Prejudice (1949 film)

The story centers on an American Protestant man who believes he is tolerant of other religions and nationalities, but feels threatened by his Jewish colleague.

This was the first PFC production to be released theatrically; it was also distributed to 30,000 denominational churches and schools, religious clubs, and unions in the United States and Canada.

[1] Pamphlets warning against the influence of "Negros, Jews and foreigners" appear in the town and the minister delivers a sermon urging his congregants to treat others with brotherhood and love.

Joe now remembers his mother complaining about foreigners competing for his father's job, and how he also lost a delivery route to a Jewish boy.

The minister delivers another sermon in which he advises that to overcome prejudice, one must strengthen his faith in Christ, who loves all men equally.

Finally he works up the nerve to admit his prejudicial statement to his boss and ask him to reinstate Green as his assistant.

[2] The script, from an original story by Jarvis Couillard, drives its point home by having characters use many ethnic slurs, including "nigger", "wops", "dagoes", "dirty Jew", and "dumb Swede".

[1][7] 16-mm prints were subsequently made available for rent to approximately 30,000 denominational churches in the United States and Canada, schools, religious clubs, and unions.

[6] According to the New York Daily News, Prejudice was the first film produced under "exclusively religious auspices to receive commercial distribution".

[8] Daily Variety predicted that the film "will prove acceptable fare in churches, clubs, schools, etc.

The story elements are developed without plausibility, serving only as an obvious peg for several long sermons which are used as a substitute for dramatic situations.

In 1951, for example, a free screening followed by an interdenominational panel discussion, sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League with invitations extended to the public and members of 200 organizations, was held in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in conjunction with Brotherhood Week.