SLIM

US, 1937, 85 minutes, Black and white.
Pat O’Brien?, Henry Fonda, Stuart Erwin, Margaret Lindsay, John Litel, Jane Wyman.
Directed by Ray Enright.

Slim is a story of the men who worked on the power lines, pioneers for the development of electrical communications in the United States, the vast towers and keeping the lines open.

The film is a Pat O’Brien? vehicle. He was very popular in these years at Warner Bros, a solid fast-talking character. In this film he portrays Red, a linesman with some experience who takes a young farmer, who wants to become a linesman, under his wing. The young man is Henry Fonda – very much the tall, gangly innocent which he used for both President Lincoln as well as Tom Joad in The Grapes of Wrath. Stuart Erwin contributes a comic performance as his friend Stumpy. Margaret Lindsay is a nurse. There is a short appearance by Jane Wyman as Stumpy’s girlfriend.

The film is almost documentary at times in its presentation of the work of the linesmen, the hard work on the heights, the accidents, the camaraderie amongst the men, the moving around the countryside and its stress on personal relationships. Pat O’Brien? portrays the character who is in love with the nurse, but wants his freedom and moving around, willing to give her up for the sake of his friend, Henry Fonda. Henry Fonda is naive, going to the city, meeting the nurse, pleased when she comes to him after he suffers an injury, the possibility of falling in love. The film was directed by Ray Enright, prolific director of Warner Bros films at this period.

1. A film of the 1930s? Post-Depression? Workers? Enterprise?

2. The semi-documentary style of the presentation of the lines, the towers, the dangers, the hard work, the men? Friends? Boarding together? Rivalries? The bosses? The contracts?

3. The black and white photography, the range of American locations? The countryside, the towns? The city? The musical score?

4. The picture of Red, Pat O’Brien? and his style, hard-working, not wanting to take responsibility, yet reliable? His relationship with the other men, the bosses? His friendship with Slim, helping him, his taking him to the city, meeting Cally? Red and his gambling, going to the nightclubs? Wanting to be free? In love with Cally? Finally giving her up for Slim?

5. Slim, on the farm with his aunt and uncle, watching the men, wanting to join? The opening and his stepping in? The accident with his dropping the wrench? The tolerance of the other workers? His being supported by Red? His skill in his work? Going to the city, the young country boy and his being amazed at the city, the hotel, the hospital, the clubs? His falling for Cally without realising it? His decision to go back, his loyalty to Red? The hard work? The accident? In hospital, Cally coming to help him? His final decisions – his loyalty to the workers? This being more important than his relationship with Cally?

6. Stumpy, dumb, being picked on by the others? Yet his friendship, hard work, the letters to Slim? Their friendship?

7. Cally, as a nurse, relationship with Red, off and on? Her friendship with Slim, coming to the hospital, devotion, her being disappointed in his choices?

8. The range of workers, the accidents, the difficulties, money?

9. The final accident, Red trying to rescue the worker, his falling to his death? The effect on Slim?

10. A picture of workers in the post-Depression years? The ethos of the workers?