One of the films made by the Jam Handy Organization for General Motors, “O’Mara’s Chain Miracle” is a pay-it-forward branding film. It takes place in a small town where a short tempered traffic cop (played by Victor McLaglen) named O’Mara manages to hold his temper and not explode at the service station guy that stops in the crosswalk (in his brand new convertible Chevy). As a result, the service station guy is nice to a customer (in a Chevy), who then treats his customers nicely… and so on and so on… and of course it ends up at the Chevy dealer! And they all lived happily ever after!
The town featured in the film was apparently located in Michigan.
00:00 – 1:08: Introduction to the neighborhood, highlighting the unique friendliness and courtesy of its people and merchants.
1:08 – 1:36: Example of Jake Thomas, a local tailor, who exemplifies reliability by having suits ready on time.
1:36 – 2:30: Story of Officer Omar, initially short-tempered, who unexpectedly shows kindness to Henry Carter at a traffic stop, marking the beginning of a community transformation.
2:30 – 3:52: Henry Carter, inspired by Omar’s unexpected kindness, decides to give extra service at his gas station, starting with Fred Murray, which sets off a chain reaction of goodwill.
3:52 – 5:27: Fred Murray, feeling good from Henry’s service, extends the same courtesy to Tom Smith at the Chevrolet dealership, emphasizing personalized customer service.
5:27 – 6:23: The cycle continues as Tom Smith applies this approach to Joe Cory, the local butcher, showing how understanding and fairness in business dealings spread.
6:23 – 7:44: Pete Robbins, the Chevrolet service manager, discusses with his team the importance of doing jobs right, on time, and with friendliness, inspired by his own experiences.
7:44 – 8:27: Joe Cory, now reformed, treats every customer like his favorite, which positively affects his interactions, like with Mrs. Jones, leading to mutual satisfaction.
8:27 – 9:25: Mary Jones, influenced by the community’s new spirit, brings cheerfulness to her work at the phone company, illustrating how the ‘miracle’ spreads across different sectors of community life.
9:25 – 10:25: The narrative reflects on how this newfound friendliness and trust have economically benefited the community, with businesses thriving and people living more harmoniously.
10:25 – 11:18: The secret behind Officer Omar’s initial change is revealed (he had laryngitis), but the story concludes with a message on how easy it is to start such a positive cycle intentionally, encouraging the audience to try it in their own lives and workplaces.
This text tells a story of how a simple act of kindness can transform a community, spreading from person to person, leading to a more pleasant, efficient, and prosperous environment.
Victor Andrew de Bier Everleigh McLaglen (10 December 1886 – 7 November 1959) was an English boxer and First World War veteran who became a successful film actor. He was known as a character actor, particularly in Westerns, and made seven films with John Ford and John Wayne. McLaglen won the Academy Award for Best Actor in 1935 for his role in The Informer.
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