A 4K restoration of the original 1979 reel by the Museum of Modern Art, The Wobblies uses classic documentary dramatizations of speeches, archival footage, and interviews with elderly and foundational members of the International Workers of the World. The documentary begins with the statements of several agitating workers and a crash course in Gilded Age history but moves quickly into interviews and historical analysis. Class, race, immigration, and gender are all examined from a labor perspective: Members of the early IWW of all stripes and positions are given time to discuss what drove them to join and support the ‘One Big Union’.
Skillfully recorded and adapted are many protest and official IWW songs. Several subjects are taken to the places they lived and worked around the turn of the 19th century and point out where historic events took place or recount details history may have missed the first time around. The stylings in this documentary help the viewer feel engaged and the scope of the subjects, songs, history, and culture allows for a fuller, more rounded view of this snapshot of history.
Though dated and occasionally dry, this innovative and deep examination of early 20th-century labor history draws the viewer in with sensational interviews with surviving IWW members of the era, archival media mixed with dramatizations and song, and pacing unmatched at the time this film was first released. This is a must-see documentary for anyone interested in the labor movements of the 20th century. Students seeking primary sources for history or anthropology papers or instructors creating courses around early labor movements would appreciate this resource especially.
An entertaining, engaging, and informative look at the foundations of the IWW in America, The Wobblies provides excellent primary and secondary historical resources alongside great documentary filmmaking that would make an outstanding addition to any documentary collection. Highly Recommended.
What type of library programming could use this title?
Programming about labor history, unions, radicalism, early 1900s immigration, and American History would greatly benefit from the addition of The Wobblies.
What subjects or college majors could benefit from the content covered in this film?
Students of History, Anthropology, Sociology, Film, and Human Resources could all benefit from the content of this documentary.