Men at Lunch (Sean O Cualain, 2012): Ireland

Reviewed by Jian Gedrick at Santa Barbara Art Museum, Santa Barbara CA

You know the old saying,’a picture is worth a thousands words’? “Men at Lunch” uses this quote to represent the iconic photograph of eleven steel workers sitting, unprotected, 800 feet above the ground, on a narrow beam. As the narrator explains in the beginning, “New York is the place symbolizing a million photographs.” Of those millions of photographs this is the one that captures the quintessential New York image. The most interesting thing about this image is that it’s so widely known, yet very little is known about it.

This documentary explores the whole fascination with, as well as trying to uncover the history and unknown facts behind the photo. The movie explains, during the time the picture was taken New York was going through two enormous shifts: immigration and the Great Depression. The intense arrival of European immigrants at Ellis Island, as quoted from a historian in the film was a “twenty-four million immigration over a 30 year period.” Living in a society with a huge, new population during the Depression era called for some drastic measures. With more than 30 percent unemployed  people were willing to take any job available which at the time for most was construction. With the Renaissance of New York construction of building was rampant. So several immigrants took up a job where they would risk their lives in order to make an extra buck. It was on Sept. 29, 1932 a cameraman took the famous photo of the 11 men.

While the photo is interpreted in several ways by analysts that make the photo stand out in ways, one may not have considered before. The one obvious thing that stands out the most is the high risk factor involved while the photo was taken. The men in the photo seem completely oblivious that they are one tiny false move from death, “by the look of their expressions these men could have been sitting in a bar” one analyst in the film comments. The risk of death is all part of the job though, as explained in the film, they took the job accepting they could die at any moment.

There are several incredible photos (as well as some footage) of steel workers and photographers sitting standing, and in one photo even laying on beams some of which were only 4 inches wide! The audience gasped as the photos were displayed and they truly are unsettling and scary to watch. In fact, there are so many other more astonishing pictures of steel workers during that are more thrilling to view it’s a wonder why the men eating lunch is the most notable.

“What people love about the photo is its simplicity. It shows hardworking immigrants in their natural habitat helping create the future of New York, out of a poverty stricken time,”, said a New York analyst, “it symbolizes the moment New York became New York. Several present day New Yorkers throughout the movie claim one of the men is a relative of theirs. During those times steel workers were undocumented so everyone claiming to be a relative all have an equal chance of being right or wrong. The mystery of the identity of the men doesn’t make the photo frustrating though, it’s actually what makes the photo so special. As Jim Rasenberg in the film puts it “It’s the questions themselves that make a good picture”.

(Right) Director Sean O Cualain. (Behind) two retired steel workers.

Men at Lunch runs around 80 minutes. I had doubts if a documentary about a single picture would be able to last that long before running dull, but to me director Sean O Cualain  managed to succeeded in this. It evokes a sense of wonderment and shows how the picture represents a step forward for the disadvantaged in American history. Just how the pictures of firemen raising the American flag in the aftermath of 9/11 represented America’s resilience and coming together, which is brought up in the documentary. “Men at Lunch” is a good piece with hypnotizing narration and music as an effect for the photo to stimulate more of the senses. Even if you have no interest in the photo you won’t be squirming in your seat too much. Those interested in the photo should definitely see it, those who aren’t shouldn’t be too bored.

In this day an age the film’s look at the photo may inspire someone to take another meaningful photograph that represents another step forward in humanity. At the end experienced photographer, Joel Woolhead, says he’s trying to get the next “Men at Lunch” photo and hopes to get it one day. With the current issues today maybe another iconic photo which will symbolize another step forward in humanity and the civilization in America, will have the same effect this photo had on the Irish, Jewish, and Italian immigrants in New York.