With This Ring (1954)

[music] [bell] Heat. [music] [music] Hey, heat. Hey, heat. [music] [music] Heat. Heat. [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] This is the tale of two valleys, one in the old world and one in the new. The first wanders picturesely through southern Germany. The valley of the river Danube, famed in song and legend. [music] As you shall see, this is a story that has no ending. And the beginning has been lost. It happened so far away and long ago. So, we're going to start right here, [music] skimming along the historic old river road. The time is now. [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] There it is. Sigmaringan 5 km. Won't be long now. [music] [music] [music] The tanube is blue, isn't it? It's even bluer near Vienna. Here it's too close to the Black [music] Forest. Oh, it's all so lovely. You know something? For someone who's never been here before, I have the strangest feeling. What do you mean? [music] like I'm like I'm coming home. It's funny. So do I. [music] [music] And the horn clip. [music] [music] It's a long way back from the Monomony River Valley in Wisconsin to the valley of the Danube in old Wenberg and the towering cliff on top of which crouches the ancient castle of the Hoens. [music] It is to this a young American twice all-American and now a successful young businessman returns to his ancestral grounds. [music] [music] [music] Where is the Was Ala Brah house? That alter house the prey house here. [music] I'll bet they used to have some gay times here. As the old gateman reminisces The visitor's thoughts go back with him, back into the past. In the mind's eye, the great courtyard is again peopleled with a merry throng of villagers of a 100 years ago, celebrating the annual festival of the new brew. [music] Why? I can [music] [singing] I [music] [singing] I [music] [music and singing] might be [music] la. [music] Out onto the tower balcony, the Duke and Duchess usher a distinguished guest. [music] [music] La [music] [music] fric fest. The gentlemen retired to the castle's beerstew, its walls be decked with the escotchians of famous visitors. Schlespig Holstein, Kberg Gotha, Leopold of Belgium, the prince of Wales. Bismar is looking for one in particular. Ah, there it is. His own coat of arms. A subtle flattery. But no less gratifying than the royal beverage for which [music] the castle is known far and wide, and which each sojourer [music] looks forward to being served. [music] Ross it. Pro it. [music] But an item of business intrudes. The steward brings a petition from the brew master. He repeats his need for more loggering sellers underneath the castle. If he doesn't get them, he will resign. Barman is crossed Titans a good nine [music] brought you the best beer gun. So so sh so so so good. So, so, so, so [music] nine. [music] Yes, Otto Van Bismar, you are so right. The young man waiting out in the brew house is no ordinary brew master. His family goes back as well-known merchants for more than 400 years. On the royal license as brew master, we find his name, Frederick [music] Miller. Still in his early 20s, he is master of seven languages. He has traveled many countries studying the brewer's art. His father is Burgermeister of the neighboring free city of Reedling. [music] But Frederick, now pacing the floor nervously, is emulating his uncle, another famous brewer, who has come over from Bavaria for the festival. Ah, at last the steward returns. Will the Duke grant his fair petition or won't he [music] [music] Freish? Yes, whenever you are disturbed, you speak English. What's this laws? I'm going away for good. Where? To America. Is it the gold fever? You should know me better than that. I am a brew master like you. No, not like me. I'm only good. You are the best. Listen, [music] it is all in your honor. You and your formula. Yeah, the way things are going, it well may be the last faced dog. It's a very pretty sight, but other things are happening not so pretty and not so far from here. Germany's in an uproar. Refusion, inscription, [music] hunger, breads. Oh. Oh. Everywhere is unrest, scarcity, restrictions. These are the things [music] that go against everything I believe in. I see no future for many years to come. I am like this [music] plant. The soil is worn out. The roots are confined. It never had a chance. But a man must have a chance. A chance to grow. If only half the stories of America are true, there a man has a chance to do his best, do better his best. Freeders, my lever, young, if I were 20 years younger, I would go with you. Here, I want to give you something. Oh, no. No, not your master's ring. You deserve it now more than I. You're a brew master in the great tradition. Take it with you to America. Wear it to remind you qualitate [music] others. Quality above everything. That federation is your heritage. [music] With characteristic thoroughess, he spends a year looking for an ideal location. From the German centers of New York and Philadelphia, he moves down to the fourth largest city in the United States at the time, Orleans. Chicago is a mere village of 5,000. New Orleans is a city of a 100,000. Here, our friend is well known, too, among the French, especially the wine tasters who had known him and his brew when he was in France. [music] [music] Shante. [music] From New Orleans, he pressed northward to Prairie Duchain, Wisconsin. Fence across to another famed German center, Milwaukee. It is an old Indian name meaning [music] good lands. And he finds the lands are good. The same fertile valleys and rolling hills he had known and loved back home. Valleys to grow fine fullbodied grains. [music] Hills in which to tunnel cool dark loggering caves. Springs of crystal clearar water. [music] At last, here is a place where a man would have room to grow. [music] This is it. [music] Grateful to the power he feels has led him to this spot, he sets about his new life on the old plank road [music] with a characteristic combination of business sense and the golden rule. [music] You hollow out a big log, then you'll put it over there by the pump. Huh? If you say so, Mr. Miller. Only who is going to drive seven miles from town already just to water their horses. I am thinking of the farmers driving the heavy wagons past the ona market. Think how they would appreciate [music] a a place to stop and rest and and watered their teams. Yeah, maybe. Come on, come [music] [music] watering truck. I tell you he's looney. Gus, I bet you something good comes of this wing. You wait and see. [music] Bomb day my horses are sure glad to see your watering trough here. Gus, Gus, look it. You uh come far. Been on the road since 4 this morning. Good barley. I always get top price in town. My name's Miller. I'll pay you top market price and a little extra. You will? Yeah. Well, that saves me driving four miles to town and back again. Mister, where do you want it? Around and back. My name is Giles Greenfield and my neighbor Luther Todds is a thresh today. You mind if I tell him his crop's good, too? Tell all your neighbors. I always pay more than anyone else, but I buy only the best. Oh, fair enough. Come on, Daisy. Dandy. Well, what did I tell you? The boss knows what he's doing. He not only cast his blood upon the VA, but he supplies the water. He gets it back by the vag. Come on. A chance to grow. That's what Frederick Miller had wanted. And he is growing. With the years up go bigger brew and storage houses. Into the hillsides burrow more loggering caves. And he doesn't have to ask any duke. [music] Of course, the problems that come along get bigger, too. The civil war brings shortages. Oh, there you are, brother Miller. You told me I'd find you here. Hello, Bergen. My, what a delightful place to cool off here in your iced cave. Yeah. What can I do for you? I've come to do something for you, my friend. But first, tell me, what is this trouble you're having with Talera? No trouble. He just wants more beard than I can let him have right now. I've had to cail all deliveries. Why not give him all he wants? He's about your biggest customer. I treat all customers alike, but I can't make as much beer now while there's a shortage of the best materials. Well, then use the next best. Speed up the aging a little. You know all the shortcuts. People expect less during war times. From me, they don't. Now, listen to me, Miller. Cause folks call you the gentleman brewer. Don't let it go to your head. Goodbye, Vartigan. Get off your high horse, Miller. If you want the spondulix, get out. You're in business with the dome like everyone else. I said get out. Wait a minute. I warn you, Miller. Tally's got influence and you'll not deliver another keg of beer in his district. [music] Faced with this new threat, Frederick's counter move starts a new chapter in Miller [music] history. He ships a carload in kegs 400 m to St. Louis, then [music] rents a wagon and personally drives around selling it to open a new market. The first exportation of Miller beer. Next come the famous Miller Gardens on the hill beside the brewery. [music] [music] [music] [music] Yahoo! Yahoo! [music] [music] Yeah! Woohoo! [music] [music] [music] Yahoo! [cheering] Yahoo! [applause] Evening, Mr. Mayor. Mrs. Miller sent this right from the oven. Oh, well, thank you. Thank you very much. You know, I don't know what we come out here for most, your beer or your wife's bread and cheese. That's a good one. You know, Frederick's a reason for Milwaukee growing out here. His brewery is growing so fast that if we don't grow to meet it, it's going to grow to meet us. Why do you work so hard, Frederick? Ah, you love what you're doing. It isn't work. At leas has our two daughters to help her and I have our three sons like Gel here. Well, you're a wonderful family to stick together. And you know his two brothers, Fred Junior and and aunts, they're old enough to go to booing school now. Can you imagine? Oh, Papa. Ah, Leon, this is my daughter Cla. [snorts] Papa, who do you think's here? Senor Carelli. Who? Oh, Papa. Victoria Carelli, the famous opera singer. Look over there, please. [clears throat] I will help you get you. She's got her band cornered. [music and applause] Oh, let's sing a tune to the girl in the moon. [music] Raise our voices on high for her smile [singing] with a full st of beer. Let's [music] wish her a good cheer and forget all our cares for a while. To get music, [music] let's raise our glasses on high. Here is to the beautiful girl [music] in the sky. Oh, join me my friend in this toss that [music] we send to the glamorous lady with prize as we sing her tune. [music] The light of the moon will glow in her beautiful [music] eyes. Blink rink blink to fellowship. [music] Let's raise our glasses on high. Drink, blink. Here is a toast to the beautiful girl in [music] the sky. Oh, let's sing a tune. To the girl in the moon. [music] Let's sing to the pleasures of life. Let's all give a cheer with wonderful [music] beer. [singing] Let's drink. It's Miller Har. So, the years slip by. They are great years. Of course, the founder isn't getting any younger, but that doesn't keep him away from [music] the office. His watchful eye is on each new development, each [music] new method, jealously guarding that old world quality in this new world type beer. [music] [music] An innovation is to be the introduction of beer in bottles. As usual, the old gentleman has very definite ideas on the shape and design of the bottle. [music] [music] [music] The hand of the father and founder is still sooner than they expected. The older sons have to take over. Herman had a suggestion. Why don't brown glass bottles would be cheaper, saving the cost of covered delivery boxes? No. You know the reason for the Miller clear glass bottle? So people can see the beer is clear and sparkling, just like father said it had to be. Remember how proud he always was whenever anyone called it the champagne of beers? Do I? That's why the bottle looks like a champagne bottle with its ribbon neck label and seal. Well, that's the way the quality is going to stay. And that's the way the bottle's going to stay. Oh, Fred, mother wants to be sure both you boys will be home for Sunday dinner. We'll be there. Sure thing, Elise. Thinking hard. Clara and I are certainly lucky to have big brothers to do all the brain work. I'm glad I don't have to run a big business like this. But fate moves in mysterious [music] ways. The day comes when Elise finds herself in the president's chair. This is a disquing report. Production is going to be even lower than last quarter. We can't get the materials. The farmers can't raise as much A1 grains. If we could just accept some a little less than the best, then we No. Oh, Gordon, we will continue to cut the cloth to fit the pattern, not the pattern to fit the cloth. Yes, ma'am. You think I sound like a woman, don't you? Well, you're not the only one who thinks it's strange for a woman to be running a big brewery. I think it's strange myself except that well I'm part of the family and until the next generation is ready to take over. Well, [music] I think the expression is this one's on me. You see, it isn't [music] just a brewery. It's a dream my father had. A dream of bricks and brew kettles, of hopes and human beings. [music] It became our dream, too. My brothers, my sisters, and mine. I like people who make their dreams [music] come true. Don't you? I guess we'll win to it [music] with this ring. [music] These and other memories crowd in on the third generation Fred Miller as he sits by the castle gate looking over the scene of his heritage of which the ring is the token. [music] He remembers when it became his. A symbol of both an idea and a trust. A trust that sometimes took courage. As that memorable day in the boardroom, we're here today to make a decision. As you know, we ranked 20th among the nation's 300 breweries. But we can't just stay there. The same old story. We either go ahead or we slip back. We can't stand still. And we have an excellent opportunity for going ahead. The demand for Miller Highife has become terrific. Not only where we're selling it, but in areas where we've never shipped. Places like Texas, Louisiana, and California. We have applications for nearly 3,000 distributorships. Our problem is we can't expand like other breweries. We can't just add a few more brew kettles. We have to have all the other facilities required for our special formula. It will cost $30 million. In as much as this is a family affair, we'd expect to raise that right here in this room. Now, some of you may question whether this is the proper time for expansion in a general recession. I'd answer that with two more questions. Can we expand and still brew the same quality as always? Our brew master says we can if we do the job completely. Do we need this building program now? Our sales division says we do. I think I know what grandfather would say back in the old country when they told him things were unsettled. He'd better wait and see. He said, "Be sure you're right." Then go ahead, Mr. Chairman. We second grandfather's motion. I fine here. That's right. [music] So like grandfather, this generation went ahead with a daring building program. [music] Above the old battlements soared great new towers. When grandfather picked this spot back in 1855, he was looking ahead more than a 100red years, which is a pretty good long look. Such foresight is why this generation was able to build a complete new brewery, one of the largest, right alongside [music] one of the oldest, where a century of experience in brewing in the great tradition [music] could expand and reach out like brewer's yeast and leaven all the new. Not only was the world scoured for the finest equipment that money could buy, especially built to meet the requirements of the Miller formula, such as these rich hand wrought copper brew kettles. But they were housed in structures rejoicing in refinements far beyond the ordinary. [music] You don't [music] really need, for instance, a cathedral window 20 ft wide by 100 ft tall. But it is emblematic of the time when brewing was preserved by the church and every monastery had its own brew house [music] and a constant reminder to every brewer here that his is an ancient and noble art. Instead of plaster kitchen clean ceramic tile in the loggering house the brew gently aged in pure air washed by violet ray on every hand the gleam of stainless steel and flashing chrome. [music] Even the simple art of filtration is raised to the nth degree of scientific perfection. [music] [music] But even with the finest brewery in the world, there were still [music] problems. Beer is a delicate beverage. In fact, this ancient treasured formula is so delicately balanced that even so small a deviation as the moving of a process across the street was enough to throw the finished product ever so slightly off its golden perfection. [music] [music] [music] almost imperceptible except to taste specialists. And yet, [music] until the whole new operation could be adjusted and brought back to the same perfect balance, there was just no [music] product. Fred, we've just got to do something about these letters. Distributors, they want beer. It's been 3 months now. We're not ready yet. We can give them beer, but we can't give them high life. You know, in America, it's the right of every person to demand the best. And it's our responsibility to produce the best. There's our promise with our name signed to it. It says to every person who buys it in a tap room, in a restaurant, in a food store. It says, "This is the same taste, the same quality. You've always found it." That promise has never been broken. And no money in the world can make me break it. But the long awaited day comes at last when everything again is in perfect balance. When the newly added bottling lines fairly dance in a way that would have made grandfather's eyes shine. [music] [music] [music] [music] And the great trucks roll out and away, carrying the promise [music] to the far corners of America. [music] [music] Like this picture of a promise being bottled, the years roll by smoothly and swiftly, [music] the way they do when things are going well. [music] [music] And suddenly, almost before we know it, the 100th anniversary looms. A 100red years since the first Fred [music] Miller came to Milwaukee. That in brief is a statement of our policy at the present time. I can't think of anything else particularly to tell you. Have you any questions? I see you've been overtaking brewery after brewery. That's right. 300% increase in only a few years. And you're still building. We're dedicating a new one this morning. It's amazing. We've had a lot of help from millions of people from folks who create quality by asking for it. You know, grandfather rode horseback all over this part of Wisconsin searching for the best grains. Our brew master today still goes out personally. The only difference, he has farther to go and faster transportation. [music] He goes right out into the hopfields. No foreign country today can supply us with enough of the top grade. So, the best strain was imported and now grows in California. The rich valley soil there is especially friendly for producing [music] vigorous, well-packed buds, springy and aromatic. [music] The best of the crop is selected and earmarked each year to be shipped to us here in Milwaukee. Why are they called hops? I mean, where does the name come from? If you were on one of these buying trips, you'd soon see. That's one of the things we look for, especially their springiness as well as the pungency. We scoop up a handful of buds. Squeeze them together and let them go. They hop all right, the good ones, and the best are all we're interested in. The same is true of barley and all the other ingredients. Our formula today is exactly like it was 100 years ago. The only change, we protect quality today with modern refrigeration instead of ice caves with jacketed copper kettles and glass line tanks. Thank you. I see Father Galen has arrived, ready to start the ceremony. Shall we go? [applause] This building we dedicate today, we like to think was planned a 100 years ago. It's a tribute not only to grandfather, but to all men who dream and to a country in which a man can make his dreams come true. Already, we're looking forward to the [music] next hundred years in America. They're in the hands of the next generation. [music] His ring doesn't fit very well, but it will. He'll grow into it. [applause] You see, there's an inflexible law that binds men who build well to keep on building. We're here today to ask God's blessing on this new edifice. In France, they bless the vineyards. In Spain, they bless the fishing fleets. Why not here in America ask God's blessing on our business? I see God in the miracle of fermentation, in the ingenuity of So you see, this story has no end. It's like a ring that way. You've just seen the first hundred years of it. The first hundred years of a family and a promise. A promise kept and pledged to you by each succeeding generation. and sealed with this ring. [music] [music] [music]