Expert lineman Red takes Farm-boy Slim under his wing and teaches him the dangerous, migratory trade of putting up transmission lines. They both love their work, and the same girl, who hates their dangerous profession.
Stunts
Real 1930s linemen doing death-defying tower climbs—no safety nets.
Acting
Fonda's raw vulnerability before he became Hollywood's conscience.
Director
Ray Enright
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Warner Bros. shot on location with actual linemen from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power as extras.
Released during rural electrification, it romanticized the dangerous work that brought power to 90% of American farms by 1950.
US
