Release Date: June 23, 1936 (Industrial Short Film)
Master Hands (1936) Colorized: A Chevrolet Factory Tour in Flint, Michigan, Before the UAW Strike
A Paean to Mass Production: The 1936 Chevrolet Factory Tour
""Master Hands" (1936)" is a classic example of the industrial film genre, produced by the famed "Jam Handy Organization (JHO)" for the "Chevrolet Motor Company", a division of General Motors. Released on June 23, 1936, this promotional short film offers a comprehensive, nearly step-by-step view of "Chevrolet automobile manufacturing", from the raw materials in the foundry to the final product rolling off the line. It serves as a visual ode to the precision and scale of the factory "mass production system" in the mid-1930s.
Historical Context: Filmed in Flint, Michigan
The film was shot inside the massive "Chevrolet Plants" located in "Flint, Michigan", a city central to the history of the American automobile industry. Crucially, this footage was captured just months before the historic "Flint Sit-Down Strike" in late 1936 and early 1937, where the "United Auto Workers (UAW)" successfully won union recognition from General Motors. While ""Master Hands"" depicts a harmonious, efficient workplace, its historical value is deepened by the knowledge of the labor struggle bubbling beneath the surface, making it an unintentional document of the period just prior to a major labor upheaval.
Production and Preservation Details
The original "black and white film" has a runtime of "33 minutes". Key contributors to the production included cinematographer Gordon Avil, composer Samuel J. Benavie, and editor Vincent Herman. As a "public domain film", its preservation is managed by the Library of Congress (Source: loc.gov/item/2022600183/). This restored version has been digitally enhanced and carefully brought to life through modern "AI Colorization", allowing the intricate details of the 1930s machinery and the working environment to be seen with new clarity by "GM Latifzadeh".
"Original Source:" loc.gov/item/2022600183/
"License Detail:" PUBLIC DOMAIN MARK / “No Known Copyright”
Watch the Full Colorized Historical Documentary (1936)
Watch the complete, digitally restored, and "AI-Colorized" documentary. This is a must-see for enthusiasts of "automotive history", "industrial films", and the history of "Flint, Michigan".