''We Work Again'' is a 1937 ephemeral film produced by the

Work Projects Administration The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, in ...

to promote its employment and training efforts for African-Americans during the Great Depression. Various jobs are shown, including public construction projects, domestic service and health care training, adult education programs and performing arts. It is particularly noted for containing the only existing footage of the 1936 Federal Theatre Project production of '' Macbeth'', directed by

Orson Welles George Orson Welles (May 6, 1915 – October 10, 1985) was an American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter, known for his innovative work in film, radio and theatre. He is considered to be among the greatest and most influential f ...

and featuring an all-black cast.

Production

''We Work Again'' is a Work Projects Administration documentary short subject produced in 1937 by civil rights activist Alfred Edgar Smith, a member of President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

's Black Cabinet, and

Pathé News Pathé News was a producer of newsreels and documentaries from 1910 to 1970 in the United Kingdom. Its founder, Charles Pathé, was a pioneer of moving pictures in the silent era. The Pathé News archive is known today as British Pathé. Its col ...

. The film presents the positive impact of WPA employment and training programs for African-Americans. Scenes of unemployment are contrasted with scenes of those working in public building projects, land records management and nursery schools, being trained in health care and domestic service, and taking part in adult education classes. The film features programs available for visual artists, musicians, writers and theatre workers. ''We Work Again'' has gained considerable attention because it includes the only known footage of the Negro Theatre Unit's 1936 production of '' Macbeth'' staged by

. This footage consists of the last few minutes of the play. Maurice Ellis and Charles Collins appear as Macbeth and Macduff, indicating that the filming took place after July 16, 1936, when Ellis succeeded Jack Carter. A copy of the film is preserved by the

National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It ...

. The film has also been released on DVD on the 4-disc box set ''Treasures from American Film Archives'', compiled by the

National Film Preservation Foundation The National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF) is an independent, nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America's film heritage. Growing from a national planning effort led by the Library of Congress, the NFPF began op ...

. It is one of the very few films of its genre ever to be released on DVD or any other home format. The film is in the public domain and as such has appeared on several websites, including the

Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...

Cast

* William Lawrence, directing an art song ensemble *

Juanita Hall Juanita Hall (née Long, November 6, 1901 – February 29, 1968) was an American musical theatre and film actress. She is remembered for her roles in the original stage and screen versions of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals ''South Pacific'' ...

, leading a spiritual choir ("

Ezekiel Saw the Wheel "Ezekiel Saw the Wheel" is an African American spiritual arranged by William L. Dawson. It has been recorded by such artists as Woody Guthrie, Paul Robeson, John Lee Hooker, the Dixie Hummingbirds, the Tillers, the Fisk Jubilee Singers, The ...

''Voodoo Macbeth''

* Maurice Ellis: Macbeth * Charles Collins: Macduff * Eric Burroughs:

Hecate Hecate or Hekate, , ; grc-dor, Ἑκάτᾱ, Hekátā, ; la, Hecatē or . is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depict ...

* Zola King: Witch * Josephine Williams: Witch * Wilhelmina Williams: Witch

References

External links

* *
Preserved Films: Footage of Orson Welles's "Voodoo" Macbeth (1937)
—

{{DEFAULTSORT:We Work Again 1937 documentary films 1937 films Black-and-white documentary films American short documentary films American black-and-white films Documentary films about United States history Works Progress Administration Orson Welles Documentary films about African Americans Articles containing video clips 1930s English-language films 1930s American films

Production

Cast

''Voodoo Macbeth''

See also

References

External links