The Whistle At Eaton Falls (1951)

Set in a small town in post war New Hampshire, a former factory worker and union president (Lloyd Bridges) finds himself in the uncomfortable position of shutting down the factory and laying off workers. These are friends and co-workers that he had promised  to protect when he was union president. If he doesn't rescue the failing business, they'll all go under. Directed by Robert Siodmak, the German expatriate most famous for such noirs as THE KILLERS (1946), CRISS CROSS (1949) and PHANTOM LADY (1944) among many others. Shot in a B&W semi documentary style by Joseph C. Brun (ODDS AGAINST TOMORROW), Siodmak traverses a fine line so as to not offend either unions or management showing both in good and bad situations but ultimately I think it tips the scales ever so slightly toward toward management. I wish it could have been a little more political in its narrative but that was never its aim. There's a strong underscore by Louis Applebaum. With Ernest Borgnine, Anne Francis, Dorothy Gish, Arthur O'Connell, Murray Hamilton, Carleton Carpenter, Diana Douglas, James Westerfield and Anne Seymour.