Presented by the AFL-CIO, this film is part of the “Americans at Work” film series. This episode focuses on shoemakers. Filmed at a shoe factory, this particular film underscores the continual need for skilled artisans and workers in the shoe making industry despite the automated, advanced machines that were standardizing the work cobblers previously did manually. The film also underscores the role of women in this field, not only for their sewing skills but superior attention to detail.

“Americans at Work” dates to 1959-1960. In 1958, AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer, William F. Schnitzler, announced the production of 52 films to run weekly for one year. The popularity of the series persuaded the AFL-CIO to extend the project by an additional 52 films. The AFL-CIO Public Relations Department coordinated the production and distribution of the series. Production was contracted to Norwood Studios, Inc. of Washington, DC.

00:00 Close-up shots of high-heel clad women’s feet as they cross busy intersection (0:10). Opening credits play over footage of shoemaker at work forming, shaping various models of shoes using combination of machines and manual tools (0:20). Montage close-up shots of pedestrians walking in various shoe models – Oxfords, high heels, boots, loafers – to emphasize importance of shoes for everyone (0:38). Young man organizes piles of raw hides bound with rope that will be used to make all kinds of shoe models (1:21). Shoemaker guides clicker press (leather cutting machine) over die (a metal shape) to quickly cut leather patterns from hide (1:36). Montage clips of other leather cutters using clicker press to quickly cut out patterns from various leather hides and minimize material waste (2:13). Another worker operates sole trimming machine, guides rough cut shoe soles into apparatus and removes excess material (3:03). Worker using edge finishing machine to polish/smooth edges of sole (3:23). Man feeds inner sole into machine that cuts slit (4:01). Woman feeds another part of shoe into machine that stamps leather with identifying info i.e. size, trademark, style number (4:16). Two women sit side-by-side, use industrial machine to form flat leather into rounded pointed shape (4:31). Women at different workstations cut shapes for different panels of shoe to maximize efficiency (4:48). Woman places different parts together and binds with glue, ensures pieces are equal in size (5:10). Woman uses stitching awl to mark leather where stitches/ intricate design should be made (5:37). Shoe seamstress follows stitching marks while feeding leather through fast industrial sewing machine; Stitches sole to other pieces, inner liner to outer pieces (5:54). “Finishers:” women sit side-by-side at cramped sewing machines as they apply finishing touches to shoes (6:28). Woman uses iron to press lining pieces to leather (6:57). Man feeds shoe into automatic nailing machine, attaching base of shoe to leather exterior; Ability to tack shoes together with more accuracy than cobblers of the past (7:06). Operator shapes leather around wooden “last” and feeds it into an automated machine that pulls leather tight (7:28). Leather upper secured to last, worker begins to build the rest of the shoe by applying special glue after trimming excess leather (8:11). Workers sit beside racks of finished shoes and conducts quality control test (9:12). Woman carries out second check, separates completed shoes into matching pairs (9:28). Shoemaker feeds completed shoes into heated press to solidify glue bonds (9:40). Heel of high heel fitted to base of shoe by machine; Worker fits leather sole by hand using trimming knife (10:16). Woman places high heel against trimming machine to smooth rough edges and remove excess glue (10:42). Man places heel into machine that paints sole with black ink for streamlined look (10:55). Final step: Man speedily removes wooden lasts from completed shoes (11:23). Completed high heels, with heel facing up, displayed on rack (11:40). Woman meticulously wraps pairs of high heels in tissue paper and places them in box, ready for consumer (11:50). Montage cutting between clips of pedestrians walking in shoes and shoe manufacturers in factory, narrator closing words (12:08). Mural in AFL-CIO headquarters with classic characteristics of mid-20th-century American labor art. Film ends (13:30).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com