Dieselpunk + Steampunk Culture
Skyscrapers of New York (1906)
ON THE HIGHEST ROOF IN NEW YORK!
"Following 'The Tunnel Workers' we offer a new sensational production in which the action takes place largely on the dizzy heights of the uppermost girder of a twenty-story skyscraper in the heart of New York. The building is said to be the highest in the city, and overlooks Union Square. In the distance are to be seen the Flatiron Building, the Times building and other modern marvels."
- Excerpt from the Biograph Bulletin No. 88, December 8, 1906.
Photographed November 8, 14, and 15, 1906.
American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
Location: 12th Street and Broadway & Studio
Producer: Fred A. Dobson
PART 1
The first of three parts, this portion of film is almost entirely an actuality as it opens with a breathtaking panoramic shot of lower Manhattan overlooking Union Square Park. Park Avenue South comes into view just at the top in the distance. The scene cuts to bricklayers busily plying their trade, a riveting team sew the buildings frame together, (the city's low skyline in this shot allows for an amazing view of the East River in the distance), iron workers pull a beam into place. The three minute work day is over and four crew members ride a crane hook for the camera and their union pride.
PART 2
DAGO PETE STARTS A FIGHT AND IS DISCHARGED
Here comes the protagonist administering an unprovoked attack, in front of witnesses no less. The foreman shows up and immediately sends Pete packing.
TO GET EVEN HE ROBS THE CONTRACTOR
No one is around. Dago Pete sneaks back onto the job site, now's his chance. He rifles through the contractors vest and jacket pockets taking the contractors watch and papers. What a rat!
HE RETURNS TO THE BUILDING AND ACCUSES THE FOREMAN OF THE THEFT
The day is done. The management crew gets ready to leave when Mr. Contractor discovers his pocket watch has flown and his papers have walked! Dago Pete shows up just in time and sews the seed of discord. Ain't that guy not supposed to be here? What's his beef anyway? Besides getting canned for fighting I mean. What a liar! Just goes to show you can't trust a character named Dago. The gullible contractor tries to duke it out with the foreman, but the others rightly intervene.
DAGO PETE SECRETES THE STOLEN PROPERTY IN THE HOME OF THE FOREMAN
Under some undefined pretext, Dago Pete shows up at the foreman's home. Mrs. Foreman and little daughter Foreman seem used to crew workers showing up. As Pete weaves his tale of deceit Mrs. Foreman takes the bait. She goes off to allow the plot complication to move along smoothly. Unnoticed by Pete, the foreman's daughter runs off only to hide behind the dividing screen.
Pete thinks he's alone, so he stashes the stolen goods behind a clock on the wall mantle. How slick. But Mr. Foreman's daughter is slicker. Her natural curiosity has her witness Pete's devious actions when she pops her head above the screen. Didn't her mother warn her about standing on that stool? S'pose there wouldn't be a story if she were a perfect little girl. Mrs. Foreman returns, handing Pete a package. He bids an incongruous adieu and leaves. As Mrs. F sees him off, daughter tells mother about the earlier part of the scene.
PART 3
ATOP THE SKYSCRAPER
THRILLING HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTER ON ONE OF THE HIGHEST BUILDINGS ERECTED IN NEW YORK
The wrongly accused foreman confronts the duped contractor and after a subdued but heated exchange a dangerously located fight ensues. Don't mess with a construction foreman Mr. Contractor, he works around steel beams all day. The foreman throws him a weak but cinematically effective beating dropping the guy over the side. "Oh no... what have I done!?" He seems to exclaim.....
RESCUE OF THE CONTRACTOR
As the contractor hangs on for dear life a couple of workmen save him from certain death.
THE CULPRIT EXPOSED
In court, the contractor presses his case against the wrong man. Is there no justice? "Your Honor, he stole my plot devices and beat the daylights out of me! Left me hanging stories above certain death!"
Dago Pete bares false witness but in a sudden twist, the foreman's council presents the foreman's young precocious daughter who melodramatically points an accusing finger at Dago Pete. "It was HIM yer honor!"
Foiled! The jig is up! The court officer grabs Pete and hauls him off to the clink, stage left.
The contractor seeks forgiveness as the foreman's wife talks sense into the guy, and as is true of all wonders of early cinema, Innocence does not lie. Truth and Forgiveness win the day.
"Following 'The Tunnel Workers' we offer a new sensational production in which the action takes place largely on the dizzy heights of the uppermost girder of a twenty-story skyscraper in the heart of New York. The building is said to be the highest in the city, and overlooks Union Square. In the distance are to be seen the Flatiron Building, the Times building and other modern marvels."
- Excerpt from the Biograph Bulletin No. 88, December 8, 1906.
Photographed November 8, 14, and 15, 1906.
American Mutoscope and Biograph Company.
Location: 12th Street and Broadway & Studio
Producer: Fred A. Dobson
PART 1
The first of three parts, this portion of film is almost entirely an actuality as it opens with a breathtaking panoramic shot of lower Manhattan overlooking Union Square Park. Park Avenue South comes into view just at the top in the distance. The scene cuts to bricklayers busily plying their trade, a riveting team sew the buildings frame together, (the city's low skyline in this shot allows for an amazing view of the East River in the distance), iron workers pull a beam into place. The three minute work day is over and four crew members ride a crane hook for the camera and their union pride.
PART 2
DAGO PETE STARTS A FIGHT AND IS DISCHARGED
Here comes the protagonist administering an unprovoked attack, in front of witnesses no less. The foreman shows up and immediately sends Pete packing.
TO GET EVEN HE ROBS THE CONTRACTOR
No one is around. Dago Pete sneaks back onto the job site, now's his chance. He rifles through the contractors vest and jacket pockets taking the contractors watch and papers. What a rat!
HE RETURNS TO THE BUILDING AND ACCUSES THE FOREMAN OF THE THEFT
The day is done. The management crew gets ready to leave when Mr. Contractor discovers his pocket watch has flown and his papers have walked! Dago Pete shows up just in time and sews the seed of discord. Ain't that guy not supposed to be here? What's his beef anyway? Besides getting canned for fighting I mean. What a liar! Just goes to show you can't trust a character named Dago. The gullible contractor tries to duke it out with the foreman, but the others rightly intervene.
DAGO PETE SECRETES THE STOLEN PROPERTY IN THE HOME OF THE FOREMAN
Under some undefined pretext, Dago Pete shows up at the foreman's home. Mrs. Foreman and little daughter Foreman seem used to crew workers showing up. As Pete weaves his tale of deceit Mrs. Foreman takes the bait. She goes off to allow the plot complication to move along smoothly. Unnoticed by Pete, the foreman's daughter runs off only to hide behind the dividing screen.
Pete thinks he's alone, so he stashes the stolen goods behind a clock on the wall mantle. How slick. But Mr. Foreman's daughter is slicker. Her natural curiosity has her witness Pete's devious actions when she pops her head above the screen. Didn't her mother warn her about standing on that stool? S'pose there wouldn't be a story if she were a perfect little girl. Mrs. Foreman returns, handing Pete a package. He bids an incongruous adieu and leaves. As Mrs. F sees him off, daughter tells mother about the earlier part of the scene.
PART 3
ATOP THE SKYSCRAPER
THRILLING HAND-TO-HAND ENCOUNTER ON ONE OF THE HIGHEST BUILDINGS ERECTED IN NEW YORK
The wrongly accused foreman confronts the duped contractor and after a subdued but heated exchange a dangerously located fight ensues. Don't mess with a construction foreman Mr. Contractor, he works around steel beams all day. The foreman throws him a weak but cinematically effective beating dropping the guy over the side. "Oh no... what have I done!?" He seems to exclaim.....
RESCUE OF THE CONTRACTOR
As the contractor hangs on for dear life a couple of workmen save him from certain death.
THE CULPRIT EXPOSED
In court, the contractor presses his case against the wrong man. Is there no justice? "Your Honor, he stole my plot devices and beat the daylights out of me! Left me hanging stories above certain death!"
Dago Pete bares false witness but in a sudden twist, the foreman's council presents the foreman's young precocious daughter who melodramatically points an accusing finger at Dago Pete. "It was HIM yer honor!"
Foiled! The jig is up! The court officer grabs Pete and hauls him off to the clink, stage left.
The contractor seeks forgiveness as the foreman's wife talks sense into the guy, and as is true of all wonders of early cinema, Innocence does not lie. Truth and Forgiveness win the day.
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© 2012 Created by Tome Wilson.
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