User: M-le-mot-dit
File: The Making of an American (1920).webm
Author: Guy Elmer Hedlund
Publisher: State of Connecticut
Year: 1920
PD: PD/US
Note: A 1920 short silent film used as an educational tool in the governmental Americanization initiatives to encourage immigrants to learn the English language. In 2005, this film was selected by the Library of Congress to be included in the first class of films for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Cat: Propaganda film, Silent film
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00:01
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|The State of Connecticut}}<br />
Department of Americanization<br />
{{Smaller|presents}}<br />
{{X-larger|''The'' MAKING OF AN}}<br />
{{X-larger|AMERICAN.}}}}
}}
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00:09
{{ft/s|
{{Center|An appeal to all foreigners to learn English.
{{Rule|8em}}
{{lang|it|Una chiamata per tutti di imparare la lingua inglese.}}
{{Rule|8em}}
{{lang|hu|Egy felhivás minden külföldihez, hogy tanuljon Angolul.}}}}
}}
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00:20
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|A}}ttracted by the hope of greater things that Italy can afford him, Pete has taken the great step, and landed in America.}}
}}
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00:40
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}ony, his boyhood friend,—an American already made.}}
}}
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00:55
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|W}}ith Tony's assistance, Pete has been looking for a job.}}
}}
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01:11
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|D}}o you know how to work an elevator?"}}
}}
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01:21
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|C}}an't he talk English?"}}
}}
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01:38
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}here are always jobs enough in America, but not the kind Pete Expected.}}
}}
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02:06
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|I}}taliano!"}}
}}
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02:38
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}he dream of a beautiful home has vanished. The day's toil ends in a sordid tenement, amid noise and dirt.}}
}}
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03:06
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|B}}ut even a laborer must know the language of the country where he lives, as Pete discovered to his cost.}}
}}
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03:24
{{ft/i|
{{Right|{{Frame|{{Larger|DANGER}}}}}}
}}
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03:31
{{ft/i|
{{Block center|align=center|{{Frame|{{Fine block|WHEN BELL RINGS<br />
KEEP CLEAR<br />
OF THE GATE}}}}}}
}}
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04:06
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|A}} few weeks later, a sadder and wiser man comes out of the hospital.}}
}}
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04:28
{{ft/i|
{{Center|{{Frame|{{X-larger|'''Learn English'''}}
{{Smaller block|Attend the Public Evening<br />School Nearest Your Home!}}
{{Rule|8em}}
{{Larger|'''Imparate La Lingua Inglese'''}}
{{Smaller block|Frequentate la Scuole Pubbliche Serati<br />situate al punto piu vicino di case vostra.}}
{{Rule|8em}}
{{Larger|'''Uez się po Angielsku'''}}
{{Smaller block|Uszęszczaj do wieczornych szkol<br />
znajdujacych się blisko twedo domu.}}}}}}
}}
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05:06
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}he way to do a thing is to begin. Pete was not happy until he began to study English.}}
}}
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05:49
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|B}}y easy stages, the sounds of English became familiar to the foreign ear.}}
}}
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06:01
{{ft/i|
{{Center|{{Sp|STOP}}}}
}}
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06:24
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|I}}—open—the—door."}}
}}
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06:48
{{ft/i|
{{Center|{{Cursive|''I open the door.''}}}}
}}
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08:05
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|A}}nd Pete's outlook had already taken a turn for the better.}}
}}
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08:43
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|N}}ow it's up to you to make good money!"}}
}}
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09:05
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|N}}early a year has passed since Pete's first attendance at Evening School.
<p>{{X-larger|W}}ith the help of the public library, he had learned that mastery over all good things begins with mastery of self.</p>}}
}}
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09:29
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}he end of the session of the Evening School.}}
}}
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09:41
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|A}}nd at the factory, Pete had at length gained the position to which his real ability entitled him.}}
}}
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10:13
{{ft/i|
{{Box|{{Smaller|'''BASE BALL'''}}
{{X-smaller block|Hartford<br />Rubber Works Co.<br />(…)}}}}
}}
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10:53
{{ft/d|
{{Center|"{{X-larger|T}}ell your friend to go to evening school and learn English. That's what I did myself."}}
}}
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11:21
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|T}}hus the years glided by, bringing in their train new power and new joys.
<p>{{X-larger|T}}he early days in the tenement were forgotten in the happiness of home life.</p>}}
}}
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12:22
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|H}}is fine public spirit was readily appreciated by his fellow-citizens.}}
}}
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12:35
{{ft/i|
{{Block center
|{{Bold block|{{X-larger block|{{Font-stretch|.7|PETER BRUNO}}<br />{{Em}}{{Font-stretch|.7|CHOSEN HEAD OF}}<br />{{Gap}}{{Font-stretch|.7|SAFETY COUNCIL}}}}
{{Rule|4em}}
{{Center|{{Fine block|Unanimous Recognition of<br />
Public-spirited Work of<br />
Leading Citizen for<br />
the Improvement of<br />
Working Conditions}}}}}}
|style=border-left:solid 1px black; border-right:solid 1px black;padding-left:.5em;padding-right:.5em}}
}}
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12:45
{{ft/s|
{{Center|{{X-larger|N}}o longer handicapped by ignorance of the language, Pete was bearing his share of the work—and honors—of the community.}}
}}
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13:32
{{ft/s|
{{Larger|IF {{Underline|YOU}} KNOW MEN OF WOMEN WHO DON'T KNOW ENGLISH, URGE THEM TO GO TO NIGHT SCHOOL.}}
}}
