All the Way Home (1957 film): Difference between revisions

All the Way Home | When A Black Family Moves Next Door is a 1957 documentary short film directed by well-known documentary film director and producer Lee R. Bobker. The film was written by noted poet and political activist Muriel Rukeyser, and produced by film producer Nathan Zucker.

The film depicts a white family in the 1950s who has just put their house on the market. As soon as the family show the home to an interested black family, neighbors within the all-white community begin to gossip. The white family becomes the target of harassment and threats by bigoted residents in the community, who do not want a black family in the neighborhood.

The film was produced by Dynamic Films, Inc., a New York-based film production company founded in 1948 to produce educational, documentary, industrial, and theatrical films, as well as TV production series and commercials.

Plot

The film begins with a male narrator's depiction of a quiet suburban American neighborhood in the 1950s. An elderly white man, Ed, is nailing a "For Sale" sign in his front yard. A a well-dressed African-American gentlemen drives up to the property, gets out of his late-model automobile, and greets the elderly man. As the African-American man is soon joined by his well-dressed wife and daughter, two white neighborhood women standing nearby begin to gossip, hoping that the elderly man won't sell the property to the African-American family. Nonetheless, the elderly man invites the African-American family to tour his home.

As soon as the elderly man and the family enter the home, one of the white women runs to her home to call her husband Dick. Soon after, neighbors throughout the community begin incessant telephone calls between each other to gossip about the possibility of an African-American family moving into their community.

Ed's wife, standing in their dining room, begin to reminisces about their fond memories in the home. The telephone rings; the wife answers. Someone complains about the

The next day, Ed is standing at the bus stop with Tom, a fellow lodge member. Tom begins to complain to Ed about his intentions to sell the home to an African-American family. Startled, Ed heads down to visit the local realtor, Ted. Ted tells Ed to take down his "For Sale" sign so that he can sell the house to the "right buyer".

Later that day, Ed chats about the complaints from neighbors in his living room with his wife, his daughter and son-in-law Bob. Suddenly, a car pull up in the front yard and throw a can of black paint onto "For Sale" sign. Some of the pain land onto the clothing of Ed's young granddaughter Laurie, as grandson Bobby chases the car down the street.

Ed stands in a school yard watching children play as he listens to two neighbors complain

Ted, the realtor, visits the local banker, Ralph, to complain that Ed will set off a chain reaction lower housing values if an African-American family moves into the community. Banker who considers himself a "practical man", believes that land values will not necessarily go down if an African-American family moves in. Ted demands that Ralph to bank to make a policy decision on real estate loans that "will reassure the homeowners of this community, and the merchants and the service companies."

Ed's wife visits her local church minister to discuss her biased upbringing and her impulse to do the right thing by the African-American family. Her minister shares that the church's position should not allow ignorance and hate to wreck their neighborhood.

Ted reconvenes with Ralph. Ralph reads his bank's informal statement on its bank policy: "This bank is in the business of making sound loans properly secured." Ted balks at Ralph's pronouncement, telling him that people will leave the community, turning the community into a slum. Ralph reminds Ted that the ability of a man to pay his debts has nothing to do with the color of his skin or where he came from. Disgruntled, Ted alludes to Ralph that he will not allow bank policy to keep him from selling real estate to white people.

Numerous members all meet to debate how to protect land values and keep undesirables from their community. Ralph attempts to educate the community that homeownership has to do with the worth of the person, not the color of the skin, their religion, or where his parents come from.

Cast

• Lee R. Bobker - Director
• Muriel Rukeyser - Writer
• Nathan Zucker - Producer
• Ray E. Long - Director of Photography
• Yoshio Kishi - Film Editor
• Jack Fitzstephens (credited as John J. Fitzstephens) - Production Manager. Nominated for a "Best Sound" British Film Award for "Dog Day Afternoon"
• James Townsend - Sound Recording
• William Schwartz - Sound Recording

Credited Charles Abrams ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: New York State Commission Against Discrimination Algernon D. Black ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing Oscar Cohen ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Anti-Defamation League of B'Nai Brith Lillian Hatcher ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Fair Practices and Anti-Discrimination Department, United Auto Workers Frank S. Horne ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: New York Commission on Intergroup Relations Reginald Johnson ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: National Urban League, Inc. Madison S. Jones ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Alfred S. Kramer ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: National Council of Churces of Christ in the U.S.A. (as Rev. Alfred S. Kramer) Harold A. Lett ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Division Against Discrimination, State of New Jersey Edward Rutledge ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: New York State Commission Against Discrimination James H. Scheuer ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Housing Advisory Council, New York State Commission Against Discrimination George Sehermer ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations Galen Weaver ... gratefully acknowledged assistance: Congregational Christian Churches (as Rev. Galen Weaver)