THE GREATEST DRAMA
Sign in to track this film in your collection or want list.
Year Published: 1950s
Format: 16mm
Description: This episode of the 1950s TV series The Greatest Drama tells the story of the great "Crusader," Fiorello H. La Guardia, also known as the "Little Flower." La Guardia addresses a crowd at a political rally. He sits in a chair at his home and reads a book (01:14). Footage shows New York City’s impoverished lower east side (01:55), where La Guardia grew up. La Guardia serves in World War I as a pilot, and footage shows several planes taking off, while a photograph shows La Guardia in uniform. He was involved in an investigation of the sinking of the S4 submarine (02:52); a salvage ship works where the sub went down. He runs for mayor of New York against Jimmy Walker, who stands smiling in a crowd (03:34). La Guardia speaks passionately to an audience and the camera about reform (04:12). The episode shows City Hall (04:22); inside, newly elected Mayor La Guardia sifts through papers on his desk (04:37). Police officers sit at an event or talk (05:06); La Guardia shows his tough-on-crime attitude using a sledge hammer to destroy slot machines confiscated from mob boss Frank Costello. Firefighters drive through the city’s streets then put out a fire (05:40). La Guardia and his wife sit on a couch with their two children (06:27). The episode shows a parade as part of a rally against Nazi Germany in 1939 (06:50), and La Guardia speaks at the rally. He is then shown speaking in 1940 at the dedication of the new La Guardia Airport (07:20). Women of local air defense units prepare for potential air raids during World War II. La Guardia reads the comics over a radio broadcast, in this case a Dick Tracy comic (08:07). La Guardia walks into City Hall on his last day as mayor (09:05); he turns his office over to successor William O’Dwyer. He is soon working to help the refugees in Europe after the end of World War II. La Guardia speaks at a United Nations meeting (09:36), and, as head of the U.N. Relief and Rehabilitation Agency, he supervises the exporting of grain to Europe. La Guardia travels to Europe and inspects a camp for displaced peoples. La Guardia speaks at a U.N. conference in Switzerland (10:30). He returns from Europe, climbing out of a plane (10:50). The episode concludes with photographs and film clips of La Guardia, the "Great Crusader." Fiorello Henry La Guardia (December 11, 1882 – September 20, 1947) was an American politician. He is best known for being the 99th Mayor of New York City for three terms from 1934 to 1945 as a Republican. Previously he had been elected to Congress in 1916 and 1918, and again from 1922 through 1930. Irascible, energetic, and charismatic, he craved publicity and is acclaimed as one of the greatest mayors in American history. Only five feet, two inches (1.57 m) tall, he was called "the Little Flower" (Fiorello is Italian for "little flower"). La Guardia, a Republican who appealed across party lines, was very popular in New York during the 1930s. As a New Dealer, he supported President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, and in turn Roosevelt heavily funded the city and cut off patronage for La Guardia's enemies. La Guardia revitalized New York City and restored public faith in City Hall. He unified the transit system, directed the building of low-cost public housing, public playgrounds, and parks, constructed airports, reorganized the police force, defeated the powerful Tammany Hall political machine, and reestablished employment on merit in place of patronage jobs. La Guardia is also remembered for his WNYC radio program "Talk to the People," which aired from December 1941 until December 1945. La Guardia was seen as a domineering leader who verged on authoritarian but whose reform politics were carefully tailored to address the sentiments of his diverse constituency. He won elections against the historically corrupt Tammany Hall political system, presided during the Great Depression and World War II, implemented New Deal welfare and public works programs in the city, and gave political support to immigrants and ethnic minorities. He was also supported by President Roosevelt. La Guardia was known as a reform mayor who helped clean out corruption, brought in experts, and made the city responsible for its own citizens. His administration engaged new groups that had been kept out of the political system, gave New York its modern infrastructure, and raised expectations of new levels of urban possibility.
Complete Record:
Transcription
[Applause] the greatest drama the memorable story of the great Among Us written by you the [Music] [Applause] people this chapter the Cru Sader the story of fiorello LaGuardia the name fiorello in Italian means Little Flower but fiorello LaGuardia was no shrinking violet he was a past master of Rabel rousing his oratory fighting spirit and passion for the truth as he saw it made him one of the great Crusaders of his time but LaGuardia had a s side he could enjoy a good book as much as he enjoyed a good fight the son of an army bandmaster he loved music very good book of course I'm a great admir of Rich Wagner you know I would sooner have written his music and be dead all these years and even to be a big shot and alive today [Music] in 1882 the Little Flower was born in the Lower East Side of New York City his parents were Italian immigrants the slum District was a political stronghold of tamy Hall evictions happened often as a young lawyer LaGuardia fought the battles of the poor and ran for congress on the Republican ticket in 1916 he was elected it was his first victory over tamy and his beginning as a crusader then the first world [Music] war volunteering for the Air Force LaGuardia became a bomber pilot fought in Italy and came out of the war a [Music] hero back in Congress laguadia resumed his Crusade hitting out in all directions he battled against prohibition High rents and child labor then in 1928 he made a sensational investigation of a great sea [Music] tragedy convinced that the S4 submarine disaster was due to carelessness laguadia went down in a sister ship and was trapped on the bottom hours later he was rescued [Applause] when the S4 was salvaged he cleared the Navy of blame in the disaster it had been caused he said not by official carelessness but by the dangerous nature of submarines his own close brush with death proved [Music] it a year later with handsome Jimmy Walker as his opponent he ran for mayor of New York City but Walker was then the idol of New York's Millions he defeated LaGuardia easily the rubbery little Crusader bounced back running again for mayor in 1933 the issue was reformed exploding on New York like a package of firecrackers LaGuardia shouted himself horse denouncing graft and Corruption this is no time for Saab stuff and whining now is the time to fight to fight for the best interest of our city and we ask you to enlist to enlist forces with the Republican Fusion ticket get back of this ticket and on Election Day we will be able to give this city the right kind of a city Administration that it needs this time success from the slums of New York felo LaGuardia had risen to the mayor's office the start of a new career as a reformer [Music] taking office as mayor of New York City felo LaGuardia set out to make good his campaign Promises of Municipal reform four secretaries were kept busy as he plunged into the big job of cleaning up the city government it was another [Music] Crusade thece Police Department was overhauled when LaGuardia was finished the blue Coats were really New York's finest the city's rundown prisons got a stiff dose of the same cleanup medicine the Little Flower started a vast program of Slum clearance down with the old tenaments breeding spots of disease and crime the fire department had a special place in his honors [Music] affections he dashed to large blazes with the excitement of a small boy and made New York's firefighters among the best in the world with equal zest the Little Flower crusaded against G gamblers and broke up the city's rets left the gamblers korns rocketeers and gangsters take noce that they have to keep away from New York from now on thus LaGuardia cleaned up New York literally for years the ladas had lived on the edge of poverty now they and the two children could enjoy the Comforts provided by the mayor's substantial salary giving up active politics Mrs LaGuardia settled down to the job of housewife and mother but for Fel the Crusades continued and the latest Target of his righteous anger was Adolf Hitler in 1939 alarmed by Nazi aggressions in Europe the Little Flower warned of the growing danger to democracy at the world's fair that year he proposed a statue of Hitler for the Chamber of Horrors Germany protested loudly undaunted the little Crusader led the parade on opening day in 1940 another Opening Day celebration this time it was LaGuardia Airport at the dedication of the huge Airfield he again called for preparedness against the totalitarians when the second world war came with its threat of Air Raids the first director of Civilian defense was fiorella LaGuardia he helped set up and train America's local air defense [Music] units always the showman LaGuardia was forever doing things that endeared him to New Yorkers in 1945 he broadcast the comic strips keeping the children informed on the latest activities of Dick Tracy here is wet wash the doors of the laundry wagon are open he's leaning with his back toward the wagon and he's counting his money two three 4,000 now he's getting into the hundreds 600 700 800 and the picture shows a hand of beess stretching out she's got hold of that iron pot remember the iron partt she took from the van hen's Gardener flat to put the money in and crash she crashes on his head knocked out it was one of laria's last broadcasts he had decided not to run again for mayor [Music] the last day as mayor of New York laguadia felt that 12 years was enough for any man he turned the office over to his successor William odre for once in his life the tough little warrior had nothing to say as he left City Hall too choked with emotion for Words almost at once with all his energy LaGuardia undertook a great task for the United Nations to bind up the wounds of a war shattered world it is our Tas to find food wherever it may be and to take it to Hungry people fields of wheat in western United States and Canada the hustling director of unra wanted that wheat for the starving peoples of Europe and Asia LaGuardia supervised the wheat collection and started the precious Grain on its way to the needy then a whirlwind tripped to Europe to inspect the refugee camps the children of the camps ran to meet him and their parents poured out thanks in Switzerland a conference of the UN relief Administration director General LaGuardia presided over delegates from every land from Good Government Crusades he had climbed High leader of a movement to save the lives of millions of people although he wasn't aware of illness LaGuardia was mortally sick on his return from Europe reporting on his mission he said it will take a long time the people of Europe to recover entirely from this war in the meantime the leadership for peace having come to us we must live up to that great responsibility one year later the rugged little warrior was dead struck down by [Music] cancer he left a story record of accomplishment in war he was a hero in Congress a farsighted reformer in New York City a great mayor he was a man of many contradictions but fiorello LaGuardia was always on the side of the underdog a great crusader [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] be with us again next week at this time when the greatest drama true film biographies of the great Among Us Again comes your way [Applause]
1 user has this film:
Periscope Film
No related films.
Original permalink · Record added: 2025-01-23 16:47:15