My Dad’s Company (1946)

The film **”My Dad’s Company”** tells the story of an electrical utility company through the perspective of an employee and his son, demonstrating the utility’s role as a good citizen, an efficient producer, and a responsible neighbor. Instead of using a preachy tone, the message is conveyed through a natural conversation between the father and his curious son, making the utility’s contributions relatable and personal.

The boy begins by listing the everyday benefits of electricity, from lighting homes and cooking food to powering appliances like radios, televisions, and electric fans. This sets the stage for the film’s broader narrative, which highlights the many facets of electricity production, from coal being unloaded at plants to the sophisticated processes involved in powering homes and cities.

Scenes of massive turbines, transformers, and power substations depict the scale of energy production, while shots of workers monitoring control rooms and handling equipment underscore the precision and care required to ensure safety and efficiency. The father emphasizes that the company’s character is shaped by its people, showing workers in action, including line repair teams, meter readers, and engineers designing future projects.

As the film progresses, it underscores the company’s community role, with women working phone banks, home economics demonstrations in model kitchens, and broadcasters at a radio station. These scenes reinforce the company’s deep connection to the everyday lives of its customers.

In the concluding conversation between the father and son, the father explains that both a company and a person should be judged by how well they serve their community and act as good citizens. This final message ties together the film’s portrayal of the utility as more than just a business—it’s a crucial part of the community, working behind the scenes to improve lives while maintaining high ethical standards.

The film’s visuals, such as the boy walking alongside the generators and power lines, further emphasize the scale and impact of the company, subtly highlighting the blend of human effort and machinery that keeps the lights on for everyone.

We digitized and uploaded this film from the Prelinger Archive. Email us at footage@avgeeks.com if you have questions about the footage and are interested in using it in your project.