Riding the Rails

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Audience Member Interesting, moving doc. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/14/23 Full Review Audience Member A fascinating, but perhaps too brief, look at a particular group of people at a very particular time in America's history. Those young people who climbed up on train cars and rode from one part of the country to another, living a strange, free, dangerous life filled with adventure and suffering. I was impressed by the excellent interviewees, each an amazing storyteller in their own right. This is a must for someone interested in the time period. The little glimpses into the lives of such different people, all driven by chaotic times, are sometimes painful, sometimes wistful, but often tinged with a sort of subtle danger. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/26/23 Full Review Audience Member Engrossing documentary of youthful hobos. The Great Depression caused many American youth leave home to illegally ride freight trains. An estimated 4 million people rode the rails looking for work. See the official trailer here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOjQFyvqGTg The personal interviews of now older adults is fascinating to hear. Lots of interviews too. Era film showing what one man describes as a dog's life. The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) were camps that provided relief and the film goes into that extensively. Narrated, with songs of the time. Some towns forbid rail youth. Some would not give any medical care. Homelessness was considered a crime. Camps, called jungles, were established by the kids and adults. The homeless came from everywhere. Some good footage about that too. Times were so bad as one recalled, getting paid was in a few tomatoes after unloading a railcar full of coal. Another man got 15 cents for a day's work, but gave it back thinking the employer needed it more than he. A trip back to a time when suffering was a way of life. As one man remembered, a humilating experience. One man cries on screen just talking about how homesick he got. Some color, mostly black and white, a disturbing reflection of a time no one should live through. Some will find this depressing to watch. Others will find it a heartfelt look back to a time we hope will never happen again. For the film in its entirety, try checking pbs.org. or the trailer only at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOjQFyvqGTg Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/19/23 Full Review Audience Member Made-for-TV documentary is well-made, but only semi-entertaining. Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member A wonderful documentary, effective interviews, excellent footage from the era it is about. Informative, moving and very thought provoking. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/30/23 Full Review Audience Member A wonderful documentary, effective interviews, excellent footage from the era it is about. Informative, moving and very thought provoking. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/18/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Riding the Rails

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