Morning reveals New York harbor, the wharves, the Brooklyn Bridge. A ferry boat docks, disgorging its huddled mass. People move briskly along Wall St. or stroll more languorously through a cemetery. Ranks of skyscrapers extrude columns of smoke and steam. In plain view. Or framed, as through a balustrade. A crane promotes the city's upward progress, as an ironworker balances on a high beam. A locomotive in a railway yard prepares to depart, while an arriving ocean liner jostles with attentive tugboats. Fading sunlight is reflected in the waters of the harbor. The imagery is interspersed with quotations from Walt Whitman, who is left unnamed.
Cinematography
Every frame could hang in MoMA. Seriously.
Editing
Rhythmic cutting that invented the city symphony.
Director
Charles Sheeler
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This single short film basically invented the 'city symphony' documentary genre that influenced everything from Koyaanisqatsi to La Jetée.
Sheeler and Strand were primarily painters and photographers — this was their only film, made with a borrowed camera, and they never made another.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
US
