We return once again to the work of seminal Anglo-Canadian filmmaker Don Owen, “a bellwether of the times” who began his career with the NFB in the 1960s producing short documentaries. First up (for my wife), is Runner (1962), Owen’s gorgeously crafted observation of Canadian distance runner Bruce Kidd. More than 50 years later, Runner feels fresh and galvanizing, achieving a vitality in its crisp narration, its enervating score, and its smooth tracking that only gets vaguely approximated at now between shills for shoes and sports drinks. Owen’s High Steel (1966) considers the role of indigenous peoples in American high rise construction. The film’s lively narration by Don Francks is based on interviews with Harold McComber, a Mohawk iron worker whose daring occupation is made relatable by the sincerity of his professional pride and his practical faith in family tradition.
As per the NFB:
This captivating short documentary profiles the young Canadian long-distance runner Bruce Kidd at 19 years old. Kidd eventually went on to win a gold and bronze medal the 1962 Commonwealth Games, and was a competing member of the 1964 Canadian Olympic tem. Directed by Don Owen (Nobody Waved Goodbye, Toronto Jazz), the film is luminously photographed by John Spotton and features poetic commentary composed and spoken by the great Anglo-American poet W.H. Auden. The camera follows Kidd’s sprightly movements as he runs on piers, practice tracks, and finally, in an international race. Oblivious to the clapping crowds and the flash of cameras, he knows full well that in the long run it is the cold stopwatch that tells the truth.
As per the NFB:
This short documentary offers a dizzying view of the Mohawk Indians of Kahnawake who work in Manhattan erecting the steel frames of skyscrapers. Famed for their skill in working with steel, the Mohawks demonstrate their nimble abilities in the sky. As a counterbalance, the viewer is allowed a peek at their quieter community life on the Kahnawake Reserve, in Quebec.
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