Christ in Concrete
Christ in Concrete brings the Neorealist movement to an American setting. It fits perfectly within the context of The Great Depression. Directed by Ukrainian-born blacklisted director Edward Dmytryk, it seeks to decry the institution of capitalism by portraying the hardened lifestyle of an urban working class family in New York City. The protagonist is Geremio, a brick layer who seeks the dream of prosperity and a home with a family to live in it. He marries an Italian immigrant who shares his aspirations, and the two spend years trying to save up his small wage to purchase a house in Brooklyn. His job proves erratic and in no way prosperous. His comrade Luigi puts it eloquently: “It’s easier for a brick layer to go down than up.” Over time, Geremio grows disgruntled with his impoverished way of living and seeks solace through affairs and alcohol. The Great Depression kicks into high gear, with little opportunity for work and even less to save his funds. He says “The dream is dying, and it is worse than hunger.” Confiding in his close friend, he states that “Heaven has forgotten us.” He evntually becomes the foreman of a demolition business, hiring all his old friends. He is commissioning them to destroy everything that they have built, and they resent him for it. Furthermore, he cares little for the safety of his workers, favoring efficiency over security. At its climax, Geremio is tossed out of his apartment by his wife for adultery, and he resolves to make himself a good person. He reunites with his family and friends, telling them that speed is no longer the priority, but safety for his workers. The next day at work, the entire structure they are destroying collapses upon them, casting Geremio to the ground and burying him, the proverbial Christ, in wet cement. With his dying breath he cries out for air and apologizes to his wife. The American Dream crumbles under the weight of reality. This film is a prime example of antagonism of capitalism within a Western movie industry.