Pare Lorentz and the Documentary Film

It was Lorentz's idea to produce a series of films about the pressing problems facing the nation during the Great Depression - drought, floods, poverty, and slums. With an initial budget of $6,000 and the enormous drive and energy of a young director who had never made a motion picture, the beginnings were anything but auspicious. The results, however, were sensational and often made national headlines.