decline of the American tradesman, in terms of both the decreasing number of laborers and how U.S. society views its blue-collar workforce. The Tradesmen provides input from academics on occupational trends, while Dirty Jobs host Mike Rowe dourly insists that people who work in the trades are constantly ridiculed as being intellectually inferior to their white-collar counterparts. Indeed, the film argues that the terms “working class” and “middle class” are not considered synonymous, even though many of those who earn trade wages fit comfortably in the economic level defined as middle class. Yeagley also interviews a number of Baltimore-area construction workers, masons, and carpenters who grouse about their work and how they're perceived. Scratchy clips from vintage (and unintentionally funny) educational films offer some clues as to how this particular slice of the working population began to lose popular favor, while contemporary statistics offer a harsh view of the current economy's impact on the sector. Although Yeagley's research is commendable, many of the interviewees share near-identical views, leading to some repetition. Regardless, The Tradesmen provides much-needed insight into a subject that rarely attracts attention among economists and sociologists. Recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)
The Tradesmen
(2011) 88 min. DVD: $14.99. Dickie Bruce Productions (avail. from www.thetradesmendocumentary.com). Volume 26, Issue 6
The Tradesmen
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